Expert guidance for married, divorced, and caregiving spouses to help you secure and maximize your Social Security benefits.
Social Security allows eligible spouses to claim up to half of the primary worker’s full retirement benefit. You may qualify whether you’re currently married, divorced, or caring for a child.
We help you understand:
Who Qualifies: Married atleast 1 year to someone receiving Social Security Benefits
When you can claim: As early as age 62
What to Know:
– Claiming before Full Retirement Age(FRA) reduces benefits
– Your own work record must be lower than 50% of your spouses FRA benfit
Who qualifies: Must have been married to your ex-spouse for at least 10 years, be currently unmarried, and your ex must be entitled to Social Security benefits.
When you can claim: As early as age 62.
What to know:
– Claiming before Full Retirement Age (FRA) reduces benefits.
– Your own work record must be lower than 50% of your ex-spouse’s FRA benefit.
– Your ex-spouse does not need to have claimed benefits yet, but they must be eligible and at least 62.
Who qualifies: Married or divorced spouses caring for the worker’s child who is under age 16 or disabled.
When you can claim: At any age while caring for the child.
What to know:
– Full 50% of the worker’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) is payable regardless of your age.
– No reduction for claiming before FRA.
– The child must be the worker’s natural or legally adopted child, or in some cases a stepchild, and must meet Social Security’s eligibility rules.
The maximum spousal benfit is 50% of your spouse’s primary Insured amount – but if you claim early the percentage drops
|
Age Claimed
|
Percentage Received
|
|---|---|
|
66 or 67 (FRA)
|
50% of the number holder's Primary Insured Amount
|
|
62
|
~32.5%
|
|
CIC (any age)
|
50% of the number holder's Primary Insured Amount
|
• Eligibility Basics: Must be age 60 or older (50 or older if disabled); marriage lasted at least 9 months (exceptions for accidents or if you had a child together); deceased had enough work credits (typically 40 quarters).
• Requirements: Not remarried before age 60 (or 50 if disabled); apply with proof like marriage certificate, death certificate, and Social Security numbers.
• Benefit Amount: 100% at your full retirement age 66-67, if the deceased was entitled to unreduced benefits
• Eligibility Basics: Must be age 60 or older (50 or older if disabled); marriage lasted at least 10 years; deceased had enough work credits.
• Requirements: Not remarried before age 60 (or 50 if disabled); eligibility independent of deceased’s remarriage; apply with divorce decree, marriage certificate, death certificate, and Social Security numbers.
• Benefit Amount: Same as surviving spouse: 71.5%–100% of deceased’s benefit based on your age.
• Eligibility Basics: Any age, caring for deceased’s child under 16 or disabled (disability began before age 22); marriage lasted at least 9 months (exceptions apply).
• Requirements: Child must receive benefits on deceased’s record; remarriage may end benefits; provide birth certificates for child, marriage/death proofs; benefits end when no longer caring for qualifying child.
• Benefit Amount: 75% of deceased’s benefit; no age reduction; switch to regular survivor benefits later if needed.
• Eligibility Basics: Any age, caring for deceased’s child under 16 or disabled (disability before 22); marriage lasted at least 10 years.
• Requirements: Child must be from the marriage and qualify for benefits; not remarried (or benefits may end); submit divorce decree, child’s birth certificate, marriage/death proofs.
• Benefit Amount: 75% of deceased’s benefit; continues while CIC; can transition to standard divorced survivor benefits after.
The surviving spouse benefit depends on your age and circumstances connected to choices the deceased made with regard to their own benefits while living.
|
Age Claimed
|
Percentage Received
|
|---|---|
|
66 or 67 (FRA)
|
Deceased's Reduced Benefit, 82.5% of Unreduced Amount, or 100% of the Deceased's Unreduced Benefit including DRCs.
|
|
50 if disabled or 60
|
Starting at 71.5% increases from age 60 to FRA.
|
|
CIC (any age)
|
75% of Deceased's Unreduced Benefit.
|
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