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Social Security Column
YOUR SPOUSE MAY BE COVERED BY SOCIAL SECURITY
By Phil Walton,
Social Security Manager in Toledo, OH
Special to The Truth
If you have a spouse who does not earn an income or who
earns less than you do, your spouse (including a same-sex
spouse) may be entitled to Social Security spouses’ benefits
based on your record. Social Security can be an important
financial asset for married couples when the time comes to
apply for retirement benefits.
In many cases, one spouse may have earned significantly more
than the other,or may have worked longer. Or it could be
that one spouse stayed home to do the work of raising the
children, caring for elderly family members, or managing the
household while the other focused on a career.
Whatever your situation, Social Security will look at all
possibilities to make sure both spouses receive the maximum
Social Security benefits possible, whether based on each
spouse’s earnings record or the higher wage-earner’s record.
Your spouse can apply for benefits the same way that you
apply for benefits on your own record. He or she can apply
for reduced benefits as early as age 62, or for 100 percent
of the full retirement benefits at “full retirement age.”
Not sure what the full retirement ages are? To learn your
and your spouse’s full retirement ages, based on birth year,
visit
www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/ageincrease.htm. The benefit
amount your spouse can receive at full retirement age can be
as much as one half of your full benefit. If your spouse
opts for early retirement, the benefit may be as little as a
third of your full benefit amount. Note that benefits paid
to your spouse do not decrease your benefit amount.
If you have already reached full retirement age but continue
to work, you can apply for retirement benefits and request
to have the payments suspended until as late as age 70. This
would let you earn delayed retirement credits that will mean
higher payments later, but still would allow your spouse to
receive a spouse’s benefit. People can also apply for spouse
benefits based on the earnings record of an ex-spouse or
deceased spouse if married for at least 10 years. Spouses
can consider a number of options and variables. We make it
easier to navigate them. A good place to start is by
visiting our benefits planner at
www.socialsecurity.gov/planners. Take note of the
“Benefits As A Spouse” section.
If you are ready to apply for benefits, the fastest,
easiest, and most convenient way is to apply online! You can
do so at
www.socialsecurity.gov/applyonline and complete your
application in as little as 15 minutes.
Due to a Supreme Court decision, we now are able to pay
benefits to some same-sex couples. We encourage people who
think they may be eligible to apply now. Learn more at
www.socialsecurity.gov/same-sexcouples. Whether you
receive benefits on a spouse’s record or your own, rest
assured we will make sure you get the highest benefit for
which you qualify. Learn more at
www.socialsecurity.gov.
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