Spousal Social Security Benefits or Your Own: A Quick Guide to Which One Pays More

If you are married, or were married in the past, and you qualify for retirement benefits on your own work history, another question matters: could a spousal Social Security benefit be larger than your personal benefit?

That depends on your earnings record, your spouse’s benefit at full retirement age, and the age when you decide to claim. In most cases, you do not receive both; Social Security pays whichever amount is higher.

Use this simple checklist to figure out which option may be worth more.

1. Make Sure You Qualify for a Spousal Benefit

To qualify, you generally must have been married for at least one year and be at least 62 years old. Your spouse also must be receiving retirement benefits. If you are caring for your spouse’s child who is under 16 or disabled, the age-62 requirement does not apply.

If you are divorced, the rules are slightly different: you must have been married for at least 10 years, be unmarried now, and be at least 62. Your former spouse does not have to be collecting benefits for you to qualify.

The largest spousal benefit at full retirement age is 50% of your spouse’s primary insurance amount, which is the benefit they would receive at their own full retirement age, not necessarily what they actually collect if they claim early or delay.

2. Estimate What You Could Get on Your Own Record

Next, check your own estimated Social Security benefit based on your work history. In general, if you worked and paid Social Security taxes for at least 10 years, you can begin retirement benefits at age 62.

The age you claim matters. Filing before full retirement age usually lowers the monthly payment, while delaying can raise your own retirement benefit.

3. Identify Your Spouse’s Full Retirement Age Benefit

Then determine your spouse’s primary insurance amount, or the benefit they would receive at full retirement age. If you claim at your own full retirement age, your maximum spousal benefit can be as much as half of that amount.

Keep in mind that if your spouse waits until age 70 to claim, those delayed retirement credits do not increase your maximum spousal benefit. The Social Security Administration bases the 50% calculation on the spouse’s full retirement age amount, not the higher figure from delayed claiming.

4. Compare That Amount With Your Own Full Retirement Age Benefit

Now compare the estimate from your Social Security account with the spousal benefit you may qualify for. If you file at full retirement age, Social Security will pay the larger of the two: your own benefit or the spousal amount.

For instance, if your spouse’s full retirement age benefit is $2,500 a month, the highest spousal benefit would be $1,250. If your own full retirement age benefit is $850, the spousal benefit is better. But if your personal benefit is higher, it makes more sense to keep it.

5. Timing Your Claim Can Change the Result

Claiming at 62 instead of full retirement age can reduce the spousal benefit to as little as 32.5% of your spouse’s primary insurance amount. The exception is for people caring for a qualifying child.

The reduction formula for spousal benefits differs from the one used for your own retirement benefit, so early filing affects each one differently. Before making a decision, compare both benefits at the age you plan to claim, not only at full retirement age.