Social security is phasing in the fra increase differently for different types of benefits. This is available online, and the entire application should take about. An appointment is not required, but if you call ahead and schedule one, it may reduce the time you spend waiting to apply. Social security spousal benefits are partial retirement or disability benefits granted to the spouses of qualifying taxpayers. With survivor benefits, if your late spouse boosted his or her social security payment by waiting past fra to file, your survivor benefit would also increase. If you apply for social security spousal benefits, youll want to know the ins and outs of the process. You may be able to collect payments under your spouses record, too. How are social security spousal benefits calculated. You can receive spousal benefits when you reach retirement age or a permanently reduced spousal benefit beginning at age 62. After all, if youve paid social security taxes for 10 years, then youre entitled to social security benefits. Social security spousal benefits are confusing, and among the most common thing readers ask about. When you file for social security benefits ss benefits, the rrb must reduce your.
Am i eligible for spouses benefits from may, when my wifes benefits begin and july when my own benefits will start. Your spousal or survivor benefits may be reduced, however, if you are under full retirement age and continue to work. Social security is phasing in the fra increase differently for. If you do have enough credits to qualify for your own social security benefits and you apply for your own retirement benefits and for benefits as a spouse, we always pay your own benefits first. Spousal benefits allow you to get up to 50 percent of the total. What is the eligibility for social security spouses. Being aware of the free spousal benefits from social security. By calling our national tollfree service at 180077212 tty 18003250778 or visiting your local social security office. Spousal or survival benefits generally go to widows or widowers who had low or no social security work records of their own. Social security spousal benefits are probably the most confusing benefit because they are considered a family benefit.
Get all the facts you need to know before applying for spousal social security disability benefits below. If you download, print and complete a paper form, please mail or take it to your local social. If you are at full retirement age, which varies according to the year you were born, social security will pay benefits starting that month. I will be 70 in july and am ready to file an application. How are spousal benefits calculated for social security. What disability benefits mean for your spouses social security. Online use our social security retirementmedicare benefit application to apply for retirement, spouses, divorced spouses or medicare benefits. You can file for a spousal benefit as early as age 62. A littleknown social security spousal benefit option. To make the most of your spousal social security benefit, it can be helpful to. You can expect the following when applying for social security spousal benefits. Did you, or your spouse, or prior spouse work in the railroad. He was born in 1937 and began collecting social security at 62. The paper application form for spousal benefits is an ssa2, but i dont know.
Form ssa1 information you need to apply for retirement. But even if theres no death, you can collect a social security spousal benefit equal to half of what your. Social security not only provides benefits based on your own record, but also spousal and survivor benefits. My wife is currently 62 and would retire soon if we can determine how much in spousal benefits she would receive at 62, 63, 63, 65 and fra at 66 based on mine. Thanks to social security spousal benefits, even if one spouse didnt.
Many people claim their benefits at age 62, which, of course, is when they are first available. Government pension offset rule for social security spousal. Spouses of workers who paid at least 40 quarters or 10 years of social security taxes are eligible for spousal benefits. If you apply one to five months after you reach fra, you can get retroactive benefits in a lump sum for. Social security spousal benefits can be as much as 50% of the higherearning spouses full retirement age benefit but theres a lot more to these benefits than those simple basics. How to navigate spousal benefits under new social security. Form ssa2 information you need to apply for spouses or divorced spouses benefits. When delaying like this, it often also makes sense for the spouse with the lower wage base to. You can complete an application for retirement, spouses, medicare or disability benefits online.
Collecting social security at 62 has some advantages. If you do not wish to use the online application, or the application for the benefit you want is not available online, you can. How to maximize social security with spousal benefits. The easiest and quickest way to apply for retirement, spouses, exspouses, or medicare benefits is to apply online. This entry was posted in retirement and tagged benefits from spouse, retirement, social security. The tier 1 benefit component amount of your employee, spouse or divorced spouse annuity already includes credit for the railroad workers earnings covered by social security taxes. If your spouse is already receiving benefits when you apply, or if you and your spouse apply at the same time, we will also check your eligibility for benefits as a spouse. Today we go over eligibility and how you to start the application process. Social security forms social security administration. The calculation for spousal benefits is based on the retirement age. How to claim social security spousal benefits markets.
Even if your exspouse has not applied for hisher social security benefits, you can still apply for. How your spouse earns social security survivors benefits. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. Benefits for you as a spouse social security administration. For example, you may be ready to retire and counting on social security as the cornerstone of your retirement plan. Some years ago i was talking to a colleague at the university of delaware who was planning to retire. Social security number and date of birth or age of your current spouse and. To apply online, you must be at least 61 years and 9 months old.
For retirement and spousal benefits, full retirement age will reach 67. If youre thinking about your golden years, you may have questions like what spousal benefits does social security provide. Even if you have never worked under social security, you may be. How to maximize social security spousal benefits rules. To claim a social security benefit based on your spouses work record, your spouse has to first file for their own benefit. Once you and your spouse start receiving social security benefits, upon the death of your spouse, you will continue to receive your benefit, or your spouse s, but not both.
Navigating your various retirement options may seem like quite a task. How a spouse can get benefits when his or her spouse. Application for retirement insurance benefits social security. Answers to some of the most commonly asked questions financial advisers get on spousal benefits, including. Form ssa1 information you need to apply for retirement benefits or medicare. But even more confusing is how the benefit is calculated. When it comes to information, we have over 80 years of experience. That person must have worked long enough under social security to qualify for benefits. If you expect to claim spousal social security benefits, its important to understand how your timing can make a significant impact on the size of your checks. Online, apply for retirement, spouses or medicare benefits. As described in the article about credits for delaying social security benefits, each year that you delay receiving your social security retirement benefit past your full retirement age fra can result in up to an 8% increase in your benefit amount. These benefits are equal to half of what the person who paid into social security receives. With this in mind, ive developed the following list of frequently asked questions, a faq for social security spousal benefits.
Spousal benefits and gpowep social security intelligence. Poor health of one or both spouses should affect your decision about when to begin benefits. Using social security spousal benefits to your benefit. If you are the survivor social security administration. Social security spousal and survivor benefits were created to provide some level of social security benefits to households that relied primarily on a single worker, as a means to both financially support households with stayathome spouses, and to ensure that an earners widow was not left in poverty after the primary worker passed away. But since its a governmentrun program, spouses who apply must meet first a few eligibility requirements. Understanding spouses benefits social security matters. You apply for social security spousal benefits with the exact same application that is used for standard retirement benefits.
Social security benefits are crucial to most retirements in the united states. Apply for social security benefits social security. Social security does not allow what it calls retroactivity if you claim benefits before then. How to apply for social security spouse benefits sapling. According to social securitys website, though, you can apply for spousal benefits online. Online, if you are within 3 months of age 62 or older, or. Social securitys benefit to your spouse is called the spousal benefit, and the benefit may apply to a current spouse, widowed spouse, or exspouse if youre divorced. I was surprised to learn that he did not know about social security spousal benefits. Additional confusion comes from trying to decipher what happens with spousal benefits if you claim before versus after full.
Social security benefits continue until the month after the death of the recipient. Finally, the social security retirement system is gender neutral, so while this article has assumed that the wife is the one applying for social security spousal benefits, if the wife earns more than the husband, the husband can apply for spousal benefits based on his wifes earnings. Application for wifes or husbands insurance benefits social security. Apply for social security benefits social security administration. Would you help us understand how to figure out my wifes options. Your 2019 social security spousal benefits guide the. As more common questions are brought forth ill update the list let me know if theres anything missing or if any of the faqs needs a. One feature of social security is designed to boost the retirement income of married couples that only had one primary earner. Applying for spousal social security disability benefits. Social security spousal death benefits are available to eligible beneficiaries. Many americans participate in the united states social security system without fully understanding how doing so will benefit them. How a spouse can get benefits when his or her spouse collects disability. My wife filed an application for social security in february to take effect when she turns 70 in may.
Spousal benefits spousal benefits and gpowep 0 vote up vote down willow12345 asked 3 years ago my husband is 80. Knowing how your finances affect your spouses can help both of you avoid future impacts on your incomes. The spousal benefit allows a husband or wife to collect up to 50 percent of a working spouses social security benefits, even if that spouse has never worked. I apply for all insurance benefits for which i am eligible under title ii federal old age. One benefit that is often overlooked is spousal benefits. Your 2018 guide to social security spousal benefits the. Social securitys online applications can only be accessed by people who actually intend to file for benefits, and i have no personal experience with the online filing process. You can collect benefits on a spouse s work record regardless of whether you also worked. What disability benefits mean for your spouses social. At what age should you collect a social security spousal. How to navigate spousal benefits under new social security rules. He did not pay social security and does have a pension. Spousal benefits for social security elder law associates pa.
Form ssa2 information you need to apply for spouses or. For example, a highearning spouse in poor health may elect to defer taking payments past normal retirement age in order to maximize the widow or widower benefit. The easiest way to apply for spousal social security benefits is through your my social security account at if you dont have an account, you can create one and apply from there. With that said, most are aware that social security acts as an important source of income for retired workers, but less people are informed of the additional spousal benefits available to eligible married couples. For most americans, social security benefits remain a major source of retirement income. A spouse may be currently marriedor formerly marriedto an employed person, but under social security, as long as the former marriage was a longterm relationship, it still counts when it comes to claiming your social security benefits. If you are married or divorced and nearing retirement age, you may be eligible for spousal social security benefits.