How a spouse can get benefits when his or her spouse collects. Application for wifes or husbands insurance benefits social security. A couples guide to filing social security spousal benefits. What is the eligibility for social security spouses.
To squeeze the most out of spousal social security benefits, however, it can be best to wait until reaching your full social security age. If you are married and you wait until your full retirement age, you enjoy two options. You apply for spousal social security benefits the same way you claim your own retirement benefits. Can you switch from an individual social security benefit to. Can continue to receive benefit if remarry after age 60 or age 50 if disabled, or disabled after age 50. At what age should you collect a social security spousal. You can complete an application for retirement, spouse s, medicare or disability benefits online. Social security benefits continue until the month after the death of the recipient.
The social security system is complex across the board, and spousal and exspousal benefits may be the most complicated of all, whether youre married, divorced or widowed. For couples who have not started benefits yetyou can maximize the survivor benefit that is available by having the highest earner of the two wait until age 70 to begin social security benefits. Nov 30, 2019 even if your exspouse has not applied for hisher social security benefits, you can still apply for your spousal benefit based upon their earnings record. How are spousal benefits calculated for social security. How to apply for survivors benefits you cannot apply for survivors benefits online. If you have your spouses consent, you may act as his representative and apply for social security retirement benefits including medicare online. The social security administration retirement estimator tool assesses benefits based on your personal earnings record, but you can t run spousal or survivor scenarios. But even if theres no death, you can collect a social security spousal benefit equal to half of what your spouse gets, if thats higher than what youd get on your own. If you re younger than your own full retirement age, you can still file for benefits under your spouse s record. The benefit is similar, in fact, to the spousal benefit that is available to a person who is still married. So, you can only receive additional spouse s benefits if your own full retirement benefit not your reduced benefit is less than half of your husbands full retirement benefit.
You can receive up to 50% of your spouse s social security benefit. Heres how to maximize your social security benefit. Jan 15, 2017 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 may claim social security spousal benefits as early as age 62, but the amount of your benefit is permanently reduced according to the number of months left until you. Spouses of workers who paid at least 40 quarters or 10 years of social security taxes are eligible for spousal benefits. Today we go over eligibility and how you to start the application process. As a spouse, you can claim a social security benefit based on your own earnings record, or collect a spousal benefit in the amount of 50% of your spouses. Yes, you can file a restricted application for spousal benefits only, which will allow you to receive the spousal benefit alone, without impacting your own retirement benefit. The spousal benefit allows a husband or wife to collect up to 50 percent of a working spouse s social security benefits, even if that spouse has never worked. Your 2018 guide to social security spousal benefits the. You can receive spousal benefits when you reach retirement age or a permanently reduced spousal benefit beginning at age 62. If you receive a spousal benefit because you are caring for a child who is under age 16 or disabled. To get that estimate, call social security at 80077212 or visit your local field office. Before making a determination for your retirement, consider the following.
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. How a spouse can get benefits when his or her spouse. Learn how you qualify and how to apply for spousal benefits or survivor benefits if you are a widow or widower. What you need to apply for social security survivor benefits. They can boost the payout when they collect a spousal. Technically, the application form for social security spousal benefits is an ssa2, but social security no longer uses paper application forms.
Can i file for my social security at 62 and switch to spousal benefits. Feb, 2019 to find out more about social security for samesex couples, you can contact social security directly by phone at 180077212, or visit a local social security office. If you are qualified to receive an old age, survivor, or disability insurance benefit from the social security administration ssa at the time that you file your railroad retirement application, and you indicate on the application that you want to use your application to protect your filing date for a social security benefit, ssa will get in touch with you and advise you on how to file a. According to social securitys website, though, you can apply for spousal benefits online. Many people claim their benefits at age 62, which, of course, is when they are first available. A retroactive benefit is a lumpsum payment of up to six months worth of social.
Social security spousal benefits are some of the most generous benefits you ll receive in retirement. Generally, during the initial interview when applying for social security benefits, we typically explore all other benefits that could yield you a. Aarp 10102018 can i collect spousal benefits and wait until i am 70 to collect my own social sec. Mar 28, 2017 spouses of workers who paid at least 40 quarters or 10 years of social security taxes are eligible for spousal benefits. You are at least 62 unless you are caring for a child who is under 16 or disabled, in which case the age rule does not apply. You can either claim your own social security benefit or a spousal benefit. What is the eligibility for social security spouses benefits.
One wonderful aspect of social security is the fact that a spouse who has little or. These benefits are equal to half of what the person who paid into social security receives. You could potentially file a restricted application for just spousal. Between our social security blog, our radio showpodcast, and conversations in the office we have discussed social security benefits for spouses an innumerable amount of times. If you prefer, you can also apply by phone or in person at your nearest social security administration office. The ultimate guide to social security spousal benefits in. Form ssa2 information you need to apply for spouses or. These are a special kind of spousal benefits that can increase the retirement benefits of married couples or divorcees where both the husband and wife have substantial social security earnings. Dealing with social security and medicare during the. You and your husband may want to consider an expert social. Online, if you are within 3 months of age 62 or older, or. Social security benefits for a nonworking spouse canandaigua.
The family of your ex spouse wont be notified should you apply for benefits. However, you maximize your spousal benefit by taking it at your full retirement age, presently 66 for most people. You can start collecting spousal benefits as soon as 1 you have reached age 62 and 2 your husband has started collecting his own retirement benefit, says piper. Deemed filing for retirement and spouses benefits faqs. 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.
We can help with our custom social security retirement and spouse benefit analysis. If you re eligible to collect retirement benefits on your own work history, as well as spousal benefits, social security essentially pays you the higher of the two, he said. How do you apply for spousal social security benefits answers. The question of when should you get benefits is much more difficult to answer. To find out more about social security for samesex couples, you can contact social security directly by phone at 180077212, or visit a local social security office. When you file for social security benefits, your spouse may be eligible for. You wont find an estimate for the spousal benefit on either spouses social security statement. Once you and your spouse are both receiving social security benefits, upon the death of your spouse, you will continue to receive the larger of your benefitor your spouse sbut not both. Nov 24, 2019 you may claim social security spousal benefits as early as age 62, but the amount of your benefit is permanently reduced according to the number of months left until you reach full retirement age.
November 2, 2015 concerning social security that closed some unintended loopholes. There was a change in the law in 2015 the bipartisan budget act of 2015 public law 11474. How to maximize social security spousal benefits rules. An appointment is not required, but if you call ahead and schedule one, it may. The right to receive spousal benefits is even more valuable in retirement planning when you consider the following options available to social security beneficiaries. If you apply for social security spousal benefits, youll want to know the ins and outs of the process. Social security spousal benefits raise questions about age.
Lowerearning spouses who claim their own social security benefit before full retirement age take a cut of as much as 25%. You can claim your own social security at 62 or whenever and make the switch to spousal benefits when your husband or wife files. How to calculate your own social security spousal benefits the right way the spousal benefit calculation is straightforward if you dont have a benefit of your own. If a spouse was married for at least a year to a disabled worker who died while receiving social security disability benefits, the surviving spouse can get benefits in either of these circumstances. An appointment is not required, but if you call ahead and schedule one, it may reduce the time you spend waiting to apply. How to maximize social security with spousal benefits. Calculations of social security benefits can be complicated depending upon the earning records of each spouse, and the age at which they begin drawing benefits. The surviving spouse is disabled and between 50 and 60. Understanding spouses benefits social security matters. Create a my social security account and download your social security. By calling our national tollfree service at 180077212 tty 18003250778 or visiting your local social security office.
However, the online application is far more efficient. Social security s 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. Choosing when and how you apply for social security can. The paper application form for spousal benefits is an ssa2, but i dont know. Would you help us understand how to figure out my wifes options. Theres no limit to the number of people who may receive survivor benefits from a single workers social security account. If your own retirement benefit is lower than your spousal benefit, social security will pay you the higher amount. Apply first for your benefits, then call them to add your spouse. You can apply online through the social security s retirementmedicare benefits application to receive retirement, spousal or medicare benefits. Who can get social security survivors benefits and how do. This allows you to receive a benefit equal to 50% of your spouses pia while delaying your own benefit to accrue the delayed retirement credits of 8% per year of delay. Filing for social security survivor benefits as a divorced spouse is private and involves only you and the social security administration. When you re applying for social security survivor benefits, the social security administration ssa will need a lot of information about you and the decedent. Did you, or your spouse, or prior spouse work in the railroad industry for 5 years or more.
According to social security s website, though, you can apply for spousal benefits online. Survivors must apply for this payment within two years of the date of death. Note that if you are collecting benefits based on caring for a child under 16, and you work at the same time, social security will take away some of your benefits if you make over a certain amount of earned income for the year. If youre younger than your own full retirement age, you can still file for benefits under your spouses record. Once approved, you would receive monthly payments by check or direct deposit. You can expect the following when applying for social security spousal benefits. Apply for social security benefits social security. Mar 05, 2010 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. Social security makes this a little bit like alphabet soup, as youll soon see.
You can download a users guide and the calculator from the website. If you have reached full retirement age, however, you can make a restricted application to receive only your spousal benefits. Social security will not pay the sum of your retirement and spousal benefits. Social security spousal benefits pay a beneficiarys spouse in retirement, even if the spouse did not work. If you do not wish to use the online application, or the application for the benefit you want is not available online, you can. Applying for spousal benefits if you havent reached your full retirement age yet. If your spouse had started benefits, but you had not, you can choose to collect a survivor benefit now, then switch to your benefit at your age 70 if. Jul 15, 2019 as i mentioned before, if your spouse qualifies for u. If you re eligible for your own retirement benefits, you ll get those first. You can only make the switch to a spousal benefit if your spouse has not yet claimed their social security benefit at the time of your initial filing. Your 2019 social security spousal benefits guide the. You can collect benefits on a spouses work record regardless of whether you also worked.
Can i collect social security on my spouses record. Can i apply for my spouses social security benefits online. 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. Heres an overview of benefits for the spouse of a retiring worker. How can my wife get the biggest social security spousal. Follow these steps to make sure you will receive the maximum possible social security benefit.
But even if theres no death, you can collect a social security spousal benefit equal to half of what your spouse gets, if thats higher than what you. Oct 15, 2018 roughly 10,000 to 15,000 people become eligible each day to file for social security retirement benefits, and, as the world goes, the social security administration is driving them to apply for. Social security options for spouses, widows, and exspouses flyer. Your 2019 social security spousal benefits guide the motley. Social security options for spouses, widows, and ex. You must be married for one full year 12 months before you can apply. You can collect benefits on a spouse s work record regardless of whether you also worked.
Jul 18, 2016 these are a special kind of spousal benefits that can increase the retirement benefits of married couples or divorcees where both the husband and wife have substantial social security earnings. Applying for spousal social security disability benefits. It creates a larger monthly benefit amount that becomes the survivor benefit when the first spouse passes. Since he is at least age 65, he couldnt decline part a of medicare and still file for social security spousal or retirement benefits. However you apply, you need to have several documents available if the agency requests them. 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. How to apply for social security spouse benefits sapling. To claim a social security benefit based on your spouse s work record, your spouse has to first file for their own benefit. If you opt for the spousal benefits, your own unclaimed social security benefits will continue to grow untouched at 8% a year until age 70. 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. Social security retirement benefits online, in person or by telephone.
Can you get social security on your spouse s work record. Filing for social security and the restricted application online. Read it all, i am only printing some important areas for you social security. Can i switch from my social security benefit to a spousal.
Form ssa2 information you need to apply for spouses or divorced spouses benefits. However, there is an offshoot of spousal benefits that we have not covered in much detail. Mar 26, 2020 you are at least 62 unless you are caring for a child who is under 16 or disabled, in which case the age rule does not apply. This decision becomes significantly more complex if you are or were married. You can file for spousal benefits the same way you would earned benefits. Required documents for social security retirement benefits. Jul 01, 2016 the first thing to know is how social security spousal benefits are calculated. Being aware of the free spousal benefits from social security. In this case, you can claim your own social security beginning at 62 and make the switch to spousal benefits when your husband or wife files. According to the ssas rules, however, there are a few catches.
You can file for a spousal benefit as early as age 62. Making the right decisions can significantly increase monthly benefits, as well as the total funds received over a lifetime. Social security operates with a philosophy that a divorced person may deserve a personal benefit, having been the longterm partner and helpmate of a member of the workforce. How to navigate spousal benefits under new social security rules. If you understand these rules it could make a big difference in the amount of benefits you. You will need to have both of you there, on the phone, or in person, to answer. You can file by phone or inperson by contacting your nearest social security office, or by calling 180077212. However, if your spouse was in the workforce longer than you or made more money, spousal benefits could add to the overall benefits you receive. As with other social security retirement benefits, you can begin taking them at age 62, but if you do so, you. According to aarp, if your spouse is already receiving social security when you claim your retirement benefits, you are subject to the deemed filing rule, which does not give you the choice. Hi rod, you can t qualify to receive spousal benefits unless your wife is drawing her social security retirement benefits.
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