Spousal and Survivor Benefits: What You Need to Know

When planning for retirement, most people think about their own Social Security benefits and personal savings. But if you're married—or were married—you may be eligible for spousal or survivor benefits that can significantly impact your income during retirement. These benefits can be a lifeline, especially for couples with one primary earner or a spouse who spent time out of the workforce raising children or managing the household.

What Are Spousal Benefits?

Spousal benefits allow a husband or wife to receive up to 50% of their spouse’s Social Security benefit, even if they never worked or paid into the system themselves. To qualify, the higher-earning spouse must have filed for their own benefit, and the other spouse must be at least age 62.

Keep in mind that collecting before full retirement age (which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year) will result in a reduced spousal benefit. If you wait until your full retirement age, you’ll get the full 50%.

This option can be particularly useful for households where one spouse earned significantly more, or where one partner didn’t work outside the home.

What About Survivor Benefits?

Survivor benefits come into play when a spouse passes away. If you were married for at least nine months, you may be able to receive up to 100% of your deceased spouse’s Social Security benefit—if it’s higher than your own.

You can start receiving survivor benefits as early as age 60 (or age 50 if you're disabled), but like spousal benefits, they will be reduced if claimed before full retirement age. If you’re caring for a child under 16 or a disabled child of the deceased, you may qualify regardless of age.

Survivor benefits aren’t limited to current spouses. If you were married for at least 10 years and are now divorced, you may also be eligible—without affecting your former spouse’s benefits or triggering their involvement.

Planning Around These Benefits

Many people don’t realize how much flexibility there is when it comes to coordinating benefits between spouses. For instance, one spouse might claim a lower benefit early while the other delays claiming to let their benefit grow. Later, the lower-earning spouse can switch to a spousal benefit if it’s higher than what they were receiving.

Strategic claiming can help maximize total household benefits over the long run—and provide a stronger safety net for the surviving spouse.

It’s also important to consider the tax impact. Social Security benefits may be taxable depending on your overall income, including distributions from retirement accounts or annuities. Working with a retirement planner can help you coordinate withdrawals, benefits, and tax strategy to keep more of your money in your pocket.

Don’t Leave Benefits on the Table

One of the most common mistakes we see is people not understanding the full scope of what they’re entitled to. Whether it’s spousal benefits, survivor benefits, or how claiming age affects the outcome, these decisions can have long-term effects on your financial health in retirement.

If you're married, divorced, or widowed, it's worth reviewing how spousal or survivor benefits could enhance your retirement income. Contact our team at Sound Retirement Solutions to schedule your personalized Social Security review and retirement income strategy.