Can I Switch From My Social Security Benefit to a Spousal Benefit? (2024)

FAQs

Can I Switch From My Social Security Benefit to a Spousal Benefit? ›

If you're eligible to receive your retirement benefit as well as spousal benefits, then you'd get the higher of the two. If your spouse hasn't filed for retirement yet, then you can't get spousal benefits. You can, however, file for your own retirement benefits if you're at least 62 years old.

If you claim your regular Social Security benefit before your higher-earning spouse does, you have the option of switching to spousal benefits at a later date when (or after) your spouse decides to file.

What you may not realize is that your spouse may also be able to receive Social Security benefits. In fact, they don't even have to have reached retirement age to qualify for these benefits. They may be eligible, through this loophole, if they are serving as a caregiver at home for your child with disabilities.

A Social Security spousal rule that has been around for decades officially ends this year for everyone except those who turned 70 on Jan. 1, 2024. The rule allows recipients to switch between their benefits and their spouses to receive the maximum amount.

The spousal benefit can be as much as half of the worker's "primary insurance amount," depending on the spouse's age at retirement. If the spouse begins receiving benefits before "normal (or full) retirement age," the spouse will receive a reduced benefit.

Yes. If you qualify for your own retirement and spouse's benefits, we will always pay your own benefits first. If your benefit amount as a spouse is higher than your own retirement benefit, you will get a combination of the two benefits that equals the higher amount.

A Social Security spousal rule that was around for decades ended this year for the last eligible retirees — those who turned 70 on Jan. 1, 2024. The rule allowed recipients to switch between their benefits and their spouses' to receive the maximum amount. But unless you were born before Jan.

In addition, to be eligible for spouse's benefits, you must be one of the following: 62 years of age or older. Any age if you have a child who is younger than 16 in your care or has a disability and is entitled to benefits on your spouse's record.

If your benefit is higher, you'll receive only that amount. If the spousal benefit is bigger, Social Security will pay you a combination of the benefits, drawing on both your Social Security record and your mate's, but equal to that higher amount.

Social Security Program Rules

The wife of a retired worker is eligible for a spousal benefit of up to 50 percent of her husband's primary insurance amount ( PIA ), if claimed at her full retirement age ( FRA ).

How can I maximize my spousal Social Security benefits? ›

Both wait until age 70 to claim benefits

If you or your spouse (or even both of you!) can wait until you're 70, you'll receive your highest Social Security payments—up to 132% of your primary insurance amount (PIA) if your full retirement age (FRA) is 66, and 124% of your PIA if your FRA is 67.

If the spouses divorced, the marriage must have lasted 10 years. Each survivor benefit can be up to 100% of your benefit. The amount may be reduced if the women start benefits before their own full retirement age, but they don't have to share — the amount isn't reduced because you've had more than one spouse.

In this common situation, the optimum strategy is often to have the husband begin his Social Security benefits at age 70, with the wife starting her Social Security benefits at her full retirement age, or even earlier.

Can I file for my Social Security at 62 and switch to spousal benefits later? Only if your spouse is not yet receiving retirement benefits. 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.

Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.

Your full spouse's benefit could be up to 50 percent of your spouse's full retirement age amount if you are full retirement age when you take it. If you qualify for your own retirement benefit and a spouse's benefit, we always pay your own benefit first.

Surviving spouse, at full retirement age or older, generally gets 100% of the worker's basic benefit amount. Surviving spouse, age 60 or older, but under full retirement age, gets between 71% and 99% of the worker's basic benefit amount.

Form SSA-2 | Information You Need to Apply for Spouse's or Divorced Spouse's Benefits. You can apply: Online, if you are within 3 months of age 62 or older, or. By calling our national toll-free service at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visiting your local Social Security office.

as early as age 62, and then switch to your survivors benefit If you will be using one of these strategies, please ask the Social Security representative if you can receive one benefit and delay the other to increase its value. Otherwise, you may receive the greater of the two benefits.

Yes, you can collect Social Security's on a spouse's earnings record.