Am I Eligible for Social Security Benefits As A Spouse?

First, to be eligible for spousal benefits, you must be married to someone who is receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits.

Second, you must be at least 62 years old to begin receiving spousal benefits, or 60 years old if your spouse is deceased.

Third, if you are divorced, you may still be eligible for spousal benefits if you were married to your ex-spouse for at least 10 years and you are currently unmarried.

Fourth, if you remarry before the age of 60, you are generally not eligible for spousal benefits based on your former spouse's record. However, if you remarry after age 60 (or 50 if you are disabled), you may still be eligible for spousal benefits based on your former spouse's record.

Fifth, if you have children who are under the age of 18, they may be eligible for benefits based on your spouse's record, even if you are not yet eligible.

Finally, the amount of spousal benefits you are eligible for depends on several factors, including your age, your spouse's work history, and your own work history.

Overall, determining your eligibility and the timing and amount of benefits available can be complex and may require consultation with the Social Security Administration or a financial advisor.

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Robert J. Pyle, CFP®, CFA, AEP® founded Diversified Asset Management, Inc., in 1996 to provide personalized, comprehensive wealth management services to successful individuals, families, single women, and business owners. His specialty is addressing the complex financial needs of self-employed professionals, corporate executives, and small-business owners. Our disclosure can be found here. The views, opinion, information, and content provided here are solely those of the respective authors, and may not represent the views or opinions of Diversified Asset Management, Inc. Diversified Asset Management, Inc. cannot guarantee the accuracy or currency of any such third party information or content, and does not undertake to verify or update such information or content. Any such information or other content should not be construed as investment, legal, accounting, or tax advice.