What's the best age to claim spousal benefits?
Asked by: Nikko Keeling | Last update: February 9, 2026Score: 4.5/5 (41 votes)
The "best" age to claim spousal benefits depends on your situation, but generally, the lower-earning spouse can start at age 62 for a reduced amount, while waiting until Full Retirement Age (FRA) (66-67) gives up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit, and waiting past FRA for your own benefit (up to age 70) maximizes your payment, though spousal benefits don't grow past the 50% mark, so the strategy often involves the higher earner delaying to boost the survivor benefit for the lower earner. A common strategy is for the lower earner to claim reduced spousal benefits early, then switch to their own higher benefit at FRA, or for the higher earner to delay claiming to increase their benefit, which boosts the survivor benefit for the lower earner.
What is the smartest age to collect Social Security?
The best age to take Social Security depends on your situation, but age 70 maximizes your monthly benefit, with studies suggesting it's optimal for most people, while claiming at Full Retirement Age (FRA) (around 67 for recent birth years) provides 100% of your benefit, and claiming as early as age 62 permanently reduces it but provides income sooner if needed. Waiting until 70 adds roughly 8% annually for each year past FRA, making it ideal for those who live long and can afford to wait, while 62 suits those needing immediate income, and FRA offers a balance.
Does age affect spousal benefits?
Your age when you apply
You can apply for spousal benefits starting at age 62. However, your payment amount will be higher the longer you wait to apply, up until your Full Retirement Age (between ages 66 and 67).
What is the maximum spousal benefit amount?
The maximum spousal benefit is 50% of the amount that the spouse is eligible to receive at full retirement age. Survivors may receive up to 100% of the deceased spouse's Social Security benefit.
At what age can you get spousal survivor benefits?
Your surviving spouse can get reduced benefits as early as age 60. If your surviving spouse has a disability, benefits can begin as early as age 50. For more information on survivors benefits, visit www.ssa.gov/survivorplan.
Social Security: Spousal Benefits 101
Does a widow get 100% of her husband's social security?
Yes, you can get up to 100% of your deceased husband's Social Security benefit, but it depends on your age and if you've reached your own Full Retirement Age (FRA) for survivors; you'll receive a portion (71.5% to 99%) if you claim earlier, with 100% possible at your FRA, which is between 66 and 67 depending on your birth year. The benefit amount is based on his record, but it's calculated to be the greater of his benefit or what you'd get as a survivor at your age, with a potential for the full 100% if you claim at your FRA.
What is the new law for social security spousal benefits?
The biggest recent change is the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA) of 2023, effective January 2024, which eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), meaning your spouse's or survivor's benefits won't be reduced by your non-Social Security government pension anymore, making it much fairer. Also, the "file and suspend" strategy for spousal benefits ended for most, but the core rules remain: you get the higher of your own or your spousal benefit (up to 50% of your partner's), and you can generally switch from spousal to your own higher retirement benefit at full retirement age.
Does everyone qualify for spousal benefits?
To qualify for Social Security spousal benefits, you must be at least 62 years old, and your spouse must already be receiving their own Social Security benefit. If you are the higher earner, your spouse may be eligible to receive a spousal benefit based on your work record.
When your spouse dies, do you get their Social Security?
Yes, you may be eligible for Social Security survivor benefits if your spouse dies, allowing you to receive a monthly payment, but you'll get the higher of your own benefit or their survivor benefit, not both added together. Eligibility depends on your age (generally 60+, or 50 if disabled, or any age if caring for a young child), the length of your marriage (at least 9 months), and whether you've remarried.
How do they calculate spousal benefits?
You would start with your retirement benefit. When your spouse applies, the SSA tops off your current amount with an excess spousal benefit. The excess spousal benefit = (max spousal) - (your retirement benefit at FRA). After your spouse applies, the new total amount = (your current benefit) + (excess spousal benefit).
When can my wife start collecting spousal benefits?
/ (You must be at least age 62 to begin receiving benefits.)
A spouse can choose to retire as early as age 62, but doing so may result in a benefit as little as 32.5 percent of the worker's primary insurance amount.
What's the difference between spousal and survivor benefits?
Spousal benefits are based on a living spouse or ex-spouse's work history. Survivor benefits are based on a deceased spouse or ex-spouse's work history. There are some significant differences in the amount, timing, and eligibility of these benefits.
Can I collect ex-spousal benefits and wait until I am 70 to collect my own Social Security?
As long as you are at least age 62 and he is at least age 62, you can draw off of him even if he chooses to wait to start his own Social Security at 67 – 70. This is good news when former spouses are not on good terms. Your ex cannot “block” you from drawing your spousal benefit.
What is one of the biggest mistakes people make regarding Social Security?
One of the biggest mistakes people make with Social Security is claiming benefits too early (at age 62), locking in a permanently smaller monthly check, rather than waiting until their Full Retirement Age (FRA) or even age 70 to receive significantly higher payments and larger cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) over their lifetime. This decision permanently reduces benefits by up to 30% and forfeits substantial annual increases, creating a lasting financial shortfall.
Is it better to take Social Security at 62 or 67 or 70?
Claiming Social Security at 62 gives you the earliest access to smaller checks (up to 30% less than full), 67 (Full Retirement Age, or FRA) gives you 100% of your benefit, while waiting until 70 provides the largest monthly payments due to delayed retirement credits, increasing by 8% annually after FRA, but you miss out on earlier income and potentially lower lifetime payouts if you pass away sooner. The best age depends on your health, financial needs, and life expectancy, with 62 offering more years of payments and 70 offering higher payments later.
What is the average super balance for a 62 year old?
At age 62, average super (retirement) balances vary, but generally fall in the range of $250,000 to over $380,000 for men, and $180,000 to over $300,000 for women, with median figures often lower, around $150,000-$200,000 for the 60-64 age bracket, showing a wide spread based on sources like Moneysmart, UniSuper, and ATO data. Remember these are averages, and individual balances depend heavily on income, contributions, and time until retirement.
How much of husband's Social Security does a widow get?
A widow typically receives up to 100% of her late husband's Social Security benefit if she claims survivor benefits at her own Full Retirement Age (FRA), though the amount is reduced if claimed earlier (starting at 71.5% at age 60) and increases the longer she waits, up to her FRA, with a maximum around 100% (or more if the deceased earned delayed credits). The specific percentage depends on the widow's age when she applies and the deceased's benefit amount.
How much of my husband's pension am I entitled to if he dies?
How much of your husband's pension you get after he dies depends on his pension type (Social Security, private, government), your age, and the survivor benefit option he chose, but generally, you can receive 50% to 100% of his benefit, with Social Security offering up to 100% at full retirement age and private plans often 50-75%, though higher percentages are available with reduced lifetime payments.
At what age do you get 100% of your Social Security?
You get 100% of your Social Security benefit at your Full Retirement Age (FRA), which depends on your birth year, ranging from 66 to 67; if you were born in 1960 or later, your FRA is 67, while those born earlier have an FRA between 66 and 67, but you can receive more than 100% by delaying benefits past your FRA, up to age 70.
Why would spousal benefits be denied?
Several factors can disqualify you from receiving survivor benefits, such as: Remarrying before a certain age. Your deceased spouse not having earned enough work credits. Not meeting the SSA definition of a spouse.
Can you collect both spousal benefits and your own Social Security?
Yes, both you and your spouse can collect Social Security, either on your own earnings records or by claiming a spousal benefit (up to 50% of the higher earner's amount) if it's more than your own, but you'll only receive the single highest benefit you're eligible for, not both combined. You can claim your own benefit, your spouse's benefit, or a combination that equals the higher amount, but you must apply for both if eligible, and the deemed filing rule means you're treated as applying for both when you file for one, ensuring you get the maximum possible benefit for your situation.
What is the new Social Security spousal rule?
There isn't one single "new" spousal rule, but rather major changes have impacted claiming strategies, particularly the end of "file and suspend" for spousal benefits for most people after 2023, thanks to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, while the recent Social Security Fairness Act (2024/2025) removes WEP/GPO, affecting government workers' spousal benefits, and a potential future reduction in spousal benefits (to 33%) starts in 2026 for new claimants. The key shift is that most spouses can no longer strategically file for spousal benefits while their own delayed retirement credits grow; they now get whichever benefit is higher (their own or the spousal one) when they file, limiting complex claiming strategies.
What changes are coming to Social Security in 2025 for spouse?
Over one-third of women will be dually entitled (receive a benefit based both on their own and their spouse's work) in 2025. By 2095, this proportion will decline to less than one-quarter. Between 6 percent and 8 percent of women will receive benefits based solely on their spouses' earnings from 2025 through 2095.
Can I take my Social Security and then switch to spousal benefit?
Yes, if your spouse hasn't filed yet, you can often claim your own Social Security benefit early (even at 62) and then switch to a larger spousal benefit later when your spouse files for theirs, effectively getting the higher of the two amounts. You'll get your own reduced amount first, then Social Security will automatically adjust it to the spousal amount (up to 50% of your spouse's benefit) when they claim, providing a potentially higher monthly check.
Why isn't my wife's spousal benefit 50% of my Social Security retirement benefit?
Your wife's spousal benefit isn't 50% of your benefit primarily because she likely claimed it before her own Full Retirement Age (FRA), which causes a permanent reduction (down to as low as 32.5%), or perhaps because her own earnings record provides a higher benefit, in which case she'd get that instead. Other factors could be if you're receiving a reduced benefit yourself, or if Government Pension Offset (GPO) rules apply from a government pension, but the age of claiming is the most common reason for the lower spousal amount.