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USA Today
04-07-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Social Security spousal benefits: What married couples need to know in 2025
There's a lot more to Social Security than benefits for retired workers, and one of the most important parts of the program, especially for married couples, is Social Security spousal benefits. The short version is that there are millions of married couples in the United States for whom one spouse is the primary earner. Maybe one spouse simply had a high-paying job for an entire career, or one spouse was mostly a stay-at-home parent. In many cases in which one spouse qualifies for a much higher Social Security benefit than the other, a spousal benefit can provide much-needed retirement income. There are nearly 2 million people who receive a spousal benefit in 2025, so it's fair to say that there are also millions of working-age American families that will eventually qualify for one. But who qualifies for a Social Security spousal benefit? How much could yours be? Let's look at the main eligibility requirements that are important to know, as well as how much you can expect if you qualify. What are the requirements for a spousal benefit? There are four basic requirements to get a spousal benefit based on someone's work record. How much will you get? The brief explanation of how a spousal benefit is calculated is that it starts at half of the higher-earning spouse's full retirement benefit. In other words, if your spouse would be entitled to a $2,500 monthly benefit at full retirement age, which is 67 for everyone born in 1960 or later, the most you could get is $1,250 per month. If you claim a spousal benefit before reaching full retirement age, it will be permanently reduced according to these rules: This works out so that if your full retirement age is 67 and you start collecting a spousal benefit at age 62, you'll face a 35% permanent reduction. It's also worth mentioning that unlike with standard retirement benefits, there is no increase for waiting beyond full retirement age to start collecting a spousal benefit, so be sure to incorporate this into your retirement planning expectations. Therefore, your spousal benefit depends on a few factors, including how much your spouse's full Social Security retirement benefit will be and your age when you apply for benefits. According to the latest data from the SSA, the average spousal benefit is about $950 per month. However, this is just the average, and many get significantly more or less. The most someone can get for a standard retirement benefit in 2025 at full retirement age is $4,018 per month, so a spousal benefit can be as much as half of this amount, or $2,009, in certain circumstances. If you aren't sure how much you could get, one important step is for you and your spouse to log in to your Social Security accounts at or to take a few minutes and create an account if you haven't already. The bottom line Social Security spousal benefits can provide additional retirement income if you qualify, and since Social Security is the only inflation-protected source of income many retirees have, it can be extremely important to know how they work. By knowing not only the qualifications but also the costs of claiming early, you'll be in a great position to incorporate spousal benefits into your retirement planning. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook Offer from the Motley Fool: If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets"could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. JoinStock Advisorto learn more about these strategies. View the "Social Security secrets" »
USA Today
02-05-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Planning to retire in 2030? Here's a quick pre-retiree's guide to Social Security
Planning to retire in 2030? Here's a quick pre-retiree's guide to Social Security Show Caption Hide Caption Retirement worries grow as seniors face Trump tariffs, stock selloff Retired educator and part-time yoga instructor Vicki Knight says she feels stretched thin. "I'm semi-retired." The Marietta, Georgia, resident says her Social Security income is not enough to live on and that a recent stock market selloff fueled by tariff uncertainty has complicated her plans. If you're planning to retire within the next five to 10 years and are thinking about where Social Security fits into your retirement strategy, you're already ahead of the game. By understanding how Social Security is calculated, how early or late retirement can impact your monthly benefit, and how to check where you stand, you'll be in a great position to make the best financial decisions for you and your family. With that in mind, here's a quick pre-retiree's guide to how your Social Security benefit is calculated, how to check where you stand, and other important details you should know a few years before you file for benefits. I'll also discuss whether you should be worried about Social Security running out of money. How does the SSA calculate your Social Security retirement benefit? Don't worry. I won't go through all the technical details of how your Social Security benefit is calculated. If you want a full explanation, I encourage you to read this thorough guide. The general idea is as follows: The Social Security Administration (SSA) adjusts all of your past earnings for inflation and takes the 35 highest years. These 35 years of earnings are averaged together and divided by 12 to produce your average indexed monthly earnings. This is applied to a formula that determines your initial Social Security benefit at full retirement age (67 for those born in 1960 or earlier). This is referred to as your primary insurance amount. Now, you can start collecting Social Security as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. But if you start early, your benefit will be permanently reduced by as much as 30%, depending on how soon you file for benefits. On the other hand, if you wait until after full retirement age, you can get as much as 24% more if you wait until 70. It's also worth noting that early and late retirement adjustments are made based on how many months you are from full retirement age. Even a few months sooner or later can make a significant difference in your retirement income. How to check where you stand If you haven't done so already, create a "my Social Security" account at and check your most recent Social Security statement. These are updated annually and contain some extremely important information. For one thing, you can view a year-by-year breakdown of your earnings record. You can also see an estimate of your Social Security benefit based on your actual earnings, as well as what your benefit would be if you retired before or after your full retirement age. It also has valuable information about things like disability benefits, Medicare and more. It's tough to overemphasize how important it is for those close to retirement age to check their statements. 1 important thing for pre-retirees to know You may have heard that Social Security isn't exactly in the best financial shape, in the sense that the program is operating at a deficit and is expected to do so for the foreseeable future. However, it's also important to know that Social Security has trillions in reserves, and history tells us that something will be done to fix it, even if it's a last-minute solution before Social Security runs out of reserves (expected in 2034). In fact, the reason the full retirement age gradually increased from 65 to 67 is because of the Social Security Amendments of 1983 that were used to solve the last financial problem. And as an absolute worst-case scenario, Social Security would still be able to pay about 80% of benefits with payroll tax revenue, even if the reserves were depleted. The point is that if you're close to retirement age, there's little reason to worry about Social Security going away, or even that any changes would affect you in a meaningful way. Last time, changes were phased in gradually, and changing anything for people at or near retirement age is a highly unpopular idea at both ends of the political spectrum. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY. The $ 22,924 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook Offer from the Motley Fool: If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets"could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $22,924 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. JoinStock Advisorto learn more about these strategies. View the "Social Security secrets" »
