Spousal Benefits
Spousal Benefits: Applying for Social Security Benefits
Q: Can a spouse collect on her husband’s social security if she reaches retirement age before her husband?
A: No. In order for a spouse to collect Social Security spousal benefits on her husband’s earnings, the following requirements must be met:
- The wife must be at least age 62
- The husband must be eligible for benefits, so he must also be at least age 62. In addition, the husband must actually apply for Social Security retirement benefits in order for his wife to collect based on his earnings. The husband can then choose to delay collecting benefits. This strategy is referred to as “file and suspend”.
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Social Security Eligibility: Can a Full-Time Homemaker Collect Social Security?
One of the most common Social Security eligibility questions is whether a spouse who doesn’t work can qualify for retirement benefits.
When Social Security was first established, most families only had one bread-earner, and only the working spouse qualified for retirement income. This caused financial difficulties for the spouse who didn’t work (and therefore didn’t qualify for retirement benefits) if the working spouse passed away first. Thankfully the Social Security Administration recognized this hardship and amended the law to allow wives to collect based on their husband’s earnings.
The family dynamic has changed a lot since Social Security was established back in 1935, but there are still many families where one spouse does not work, and therefore does not qualify for retirement benefits based on their own earnings.
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