Dear Rusty: A friend of my wife told her, and she believes, that she could receive a Social Security (SS) benefit based on my SS benefit that I’m currently receiving while I’m still alive. I told her she could only get spousal survivor benefits. Is there any truth to what she now believes? Would you settle this issue for us please? Thank you.

Signed: Uncertain Husband

Dear Uncertain Husband: 

Well, I surely don’t want to get in the middle of your martial discussion, but I’ll be happy to explain Social Security’s rules about your wife’s eligibility for spousal benefits while you are both still living. And just for awareness for both of you, the rules about spousal benefits are one of the most confusing areas of Social Security.

Per the Social Security rules, a spouse (e.g., your wife) can receive a “spousal boost” from you — while you are still living — if the SS retirement benefit she is personally entitled to at her full retirement age (FRA) is less than 50 percent of the SS retirement benefit you are (were) entitled to at your FRA (note: full retirement age amounts are used to calculate living spouse benefits, regardless of when each of you actually claimed your Social Security).

So, if your FRA entitlement benefit amount is more than twice your wife’s FRA entitlement benefit amount, she can, indeed, get a “spousal boost” from your record while you are both still living. The spousal boost is added to her own SS retirement amount and will be based on the difference between her FRA entitlement and half of your FRA entitlement. Thus, in this discussion, your wife may be correct — she may be able to get a spousal boost from you while both of you are living, depending on how your personal FRA retirement amounts compare. The best way for your wife to find out is to contact the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 to inquire, and if she’s eligible, also make an appointment to apply for her spousal benefit.

And to clarify your wife’s options as your possible widow, a surviving spouse can also receive a survivor benefit if their marital partner passes away, but only if the deceased spouse’s current benefit (at death) was more than the surviving spouse is already receiving. The surviving spouse receives the higher amount, instead of their own smaller Social Security retirement benefit.

But here is an important thing to know: Whenever any Social Security benefit (including a spousal or surviving spouse benefit) is claimed before the recipient’s full retirement age, the payment amount is permanently reduced (both spousal and survivor benefits do not reach maximum until the recipient’s FRA). And just to complete the picture for survivor benefits, a surviving spouse is also entitled to a one-time, lump-sum death benefit of $255 if their marital partner dies, in addition to any other benefit to which they are entitled.  

Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). The 2.4-million-member AMAC says it is a senior advocacy organization. Send your questions to: ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.

Author’s note: This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained, and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) or any other governmental entity.