How spouses earn Social Security benefits

Spouses can earn Social Security benefits in a few different ways.

• Based on their own work: If a spouse has worked and paid Social Security taxes, they can earn their own Social Security benefit. The amount of the benefit will depend on the spouse’s earnings history.
• Based on the work of their spouse: If a spouse has not worked or paid Social Security taxes, they may be able to earn a spousal benefit based on the work of their spouse. The amount of the spousal benefit will depend on the earnings of the working spouse.
• Based on the work of both spouses: If both spouses have worked and paid Social Security taxes, they may be able to earn a spousal benefit based on the work of both spouses. The amount of the spousal benefit will depend on the earnings of both spouses.

It is important to note that the amount of a spousal benefit is always less than the amount of a worker’s benefit. This is because the spousal benefit is designed to supplement the income of the spouse who is not working.

If you are married and you are thinking about retiring, it is important to consider how your spouse’s Social Security benefits may affect your retirement income. You can use the Social Security Administration’s online Retirement Estimator to get an estimate of your and your spouse’s Social Security benefits.