Dear Liz: My best friend was able to get a 50% bump in his Social Security monthly benefit due to his wife having a higher monthly benefit. My wife didn’t work enough to qualify for Social Security, but I did. Can she get the spousal benefit from my record?
Answer: Your wife can qualify for an amount that’s up to half of your benefit at full retirement age, provided you’ve already applied for Social Security. The amount she gets would be reduced if she applies before her own full retirement age, which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.
You mentioned your friend getting a 50% “bump” in his benefit, but that’s not how spousal benefits work. Your friend’s spousal benefit was compared to the benefit he earned on his own work record, and he would get the larger of the two amounts – not both.
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