Does My Spouse’s Income Affect My Social Security?

Social Security benefits represent a fundamental component of retirement planning and financial stability for many individuals. Understanding how a spouse’s income might influence one’s own Social Security benefits can be complex. While the system aims to provide individual benefits based on personal earnings, there are specific circumstances where a spouse’s income or benefit status can play a role, impacting either the eligibility for certain benefit types or the tax treatment of benefits received.

Your Own Earned Social Security Benefits

An individual’s Social Security retirement benefit is primarily determined by their own earnings record. The Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates what is known as the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) for each eligible worker. The PIA represents the full monthly benefit an individual will receive if they claim benefits at their full retirement age.

This calculation is based on an individual’s Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). The AIME is derived from the 35 highest-earning years of a worker’s career. The SSA indexes these past earnings to account for changes in general wage levels over time, ensuring that the benefit reflects the true value of historical earnings in today’s dollars. The sum of these indexed earnings from the 35 highest years is then divided by 420 (the number of months in 35 years) to arrive at the AIME.

For instance, if someone worked for 35 years or more, their PIA is calculated using their highest 35 years of indexed earnings, regardless of their spouse’s income during those years or at the time of claiming.

Social Security Spousal Benefits

Social Security spousal benefits are designed to provide a financial safety net for spouses who may have limited or no Social Security earnings history of their own. These benefits allow an eligible individual to claim benefits based on their living spouse’s work record. The maximum spousal benefit an individual can receive is generally 50% of their spouse’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the amount their spouse is entitled to at their full retirement age. To be eligible, the claiming spouse must be at least 62 years old, or be caring for a qualifying child, and the working spouse must have already filed for their own retirement benefits.

The claiming spouse’s own income from work can affect their spousal benefit through the Social Security earnings test if they claim benefits before reaching their full retirement age. For 2025, if a claiming spouse is under full retirement age for the entire year, their benefits will be reduced by $1 for every $2 earned above an annual limit of $23,400. This means that if their earned income exceeds this threshold, a portion of their spousal benefit will be temporarily withheld.

In the year a claiming spouse reaches their full retirement age, a different earnings test limit applies. For 2025, the limit is $62,160, and benefits are reduced by $1 for every $3 earned above this amount, but only for earnings prior to the month they reach their full retirement age. Once the claiming spouse reaches their full retirement age, the earnings test no longer applies, and they can earn any amount without their spousal benefits being reduced. Any benefits withheld due to the earnings test before full retirement age are not lost; the SSA will recalculate the benefit amount at full retirement age, potentially leading to higher future monthly payments to account for the withheld amounts.

Another factor that can reduce a claiming spouse’s spousal or survivor benefits is the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The GPO applies if the claiming spouse receives a pension from a federal, state, or local government job where they did not pay Social Security taxes. Under the GPO, the Social Security spousal or survivor benefit is reduced by two-thirds of the amount of the non-covered government pension. For example, if a claiming spouse receives a monthly non-covered government pension of $1,500, their Social Security spousal benefit would be reduced by $1,000 (two-thirds of $1,500). If this reduction fully offsets the spousal benefit, the individual may receive no Social Security spousal benefit at all. It is important to note that the GPO specifically impacts spousal and survivor benefits and does not affect the individual’s own Social Security retirement or disability benefits based on their Social Security-covered work.

Taxation of Social Security Benefits

A spouse’s income can directly affect the taxability of an individual’s Social Security benefits. Federal income tax on Social Security benefits is determined by what the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) refers to as “combined income.” Combined income is calculated by adding your adjusted gross income (AGI), any tax-exempt interest income, and one-half of your Social Security benefits.

For married couples filing jointly, specific income thresholds determine the percentage of Social Security benefits subject to federal income tax. If a couple’s combined income is between $32,000 and $44,000, up to 50% of their Social Security benefits may be subject to federal income tax. If their combined income exceeds $44,000, up to 85% of their Social Security benefits may be taxable. No federal tax is typically due on Social Security benefits if the combined income for a married couple filing jointly is $32,000 or less.

The incomes of both spouses are combined when determining these thresholds for married couples filing jointly. This aggregation of income can significantly increase the total combined income, potentially pushing it above the taxation thresholds. Even if one spouse has minimal or no other income, the other spouse’s earnings, pensions, or other taxable income sources contribute to the household’s combined income, which can result in a portion of both spouses’ Social Security benefits becoming taxable. This means a higher-earning spouse’s income can directly lead to the taxation of the lower-earning spouse’s Social Security benefits.

Beyond federal taxation, some states also impose taxes on Social Security benefits. As of 2025, a limited number of states tax Social Security benefits, though many offer deductions, credits, or income limits that reduce or eliminate this tax for many retirees. Similar to federal rules, a spouse’s income in these states could impact the household’s total income, potentially causing their Social Security benefits to become subject to state income tax.