What Happens to My Social Security if I Get Married?

Social Security is a federal program providing financial support to millions of Americans, primarily in the form of retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. While many view these benefits as strictly individual entitlements, a person’s marital status can significantly influence their Social Security situation. Understanding these implications is important for financial planning.

Your Own Earned Benefits

For most individuals, the core of their Social Security benefits stems from their personal work history. The amount of retirement or disability benefits an individual receives is calculated based on their lifetime earnings, specifically their 35 highest-earning years, which are indexed to account for changes in average wages over time. This calculation determines a Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the benefit received if claimed at full retirement age.

The calculation of an individual’s own Primary Insurance Amount is generally not affected by their marital status. Marriage does not alter the earnings record or the formula used to determine one’s personal benefit. Therefore, if you qualify for benefits based on your own contributions to the Social Security system, those benefits will remain consistent regardless of whether you marry.

Spousal Benefits

Social Security offers spousal benefits, allowing an eligible spouse to receive payments based on their living partner’s work record. This arrangement can be particularly beneficial if one spouse has a significantly lower earnings history or no earnings history at all. The maximum spousal benefit typically equals up to 50% of the working spouse’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) at their full retirement age.

Eligibility for spousal benefits requires the claiming spouse to be at least 62 years old, or to be caring for a qualifying child who is under 16 or disabled. The marriage must have lasted for at least one continuous year. An additional requirement is that the working spouse must have already filed for their own retirement or disability benefits for the other spouse to claim spousal benefits.

Claiming spousal benefits before your own full retirement age will result in a permanent reduction of the benefit amount. For individuals born on or after January 2, 1954, a “deemed filing” rule applies. This rule means that when you apply for either your own retirement benefits or spousal benefits, you are generally considered to have applied for both, and you will receive the higher of the two amounts.

Survivor Benefits

Social Security also provides financial support to eligible family members after a worker’s death, known as survivor benefits. These payments are based on the deceased worker’s Social Security record. A surviving spouse may qualify for these benefits, which can be up to 100% of the deceased worker’s basic Social Security benefit if claimed at the survivor’s full retirement age.

A surviving spouse typically becomes eligible for benefits at age 60, or as early as age 50 if they are disabled. Eligibility also extends to surviving spouses of any age if they are caring for the deceased’s child who is under 16 or has a disability. The marriage generally needs to have lasted for at least nine months, though exceptions exist for accidental death or military service.

The amount of the survivor benefit is reduced if claimed before the survivor’s full retirement age, similar to retirement benefits. Dependent children of the deceased worker may also receive benefits, typically up to 75% of the deceased’s benefit.

A surviving spouse who is also eligible for their own Social Security retirement benefits can often choose to receive the higher of the two. For example, they might claim survivor benefits first and switch to their own retirement benefits at a later age if their own benefit grows to be higher. Unlike spousal benefits for living spouses, the “deemed filing” rule does not apply to survivor benefits.

Impact of Divorce and Remarriage

Divorce can affect Social Security benefits, particularly concerning spousal and survivor benefits. A divorced individual may be eligible for benefits based on an ex-spouse’s work record. To qualify for divorced spouse benefits, the marriage must have lasted for at least 10 years, the claimant must be currently unmarried, and be at least 62 years old.

The ex-spouse must be entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits, although they do not necessarily need to be collecting them. If the ex-spouse has not yet claimed benefits, the divorced spouse must have been divorced for at least two consecutive years. Claiming benefits as a divorced spouse does not reduce the ex-spouse’s own benefits, nor does it affect the benefits of their current spouse or other former spouses.

Remarriage generally impacts eligibility for benefits based on a former spouse’s record. If you remarry, your eligibility for spousal benefits based on a previous spouse’s living record typically ends. However, you may become eligible for spousal benefits based on your new spouse’s record if that benefit is higher than your own earned benefit.

If a surviving spouse remarries after reaching age 60, or age 50 if disabled, they can generally continue to receive benefits based on their deceased ex-spouse’s record. Remarriage before these ages usually results in the cessation of survivor benefits. If a subsequent marriage ends, eligibility for the previous survivor benefits may be reinstated.