What Is the Maximum Social Security Benefit for a Married Couple?

Social Security benefits play a significant role in the financial security of married couples during retirement. Understanding how these benefits interact for both spouses helps couples make informed decisions. Navigating the rules and claiming options is essential for maximizing total benefits received over a couple’s lifetime. This involves considering individual work histories, ages, and future financial needs.

Determining Individual Social Security Benefits

An individual’s Social Security benefit is primarily determined by their earnings record over their working life. The Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates an individual’s Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) based on their highest 35 years of earnings, adjusted for historical wage growth. If an individual has fewer than 35 years of earnings, the missing years are counted as zero, which can reduce the overall average.

The AIME is then used to calculate the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the benefit an individual receives if they claim benefits at their Full Retirement Age (FRA). Full Retirement Age varies based on birth year; for those born in 1960 or later, it is age 67.

Claiming benefits before FRA results in a permanent reduction in monthly payments. Delaying benefits past FRA increases the monthly amount through Delayed Retirement Credits. These credits accrue until age 70, offering an 8% annual increase for each year benefits are delayed beyond FRA.

For instance, the maximum individual benefit for someone retiring at FRA in 2025 is $4,018 per month. This increases to $5,108 per month if claiming is delayed until age 70. This maximum benefit is tied to the maximum taxable earnings limit, which is $176,100 in 2025. Earnings above this amount are not subject to Social Security taxes and do not increase future benefits.

Spousal Benefits and Their Impact

Married individuals may be eligible for spousal benefits based on their spouse’s Social Security record. To qualify, the spouse must generally be at least 62 years old, and the higher-earning spouse must have already filed for their own benefits. A spouse can receive up to 50% of the higher-earning spouse’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) if they claim benefits at their own Full Retirement Age (FRA). This 50% is based on the higher earner’s PIA, not necessarily their actual benefit if they claimed early or late.

Claiming spousal benefits before one’s own FRA results in a permanent reduction. For example, claiming at age 62 could reduce the spousal benefit to as low as 32.5% of the higher earner’s PIA. If an individual is eligible for both their own Social Security benefit and a spousal benefit, the SSA will pay the higher of the two amounts. They do not pay both separately; instead, the individual receives their own benefit plus an “excess spousal benefit” to reach the higher amount.

Divorced spouses may also be eligible for benefits based on an ex-spouse’s record under specific conditions. This typically requires the marriage to have lasted at least 10 years, and the claiming individual must generally be unmarried and at least 62 years old. In some cases, the ex-spouse does not need to have filed for their own benefits, but they must be eligible for them.

Survivor Benefits for Couples

Survivor benefits provide financial support to eligible family members after a worker’s death. For married couples, a surviving spouse or divorced surviving spouse may be eligible. Generally, a surviving spouse can receive up to 100% of the deceased worker’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), or the actual benefit the deceased was receiving if they had already claimed.

The amount of the survivor benefit can be reduced if the surviving spouse claims it before their own Full Retirement Age for survivor benefits, which can differ from the FRA for retirement benefits. Survivor benefits are generally higher than spousal benefits, which are capped at 50% of the worker’s PIA. A surviving spouse eligible for both their own Social Security benefit and a survivor benefit has the flexibility to claim one while allowing the other to grow, or to switch to the higher benefit later.

Remarriage can affect eligibility for survivor benefits, particularly if it occurs before age 60, or age 50 if disabled. Remarriage after age 60 (or age 50 if disabled) generally does not prevent a surviving spouse from collecting benefits on a former spouse’s record. Children of the deceased worker may also be eligible for survivor benefits, typically up to 75% of the deceased parent’s benefit.

Strategies for Maximizing Combined Couple Benefits

Coordinating Social Security claiming decisions can significantly enhance a married couple’s total lifetime benefits. One common strategy involves delaying claiming for both spouses, particularly the higher earner, until age 70. This maximizes the higher earner’s benefit through Delayed Retirement Credits, which provides a larger potential survivor benefit for the remaining spouse.

Another effective approach is a coordinated claiming strategy, where the lower-earning spouse claims their benefits earlier, providing some immediate income. Meanwhile, the higher-earning spouse delays their claim to allow their benefit to grow, eventually claiming a larger amount at age 70. This “split strategy” helps balance current income needs with future maximization.

Spousal benefits can also be optimized within these strategies. A spouse with a lower individual benefit might claim a spousal benefit while allowing their own earned benefit to continue to grow until a later age. The Social Security earnings test applies if either spouse plans to work while claiming benefits before their Full Retirement Age. In 2025, if claiming before FRA, $1 in benefits is withheld for every $2 earned above $23,400.

Annual Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) play a role in the long-term value of benefits. These adjustments, typically based on inflation measures, increase benefit amounts over time, contributing to the overall maximum benefit received by a couple throughout their retirement. The COLA for 2025 was a 2.5% increase.