If you’re married, divorced after a long marriage, or caring for a child, Social Security spousal benefits can be a crucial part of your retirement plan in 2025.
While the core rules remain the same—like the 50% cap at Full Retirement Age (FRA)—annual updates and long-standing application rules (such as deemed filing) still shape how much you actually receive.
This concise guide explains who qualifies, how payments are calculated, and the smartest ways to claim without leaving money on the table.
Spousal Benefits Basics (2025)
- A spouse can receive up to 50% of the higher-earning spouse’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) at FRA.
- FRA is age 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.
- Claiming early (age 62) permanently reduces the spousal rate (as low as about 32.5% of PIA).
- Spousal benefits do not earn delayed retirement credits—waiting past FRA won’t increase a spousal benefit (though it can increase the worker’s own and future survivor benefits).
Who Qualifies In 2025
Married spouse: You’re 62+ (unless child-in-care applies) and your spouse is entitled to retirement benefits (typically must have filed).
Divorced spouse: Marriage lasted 10+ years, you’re 62+, now unmarried. If your ex hasn’t filed, you may still qualify after two years from the divorce date (independent entitlement). Your maximum at FRA is up to 50% of your ex’s PIA.
Child-in-care spouse: You can qualify at any age if you care for the worker’s child under 16 or a child with a qualifying disability; normal early-age reductions don’t apply while you meet this condition.
How Your Amount Is Calculated
SSA determines your own retirement benefit from your earnings record.
SSA calculates your spousal amount (up to 50% of your spouse’s PIA at your FRA).
Under deemed filing, when you apply, SSA pays the higher of the two, with early-claim reductions if you file before FRA.
Example: If your spouse’s PIA is $3,000, your maximum spousal benefit at FRA is $1,500. If you file at 62, it could be reduced to about $975.
If your own benefit at 62 is $900, deemed filing compares $900 vs. $975 and pays $975.
Application Rules You Must Know
- Deemed Filing (2025): Filing for any retirement/spousal benefit generally means you’re treated as filing for all benefits you’re eligible for; SSA pays the higher amount.
- Restricted Application: The “spousal-only” filing tactic generally applies only to people born before January 2, 1954. For most filers today, it’s not available.
- Voluntary Suspension: If a worker suspends their benefit after filing, no one can receive benefits on that worker’s record during the suspension period.
Working Before FRA: The Earnings Test
If you’re under FRA and still working, the earnings test can cause temporary withholding of some or all monthly benefits:
- When under FRA all year, SSA withholds $1 for every $2 earned above an annual limit.
- In the year you reach FRA (up to the month you hit FRA), SSA withholds $1 for every $3 over a higher limit.
- No test applies starting the month you reach FRA. Withheld amounts are not lost; SSA recalculates your benefit at FRA.
Quick Reference (2025)
| Topic | 2025 Rule/Status | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Max Spousal Rate | Up to 50% of PIA at FRA | Target FRA to avoid permanent reductions. |
| Earliest Claim Age | 62 | Reduced to about 32.5% at 62. |
| FRA (Born 1960+) | Age 67 | Full spousal rate available at 67. |
| Delayed Credits On Spousal | None | Waiting past FRA won’t raise spousal checks. |
| Deemed Filing | Applies | SSA pays the higher of your own vs. spousal. |
| Restricted Application | Mostly phased out | Generally only for born before 1/2/1954. |
| Divorced Spouse | 10-year marriage; 2-year rule | Can file even if ex hasn’t filed. |
| Child-In-Care | Qualify at any age | No age reductions while criteria are met. |
| Family Maximum | 150%–188% of PIA (typical) | Caps total to current spouse/children; ex-spouses excluded. |
Smart Claiming Tips For 2025
- Aim For FRA if your goal is the full 50% spousal amount.
- Model your household income across ages 62, FRA, and beyond—especially if both spouses have work records.
- Mind the earnings test if working before FRA to avoid surprise withholdings.
- Plan for survivor benefits: While spousal checks don’t grow past FRA, the worker’s delayed credits can increase a future survivor benefit.
Social Security spousal benefits in 2025 still follow consistent, easy-to-understand rules: up to 50% of PIA at FRA, permanent reductions for early filing, no delayed credits on spousal checks, and deemed filing for most claimants.
By confirming your eligibility path (married, divorced spouse, or child-in-care), understanding how the earnings test works, and choosing the right start age, you can lock in a benefit that supports your household for years to come.
FAQs
For a standard spousal claim, your spouse usually must file first. Divorced spouses who meet the 10-year marriage and unmarried rules can file two years after the divorce even if the ex hasn’t filed.
No. Spousal benefits are capped at 50% of PIA at FRA. Waiting past FRA doesn’t raise a spousal benefit.
Only a small group (generally born before January 2, 1954) could use restricted application. For most filers now, deemed filing means SSA pays the higher benefit automatically.