What spousal benefits are and how they work with SSDI
If you receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), your spouse may be able to receive their own monthly payment based on your earnings record. This is called a spousal benefit. Your spouse does not need to be disabled themselves — they may have access to based on your work history and your current SSDI status.
The payment your spouse receives comes from the same Social Security trust fund as your own benefit, but it is calculated separately. Social Security calls this a "family benefit," and the total amount paid to your household has a limit. Understanding how this limit works is important because it affects how much each of you actually receives.
Your spouse can start receiving spousal benefits as early as age 62, or at any age if they are caring for your child who is under 16 or disabled. There is no waiting period — your spouse can begin the process as soon as you are approved for SSDI.
Key Takeaways
- Your spouse can receive a monthly payment based on your SSDI record without being disabled themselves, starting at age 62 or any age if caring for your child under 16.
- The total amount paid to your entire family has a limit called the "family maximum," which is usually 150 to 180 percent of your own monthly benefit.
- If your spouse works and earns above a certain amount, their benefit may be reduced or suspended until they reach full retirement age.
- Your spouse must contact Social Security directly to claim spousal benefits — the benefits do not happen automatically when you are approved for SSDI.
- If your spouse is already receiving their own Social Security retirement or disability benefit, Social Security will pay whichever amount is higher, not both.
How the family maximum affects what your spouse receives
Social Security sets a limit on the total amount your household can receive based on your earnings record. This limit, called the family maximum, is usually between 150 and 180 percent of your own monthly SSDI payment. For example, if you receive $1,200 per month, your family maximum might be $1,800 to $2,160 per month total.
When multiple family members receive benefits on your record — such as your spouse, your children, or both — Social Security divides the family maximum among all of you. If the total of everyone's individual benefits would exceed the family maximum, each person's payment is reduced proportionally. Your own SSDI payment is never reduced, but your spouse's and your children's payments may be.
The exact family maximum percentage varies based on when you were born and other factors in your earnings record. Social Security will calculate your specific family maximum when you explore, and they will tell you what your spouse's benefit would be before your spouse claims it.
Age requirements and when your spouse can start receiving benefits
Your spouse can claim spousal benefits at age 62 or older. However, if your spouse claims before reaching their full retirement age (which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on birth year), their monthly payment will be permanently reduced. The reduction is roughly 32 to 35 percent if they claim at 62.
Your spouse can also receive spousal benefits at any age if they are caring for your biological or adopted child who is under age 16 or who receives disability benefits. In this case, there is no age requirement and no reduction for claiming early. This route is often used by younger spouses who are not yet 62.
If your spouse waits until their full retirement age to claim, they receive the full spousal benefit amount with no reduction. After full retirement age, the benefit amount does not increase further, so there is no financial advantage to waiting past that point.
Earnings limits and how work affects your spouse's benefit
If your spouse is under full retirement age and earns income from work, Social Security will reduce their spousal benefit. For 2024, if your spouse earns more than $23,400 per year, their benefit is reduced by $1 for every $2 they earn above that amount. The earnings limit changes each year.
This earnings limit applies only until your spouse reaches full retirement age. In the year your spouse reaches full retirement age, a higher earnings limit applies ($62,160 for 2024), and the reduction is $1 for every $3 earned above that amount. Once your spouse reaches full retirement age, earnings no longer affect their benefit at all.
Self-employment income, rental income, and investment income do not count toward the earnings limit — only wages from employment and net self-employment income count. Your spouse should report their earnings to Social Security to make sure their benefit is calculated correctly.
What happens if your spouse already receives their own Social Security benefit
If your spouse is already receiving their own Social Security retirement benefit or their own Social Security disability benefit, they cannot receive a separate spousal benefit on top of it. Instead, Social Security pays whichever amount is higher — their own benefit or the spousal benefit they would receive based on your record.
This is called the deemed filing rule. When your spouse claims benefits, Social Security automatically considers them to be claiming on both their own record and your record, and pays the larger of the two amounts. Your spouse cannot choose to receive only their own benefit and wait for the spousal benefit later.
If your spouse's own benefit is higher than the spousal benefit based on your record, they will straightforward receive their own benefit with no change. If the spousal benefit would be higher, Social Security will pay that amount instead.
How to claim spousal benefits on your SSDI record
Your spouse must contact Social Security directly to claim spousal benefits. They can do this by calling 1-800-772-1213, visiting a local Social Security office in person, or explore online at ssa.gov. There is no process fee, and the process is free.
Your spouse will need to provide proof of their identity, proof of age, and proof of citizenship or legal residency. They will also need your Social Security number. Social Security will ask questions about your spouse's work history, current income, and any other benefits they receive.
The process process usually takes two to four weeks. Social Security will contact your spouse if they need additional documents or information. Your spouse should keep copies of everything they submit.
What happens to spousal benefits if you stop receiving SSDI
If your SSDI benefits end — for example, because you return to work and your benefits are suspended or terminated — your spouse's spousal benefits will also end. Social Security will notify your spouse when this happens.
If you later become disabled again and reapply for SSDI, your spouse can reapply for spousal benefits at that time. However, there is no automatic reinstatement of spousal benefits, and your spouse will need to submit a new process.
If your spouse is caring for your child under 16, their benefits will continue as long as the child remains under 16 and in your spouse's care, even if your own SSDI benefits end. Once the child turns 16, the spousal benefit ends unless your spouse is age 62 or older.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my spouse receive spousal benefits if they have never worked?
Yes. Spousal benefits are based on your earnings record, not your spouse's. Your spouse does not need to have worked or paid Social Security taxes to receive a spousal benefit based on your SSDI record.
Will my spouse's spousal benefit reduce my own SSDI payment?
No. Your own SSDI payment is never reduced because your spouse claims benefits. However, the total paid to your household is limited by the family maximum, so your spouse's individual payment may be reduced if other family members also receive benefits on your record.
What if my spouse is divorced from me but we were married for at least 10 years?
A divorced spouse may be able to receive spousal benefits on your record even after the divorce, as long as you were married for at least 10 years and your ex-spouse is age 62 or older (or caring for your child under 16). Your ex-spouse does not need your permission to claim, and it does not affect your own benefit.
Can my spouse receive spousal benefits and work full-time?
Your spouse can work, but if they are under full retirement age and earn more than $23,400 per year (2024), their spousal benefit will be reduced. Once they reach full retirement age, they can earn any amount without affecting their benefit.
If my spouse claims spousal benefits early, can they change their mind later?
If your spouse claims before full retirement age, they can withdraw their process within 12 months and repay the benefits they received. After 12 months, the claim cannot be withdrawn. This option allows your spouse to restart their benefit at a higher amount later if circumstances change.