Find out when your spouse and children can receive dependent benefits while you get Social Security Disability and learn how the law defines dependency for stepchildren and non-adopted grandchildren to receive dependent benefits.
Updated April 3, 2024
The government provides Social Security benefits as financial assistance for retired, disabled, or limited-income individuals. This assistance may also be available to family members, such as current or former spouses or children, who meet the Social Security Administration (SSA) criteria.
We’ll explore whether you and your children are eligible for Social Security benefits and how much Social Security pays for spousal benefits. We’ll also address common questions, such as whether your spousal benefits start automatically, and discuss who you can contact if you need assistance.
To be eligible for Social Security disability benefits as the spouse of a current recipient, you must have been married continuously for at least one year to the individual receiving Social Security benefits. Additionally, you must meet one of the following criteria:
If you obtain Social Security retirement benefits from your work, you are ineligible to obtain benefits as a spouse. For benefits to be payable, you can only have countable work earnings up to their maximum annual benefits.
As we explore options, you’ll quickly discover that understanding Social Security spousal benefits is critical to getting what you deserve.
If you earn below the limit for Social Security benefits, it may be advantageous for you to apply for benefits even if the government is paying benefits to children. However, total family benefits will not increase a spouse’s entitlement.
Entitlement on your earnings record could protect potential eligibility for a disabled surviving spouse’s benefits should their partner die before them.
If you are divorced and 62 or older, you may also qualify for benefits if:
Different from all other dependent benefits, the government can pay a divorced spouse’s benefits without the living wage earner entitled to Social Security disability or retirement benefits as long as:
These guidelines allow the divorced spouse to receive retirement-age benefits even if the wage earner defers retirement to age 70.
| Additional VA Disability Dependent Pay If you’re a U.S. veteran, learn how to add a dependent to your VA disability benefits, as they may be eligible for VA disability dependent pay. |
Widowers, defined by the SSA as surviving spouses, are also potentially eligible for Social Security benefits. The amount of assistance provided to a surviving spouse is based on the deceased individual’s earnings. The following table shows the percentage available to surviving spouses in varied situations.
| Surviving Spouse Situation | Percentage of Worker’s Benefit Received |
| Has reached full retirement age | 100% |
| Is 60 or older, but not retirement age | 71½%-99% |
| Is 50-59 years old and disabled | 59%-71½% |
| Is any age and caring for a child under 16 | 16%-75% |
It is vital to know that while surviving spouses can receive benefits, there are limits for those who remarry. If you marry again before 60, you cannot obtain your deceased spouse’s benefits — after 60, you retain benefit eligibility. The age is reduced to 50 if you have a disability. Survivors can also opt to switch to their retirement benefits at 62.
In addition to Social Security benefits, a surviving spouse may be eligible for a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255. Those living with their spouse at the time of their death qualify. Otherwise, you must have already obtained benefits or became eligible when your spouse passed away.
If the government approves a partner for Social Security disability payments on their earnings record, you and your children may also be eligible to receive dependent assistance up to 50% of your retirement benefit amount.
It is critical to understand that there are penalties if you withdraw Social Security benefits before your full retirement age. While emergencies and other scenarios may demand you to utilize funds at an earlier age, you will receive a lower percentage of assistance. You can calculate the effect of retiring earlier using the Social Security Administration’s Benefits for Spouses calculator.
Calculate your Social Security disability insurance benefits to confirm you receive everything you are eligible for when applying.
The family maximum benefit is the amount payable to any family member, including the benefit paid to you (called your primary insurance amount, or PIA). The government derives PIA and FMB from the disabled worker’s lifetime earnings.
If an individual’s past earnings are low, the FMB will equal the PIA disability payments paid to the disabled worker, and no dependent benefits will be payable.
To the degree that past earnings are high enough for the FMB to be more than the PIA, dependent benefits are payable, ranging from a few dollars up to 50% of the worker’s PIA per dependent.
Your children may be eligible for child support benefits. The Social Security Administration defines a “child” as your natural child, adopted child, dependent stepchild, and, in some cases, dependent grandchild.
Stepchildren can meet the stepchild status if they were born before the parent’s marriage to the disabled worker or conceived before and born after. Stepchildren can receive dependent benefits one year after the marriage that gave them stepchild status if they meet the financial dependency requirement throughout the year before one of the dates when:
Dependency is receiving at least one-half of support from the disabled stepparent. Rules regarding what is considered a contribution for support are detailed and extensive, but as a general rule, the contribution has to provide for basic needs versus contributions for special activities and the like.
For a dependent, non-adopted grandchild to be eligible for dependent benefits, the grandchild’s parents must either be deceased or disabled in the month that the grandparent becomes entitled to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits or Social Security retirement benefits (or in the month when the grandparent’s period of disability began).
Non-adopted grandchildren must meet dependency requirements similar to those for stepchildren to qualify for child support benefits.
Children’s benefits can continue or start if a child becomes disabled before age 22. An application for childhood disability benefits payable for a disabled adult child can be filed three months before the child turns 18 if:
If the child is still a full-time high school, benefits will continue until the end of the month before the child turns 20. Benefits are not paid for 18-year-olds in post-secondary education or job training.
To apply for Social Security benefits, visit the SSA website or call the toll-free hotline at 1-800-772-1213.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and unsure of your benefits, contact the friendly, knowledgeable team at Benefits.com. Give us a call at 1-800-772-1213, and we’ll help you and your family get the benefits you deserve to live your best life.
Obtaining the Social Security benefits you and your family deserve may take time and effort. To help you get started, we’ve assembled and answered some of the most frequently asked questions.
Your spouse can begin taking advantage of your Social Security benefits as young as 62; however, you will not receive as much as if you would wait for your full retirement age. Your full retirement age is determined by the year you were born. For example, for those born in 1960 or later, the full retirement age is 67.
With that in mind, it’s beneficial to wait to claim benefits until your full retirement age so you can claim the maximum amount, which is up to 50% of your spouse’s full benefit.
Additional scenarios in which a spouse can take advantage of your Social Security benefits include while they are caring for a child under 16 or if you pass away.
Yes, your spouse can take advantage of your Social Security benefits, but they must first meet the benefits criteria set by the Social Security Administration. Once eligible and approved, your spouse can receive up to 50% of your benefit amount without detracting from your benefits.
An eligible individual can claim up to 50% of their former or current spouse’s Social Security benefits. To be eligible, you must be at least 62 or older. Alternatively, you can be under 62 years of age and be caring for a child under 16.
Spousal Social Security benefits do not start automatically. You must apply for benefits through the SSA. To apply, visit the SSA website or call the toll-free hotline at 1-800-772-1213.
Benefits paid to your dependents do not reduce your benefits. When a dependent is no longer eligible, such as when your youngest child turns 18, your disability insurance benefits will not change.
You don’t need to go on your journey alone for spousal Social Security disability benefits. At Benefits.com, we work hard to get you the benefits you deserve. In addition to Social Security benefits, we can help you navigate applying for veteran benefits and grant money. Take our Benefits Quiz to see how you qualify.
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