Your Guide to Social Security for Couples

Social Security for married couples is available for qualifying residents. The Social Security Administration (SSA) does not prevent two enrollees in a household from receiving benefits. A potential recipient may qualify for Social Security (SS) through his or her spouse’s merit or through his or her own qualifications.

The rules regarding Social Security benefits for married couples may seem complex. However, these enrollment requirements are simple to understand. If you qualify for benefits and enroll through your local Social Security office, you can begin collecting funds.

Can a married couple both draw Social Security?

One of the popular Social Security strategies for married couples is to have both qualified enrollees apply for their retirement. It is acceptable for both individuals in a married couple to collect their own Social Security benefits. However, each individual must remember that he or she needs to meet the SS eligibility requirements to receive funding. This means that each partner is within acceptable retirement age. Additionally, both individuals needed to have worked enough on their own to qualify for support.

Social Security for Married Couples and Non-Working Spouses

You may be wondering, “How does Social Security work for married couples when one partner did not work enough to collect SS?” If this is your situation, you may be surprised to learn that you or your spouse may still be eligible to receive benefits. This is possible through your spouse’s Social Security benefits package. However, your spouse needs to qualify for Social Security and be enrolled in the program before you can receive his or her benefits.

Is there a maximum Social Security benefit for married couples?

There is a Social Security maximum benefit for married couple applicants that enrollees need to review. Generally, this is referred to as the family maximum benefit. This term describes the maximum benefits that families can receive from a single individual’s work history. In addition to spousal benefits, this amount also takes into account survivor and disability benefits that come from an individual. Depending on the situation, families’ maximum Social Security benefits can vary. Usually, the amount of benefits a household can collect is between 150 and 180 percent of the full retirement benefits for the worker.