Social Security spousal benefit calculator
Spousal benefit up to 50% of the worker's PIA and survivor benefit from 71.5% to 100%, with early claiming cuts.
- ๐บ๐ธ US federal & state rules
- 20 CFR 404.333, 404.338, 404.410
- See sources
Monthly benefit at 64
$900.00
37.5% of the worker's $2,400.00. The most a spouse can get is 50% at full retirement age.
- Maximum spousal (at FRA)
- $1,200.00
- Your full retirement age
- 67
- Spousal part
- $900.00
This is an example. Enter your numbers above and press the button to see your own result.
Spousal benefit by claiming age
| At 62 | $780.00 |
|---|---|
| At 63 | $840.00 |
| At 64 | $900.00 |
| At 65 | $1,000.00 |
| At 66 | $1,100.00 |
| At 67 | $1,200.00 |
- An estimate based on the federal rules in 20 CFR 404. SSA's figure is the one that counts, and it rounds to the dime.
- The worker must have filed for retirement benefits before a spouse can collect. Spousal benefits do not grow after full retirement age.
- A divorced spouse can qualify after a marriage that lasted at least 10 years, if not currently married. The family maximum can lower spousal benefits when children also collect.
Show the math
| Half of the worker's PIA | $2,400.00 ร 50% = $1,200.00 |
|---|---|
| Early reduction | 36 months early: 25/36 of 1% for the first 36, 5/12 of 1% after = 25% off |
| Spousal part | $1,200.00 ร 75% = $900.00 |
What to do next
How it works
The spousal benefit starts at half of the worker's primary insurance amount (PIA). If you have your own record, you receive your own benefit and a spousal top-up equal to half the worker's PIA minus your PIA. For each month you claim before full retirement age, the spousal part drops by 25/36 of 1% for the first 36 months and 5/12 of 1% for each month beyond that.
The survivor benefit starts at the worker's full benefit, or more if the worker earned delayed retirement credits. Claiming before your survivor full retirement age cuts it by 28.5% times the months early, divided by the months from 60 to that age. If the worker claimed early, the benefit is capped at the larger of the worker's check or 82.5% of the PIA.
Things to keep in mind
A spouse who has the worker's child in their care, with the child entitled to child's benefits, gets no early reduction for those months. That case is not modeled here.
The family maximum limits the total paid on one worker's record. When several family members collect, each spousal or child benefit can be cut.
Sources
Rules applied as of 2026-10-19. See the sources below for details.
- 20 CFR 404.333 Wife's and husband's benefit amounts (Cornell LII)Checked 2026-10-19
- 20 CFR 404.338 Widow's and widower's benefit amounts (Cornell LII)Checked 2026-10-19
- 20 CFR 404.410 Reduction before full retirement age (Cornell LII)Checked 2026-10-19
- 20 CFR 404.409 Full retirement age, including widow's and widower's table (Cornell LII)Checked 2026-10-19
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Social Security spousal benefit?
Up to half of the worker's full retirement age benefit, if you claim at your own full retirement age. With a worker PIA of $2,400, that is $1,200 a month.
How much is the spousal benefit at 62?
With a full retirement age of 67, claiming at 62 is 60 months early. The reduction is 25/36 of 1% for 36 months plus 5/12 of 1% for 24 months, 35% in total, so you get 32.5% of the worker's PIA.
Can I get my own benefit and a spousal benefit?
You get your own benefit first. If half of the worker's PIA is larger than your own PIA, SSA adds the difference as a spousal benefit, reduced if you claim early.
How much is the survivor benefit?
Up to 100% of what the worker was due, at your survivor full retirement age. At 60 it is 71.5%. If the worker had claimed early, the survivor gets at least 82.5% of the worker's PIA when claiming at full retirement age.