Spousal benefits are available to current spouses and some ex-spouses of qualifying workers. Claiming early can reduce your spousal benefit by up to 35%. You'll only get a spousal benefit if it's ...

Married couples who misunderstand spousal benefits could make financial mistakes in retirement.

Qualifying for Social Security spousal benefits isn't always as simple as tying the knot. This is all you need to do if you're the parent of your partner's child or if you were eligible for Social ...

Social Security provides benefits not only to retired workers but also to spouses who have not contributed to the program. Spouses are one of the many beneficiaries of Social Security, and even ...

How do Social Security spousal benefits work? My wife, who’s approaching age 62, has had a few small-paying jobs over the years, but spent most of her time as a homemaker. What is she entitled to?

Spousal benefits have some unique rules about claiming age and eligibility. You could be eligible for up to half your spouse's Social Security benefit. Understanding how your benefits could change as ...

With much of a person's Social Security benefit depending on their earnings record, spousal benefits allow people with shorter or spotty work histories to still reap some benefits from the program. By ...

Many divorced retirees don't realize they may qualify for Social Security benefits through an ex-spouse. Here are the ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Tom Hager – “Mister Social Security” – offers expert advice from Ohio. This article explains the many Social Security benefits ...

Your Social Security benefits won't cover all your expenses in retirement, but understanding how the program works and what levers you have to influence your checks can help you stretch your savings ...

Generally, you must meet three criteria to get access to Social Security benefits from your ex-spouse's work record. Those ...

The thought of receiving Social Security benefits one day used to be exciting, but now that you're almost ready to apply, it may be feeling confusing or a bit anxiety-provoking. This is especially ...