04 Aug I’m married. Can I get Social Security on my husband’s record?

Q. I am 52 years old and my husband is 72. He is retired now and I’ve always stayed at home. We have been married for six years but lived together for more than 25. Am I eligible for his Social Security?
— Homemaker

A. Eventually, yes, you probably can, but right now you’re too young.

For you to file for Social Security spousal benefits your husband must have filed for his retirement benefits and you must be age 62 or have a qualifying child in your care, said Cynthia Aiken, a certified financial planner with Peapack Private Wealth Management in Bedminster.

She said a qualifying child is someone under age 16 or someone who is older than 16 and receiving Social Security disability benefits.

You must be married for at least one year before you are eligible to apply for Social Security spousal benefits, she said.

Your Social Security spousal benefit will be 50% of your husband’s full retirement benefit if you start payments at your full retirement age, which in your case is 67 or older, Aiken said.

“If you decide to start collecting spousal benefits before your full retirement age, then you will receive a reduced amount,” she said. “For example, if your full retirement age is 67 and you start receiving benefits at age 62, then your benefit will be 32.7% of your husband’s monthly benefit.”

If you decide to file for benefits on your own work record, the earliest you can file is still age 62, she said.

“So unfortunately, whether you file on your own work record or your husband’s benefits, you will have to wait 10 years until you are age 62,” she said. “As always, you should consult with your tax professional with issues such as this.”

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This story was originally published on Aug. 4, 2021.

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