02 Aug When is a non-working spouse eligible for Social Security?

Q. Can a non-working spouse apply for Social Security while the working spouse is still working? If yes, what kind of benefit would the non-working spouse get if the working spouse, born in 1955, currently has an estimated monthly benefit of $4,416? The non-working spouse was also born in 1955 and has an estimated monthly benefit of $1,867.
— Spouse

A. Thanks for your question.

Here’s how it works.

The non-working spouse can collect their full retirement age benefit, or FRA, which for someone that was born in 1955 is age 66 and 2 months, said Jody D’Agostini, a certified financial planner with The Falcon Financial Group in Morristown.

“Alternatively, they have the option to collect half of the working spouse’s benefit at their FRA,” she said, noting in your example, both spouses have reached their FRA. “That benefit would be $2,208 versus the non-worker’s benefit at $1,867. The non-working spouse should collect the higher benefit of $2,208 a month.”

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This story was originally published in August 2024.

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