A married individual who has little or no work history of their own can receive a spousal benefit of up to 50% of their spouse’s Primary Insurance Amount, provided they wait until their own Full Retirement Age of 67 to claim. Claiming before FRA permanently reduces the spousal benefit, and unlike retirement benefits, there are no Delayed Retirement Credits that increase a spousal benefit for waiting beyond FRA. Survivor benefits work differently: a surviving spouse can receive up to 100% of the deceased spouse’s benefit, with the option to begin as early as age 60 at a permanently reduced amount. Because survivor benefits are inherited at whatever amount the deceased spouse was receiving, the higher-earning spouse’s decision to delay their own Social Security claim directly determines the financial safety net available to their partner for the rest of their life. Regarding pension survivor benefits, most private and government pensions offer a joint and survivor annuity option that continues payments to a surviving spouse after the retiree’s death, typically at 50%, 75%, or 100% of the original benefit, in exchange for a lower monthly payment during the retiree’s lifetime.

A spouse may collect up to 50% of your benefit at Full Retirement Age—even with little or no work history of their own.

Spouse Retirement Benefits: Does My Spouse Get My Pension When I Die?

Whether your spouse receives pension income after your death depends on the payout option you chose at retirement.

What Is AARP, What Does Membership Include, and When Should You Join?

AARP is open to adults 18 and up, with full benefits at 50—membership includes discounts, planning tools, and advocacy on issues affecting older Americans.

Retirement Depression and Boredom: What Causes It and What Helps?

Leaving a career can trigger unexpected emotional challenges—structure, purpose, and social connection often matter as much as the financial plan.

Finding Purpose in Retirement: Why It Matters and How to Find It

Purpose in retirement rarely arrives on its own—it takes deliberate exploration of what genuinely energizes you beyond your former career.

What to Do in Retirement: Building a Fulfilling Life After Work

The most fulfilled retirees structure time around meaning, connection, and growth—not just passive leisure.

Retirement Lifestyle Planning: Designing the Retirement You Actually Want

Lifestyle planning covers where you live, how you spend time, and who you spend it with—the counterpart to your financial plan.

The Three Phases of Retirement: Go-Go, Slow-Go, and No-Go Years

Retirement spending and activity often shift through go-go, slow-go, and no-go phases—your income plan should match all three.

Retirement and Mental Health: What You Need to Know

Retirement can destabilize identity and social connection—preparing structure, purpose, and support reduces adjustment risk.

Staying Active and Making Friends in Retirement

Physical activity and social connection are among the strongest predictors of health and happiness once workplace structure is gone.

Loss of Identity After Retirement: Understanding and Overcoming It

When work defined your identity for decades, retirement can feel disorienting—building multiple roles before and after work helps.

Should I Move When I Retire?

Relocating can change taxes and cost of living—but proximity to family, healthcare, and established community ties matter too.

Retirement Financial Literacy: The Basics Every New Retiree Needs to Know

Retirement often brings more financial complexity than working years—Social Security, RMDs, Medicare, and tax-efficient withdrawals all interact.

Spousal Social Security Benefits, Survivor Benefits, and Survivor Pension Benefits

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