Married couples in which both spouses receive Social Security will collect an average of $3,355 a month in 2027, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA). The figure is $117 higher than the current $3,238, thanks to the 3.6% COLA.
In many of these households, one of the two spouses does not collect a benefit based on their own work, but a spousal benefit based on the other person’s record. It is a little-known option that can make a big difference.
What the spousal benefit is
A husband or wife can receive up to 50% of their spouse’s full benefit (the amount payable at full retirement age). It does not reduce the worker’s own check: it is an additional benefit for the household.
Requirements to receive it
- Age | at least 62, or any age if caring for the worker’s child under 16 or with a disability.
- Worker’s application | the spouse who earned the benefit must have already filed for retirement or disability benefits.
- Length of marriage | generally at least one year.
- Divorced spouses | can qualify if the marriage lasted 10 years or more and they have not remarried.
How much is lost by claiming early
The 50% is only reached if the spouse claims at full retirement age, which is 67 for those born in 1960 or later. Claiming at 62 reduces the spousal benefit to about 32.5% of the worker’s benefit. Unlike the worker’s own benefit, the spousal benefit does not grow by waiting beyond full retirement age.
When a person has the right to both their own retirement benefit and a spousal benefit, the SSA pays their own benefit first and adds the difference up to the spousal amount, if it is higher.
When couples will see the increase
The new amounts are applied to the January 2027 benefits. Each spouse is paid according to their own birthday, so a couple can receive their deposits on different Wednesdays: January 13, 20 or 27. Retirees can check how the age at which they claim affects the check in our article about claiming at 62, 67 or 70.
If one spouse dies, the survivor keeps the higher of the two benefits, as we explained in our guide to survivor benefits in 2027. The net amount will also depend on the Medicare Part B premium.
