Spousal benefit if your spouse is 5 years younger
If your spouse is 5 years younger, they can start a spousal benefit once you have filed and they are 62, which happens when you are 67. With a $2,000 benefit of your own and a spouse with no work record, they get $650 a month at 62 or $1,000 at their full retirement age of 67, when you are 72.
Last updated: . Education, not financial advice.
How a 5 years age gap changes the timing
This example uses a worker born in 1962 with a full benefit of $2,000. The spouse was born in 1967, so their full retirement age is 67, and they have no work record of their own. The spousal benefit needs two things: you have filed, and your spouse is at least 62. The table shows the first month the spouse can start for three different filing ages of yours.
| When you file | Spouse's age then | Spouse can start at | Spousal benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| You file at 62 | 57 | 62 (you are 67) | $650 |
| You file at 67 | 62 | 62 (you are 67) | $650 |
| You file at 70 | 65 | 65 (you are 70) | $833 |
Source: Spousal benefit calculator (opens in a new tab), Full retirement age and reduction by claiming age (opens in a new tab)
Waiting to start is worth something
The spousal amount rises each month the spouse waits until their full retirement age. It is $650 at 62 and $1,000 at 67. It does not grow after 67. If your spouse waits until 67, you will be 72.
Source: Spousal benefit calculator (opens in a new tab), Full retirement age and reduction by claiming age (opens in a new tab)
What a 5 years gap means for the long term
- If you die at 80, your spouse is 75. A survivor benefit can start as early as 60 and last many years. See the survivor benefit calculator.
- A larger gap can make your own delay more valuable, because the delayed credits you earn may pay a survivor benefit for longer.
- If your spouse has a work record, the spousal amount is only the gap between half your benefit and their own. Use the spousal benefit calculator for that case.
Source: Survivors benefits (opens in a new tab), Spousal benefit calculator (opens in a new tab)
Common questions
When can my spouse get a spousal benefit if they are 5 years younger?
Once you have filed and they are 62. If you file at 62, that is when you are 67.
Does the age gap change the amount?
Not the maximum. A spouse with a full retirement age of 67 gets up to $1,000 on a $2,000 benefit. The gap changes when they can start, and so how much it is cut: $650 if you file at 67.
Sources
- Spousal benefit calculator (opens in a new tab)
- Full retirement age and reduction by claiming age (opens in a new tab)
- Survivors benefits (opens in a new tab)
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Wait or Claim is independent. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to the Social Security Administration or any government agency. We give education, not financial, tax or legal advice. Check your own facts with Social Security (ssa.gov) before you file.