Q & A
My spouse and I have been married for over 30 years and we are about to retire. Will there be any reduction in benefits because we are married?
Answer: None at all. Lifetime earnings are calculated independently for each spouse; couples aren’t penalized because they are married. When both spouses meet all other eligibility requirements to receive Social Security retirement benefits, each spouse receives a monthly benefit amount based on his or her own earnings. If one spouse earned low wages or failed to earn enough Social Security credits for retirement benefits, he or she may be eligible to receive benefits as a spouse.
Source: Social Security Administration, via The Acorn, 11/26/2014
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