Q & A
My ex-husband works…will those earnings reduce my spousal benefits?
Complete Question: I am filing to receive ex-spouse Social Security benefits. I was told by a friend of mine that her benefits are reduced because her husband works and makes too much money. I know my ex-husband works. Will his earnings reduce my benefits?
Answer: It sounds like your friend is talking about the Annual Earnings Limit. If you are under full retirement age and you earn over a certain limit, you (and your dependents receiving benefits on your record) will receive a reduction in your benefit amount. However, this does not apply to ex-spouses. Therefore, it does not matter how much your ex-husband earns - it will not affect your benefit amount. Only your own earnings could possibly reduce your benefit.
It is also noteworthy to mention that ex-spousal benefits are not applied to the family maximum.
C.J. Miles, MSA, MBAHCM
Research Analyst/Certified Social Security Advisor (NSSA)
AMAC Foundation
Notice: If you have any additional questions regarding spouse or ex-spouse benefits, or any other Social Security issue, you can reply below. If you would like to discuss your situation privately, you can email C.J. at cmiles@amacfoundation.com. Please do not provide any personal identification information, such as Social Security numbers.
This posting is presented for informational purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. Any opinions or interpretations presented are either those of the original author or, in the case of articles authored by the AMAC Foundation, are the opinions of AMAC Foundation staff, originally trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA) and certified via the AMAC Foundation. Any links included in the article are valid on the posted date; socialsecurityreport.org cannot guarantee the duration of the links’ validity. NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (https://amacfoundation.org/services/) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org. Because we are a non-profit organization, there is no charge for these services.