Key Points

• You may be eligible for Social Security as the spouse (or ex-spouse) of a qualified recipient.

• It's important to know when spousal benefits become available to you.

• While you get a choice in when to claim, it's crucial to file strategically.

• The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook ›

A lot of people earn their way into Social Security by working for many years and paying taxes on their wages. But even if you don't have enough of a work history to qualify for Social Security, you may be eligible for spousal benefits if you're married to someone who's eligible, or if you're a qualifying divorcee.

But as complicated as Social Security's rules are, the rules surrounding spousal benefits can be even trickier. So it's important to understand how they work. Here are two rules in particular that tend to catch people by surprise.

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1. You can't claim spousal benefits until your spouse does

Age 62 is generally the earliest age you can claim Social Security, whether you're signing up for spousal benefits or benefits based on your own earnings record. But if you're married, one thing to know is that you can't claim spousal benefits until your spouse starts receiving Social Security benefits.

The rules are different when you're divorced. In that case, you may not have to wait on your ex-spouse to file. But before you land on a specific filing age for spousal benefits, talk to your spouse if you're married and make sure you understand his or her filing plans.

2. You can't get delayed retirement credits for spousal benefits

When you're claiming Social Security based on your own earnings record, there's a big incentive to delay your claim past full retirement age, which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. Each year you wait results in a permanent 8% boost to your monthly checks, up until age 70.

But the delayed retirement credits you can get for waiting don't apply to spousal benefits. They only apply to benefits you're claiming on your own wage history.

The maximum value of Social Security spousal benefits is 50% of your spouse's full retirement age benefit. And you can collect that amount if you wait until full retirement age to sign up. But there's no sense in delaying a spousal benefit claim past that point.

So let's say your spouse is eligible for $3,000 a month at full retirement age. At your full retirement age, you can collect $1,500 a month in Social Security. But if you wait a year to file for spousal benefits, that amount won't change.

Spousal benefits can be a lifetime for married couples in retirement, providing extra money to cover expenses. Make sure you understand how spousal benefits work so you're able to file at the right time and make the most of that income stream.

The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook

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