A reader recently asked if she could collect Social Security benefits based on her ex-spouse’s earnings history. She had been married to him for nine years and seven months. Unfortunately, the answer was not what she wanted to hear. In order to be able to collect spousal benefits based on an ex-spouse’s earnings record, you […]
Q&A: Can a Homemaker Collect Social Security Benefits?
Q: My wife has been a homemaker our entire marriage for 35 years. Will she be eligible for social security when she reaches the age of 65, even though she did not have a paying job outside of the home? A: Yes, non-working spouses can collect Social Security. Homemakers can qualify for Social Security spousal […]
Q&A: Can I Collect Spousal Benefits First, Then Switch to My Own Benefit Later?
Q: My husband and I will be 66 in the same month and will each be able to draw Social Security on our own records. My full month amount is equivalent to my drawing one-half of my husband’s monthly benefit. Can I opt to draw one-half of his until I am 70, thereby increasing my […]
Social Security Eligibility: Can a Full-Time Homemaker Collect Social Security?
Spouses who do not work or who have substantially lower earnings than their spouse may be able to collect Social Security benefits based on their spouse’s earnings. Below is a common question about spousal benefits when one spouse is a homemaker.
Social Security Spousal Benefits: Applying for Benefits
Spouses who do not work or who have substantially lower earnings than their spouse may be able to collect Social Security benefits based on their spouse’s earnings. Below is a common question about spousal benefits.