09/02/2026
Social Security spousal benefits are not always 50%. This is one of those rules people hear wrong all the time. Here’s the part that could trip people up:
You only get the full 50% if you wait until your full retirement age.
Your spouse also has to have turned it on at their full retirement age.
If one of you files early, that spousal amount can be lower.
And there’s one more thing people miss - you only claim spousal benefits if it’s better than your own benefit. When you decide to turn it on can change the whole math.