Unfortunately, if you apply for your spousal benefit when you reach full retirement age, your own benefit will no longer accrue delayed filing credits. While that’s a cut-and-dried answer, I’ll ...

Mastering these basics could be just the confidence-booster you need before you apply.

I was born in 1957 and so was my ex-husband. He remarried, but I didn’t. Our full retirement age (FRA) is 66.5, but he started collecting Social Security at 65.5, one year early. For my own Social ...

Marriage can affect how you do your taxes, make money and plan for retirement. If your marriage ends, it’s important to know the rules regarding divorce and Social Security. Who’s eligible for what ...

A small group of people can still take advantage of a Social Security rule that will soon be phased out. The Social Security provision is called filing a restricted application to receive spousal ...

Spouses and ex-spouses generally must meet a length-of-marriage requirement before they become eligible for Social Security. Your maximum spousal benefit is half your partner's benefit at their full ...

It's not possible to claim spousal Social Security benefits unless the worker is already claiming. Your age at sign-up affects the size of your spousal benefits. Getting all your documentation in ...

There are a lot of articles about how retired workers can know when they're ready to claim Social Security, but there's a lot less advice about claiming spousal benefits. The decision is equally ...