Social Security helps you secure today and tomorrow with financial benefits, information, and tools that support you through life's journey.

If you don't have enough Social Security credits to get retirement benefits on your own record, you may be able to receive benefits as a spouse. Jack Myers with Social Security says if you receive a pension from work that wasn't taxed by Social Security, that pension could affect eligibility due to the Government Pension Offset.

If your spouse is alive they must be receiving retirement or disability benefits in order for you to get benefits on their record. Myers notes to be eligible for spouse's benefits, you must be either 62 years of age or older or be any age if you have a child in your care who is entitled to benefits on your spouse's record and is younger than age 16 or has a disability.  

As a spouse, you are eligible to receive up to 50% of what the worker is eligible for at their full retirement age (FRA). According to Myers, before Social Security can pay a spouse's benefits, they must consider what you are eligible for on your own record at FRA. If your FRA amount is greater than ½ of your spouse's, there is no eligibility for you.  You would get your own. And if your own is less than 50% of theirs, you can get some additional money on their record. 

Divorced spouses may qualify as well.  In order to qualify, the marriage had to have lasted at least 10 years, and the person who wants to collect as an ex-spouse can't be remarried.  Myers explains Social Security still has to compare amounts just like with current spouse, but a big difference for exes is that the worker doesn't have to be collecting yet if you were married for at least 10 years, have been divorced for at least 2 years, and are both at least 62 years old. 

For more information visit www.ssa.gov/planners.