When most people think of Social Security, they think of the retirement benefits many workers qualify for after a long career. But that’s actually just one of several types of Social Security benefits a person may qualify for.
There are four other kinds of Social Security benefits, and you could qualify for these well before you retire if you meet the criteria. Below, we’ll take a closer look at each type and who can claim them.
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1. Retirement benefits
This is what most people are referring to when they talk about Social Security benefits. To become eligible for these checks, you must work long enough to earn 40 credits. In 2024, a credit is defined as $1,730 in earnings, and you can earn a maximum of four credits per year. In prior years, requirements to earn a credit were lower, and in the future, they’ll likely be higher. But even many part-time employees should earn enough to claim them.
You become eligible for these benefits when you turn 62. However, applying then is technically considered claiming early. If you hope to get the full benefit you’ve earned based on your work history, you must wait until your full retirement age (FRA) to apply. That’s anywhere from age 66 to 67, depending on your birth year. Some also choose to delay benefits as late as age 70, because your checks grow a little for every month you wait to claim until this age.
2. Spousal benefits
Spousal benefits are available to the spouses of qualifying workers, regardless of whether the spouse ever worked a job themselves. Ex-spouses who were married to a qualifying worker can also claim these benefits, as long as the marriage lasted at least 10 years and the ex-spouse hasn’t remarried. The worker remarrying won’t disqualify their ex from claiming spousal Social Security.
The maximum spousal benefit is one-half of the worker’s primary insurance amount — the benefit the worker qualifies for at their FRA. However, spouses who sign up before they reach their own FRA may get less than this.
It’s also possible that you may not get a spousal benefit at all, even if you qualify for one. This happens if you also qualify for retirement benefits on your own and your retirement benefit is larger than the spousal benefit you’re entitled to. In this case, the Social Security Administration would give you your own benefit instead of the spousal benefit.
If you qualify for retirement and spousal benefits but your spousal benefit is larger, the government will pay your retirement benefit and a portion of your spousal benefit so your total checks equal your spousal benefit. For example, if your retirement benefit was $1,000 per month and your spousal benefit was $1,500 per month, you’d get the $1,000 retirement benefit you’ve earned plus $500 of your spousal benefit each month. Keep in mind that you can’t claim spousal benefits unless the worker is already claiming Social Security or you and the worker have been divorced for at least two years.
3. Children’s benefits
The Social Security Administration also pays benefits to the dependent children of qualifying retired workers. Again, the retired worker must already be claiming benefits in order for their kids to receive these checks.
In addition, children must be younger than 18, or between the ages of 18 and 19 if still attending secondary school full time. Children older than 18 who have a disability that began before the age of 22 are also eligible for these benefits.
4. Disability benefits
Social Security disability benefits are for qualifying workers who have developed a disability that leaves them unable to do their former work or any other work. Typically, you need to have earned at least 40 work credits to qualify, 20 of which must have been earned within the 10 years prior to the disability beginning. However, some younger workers may qualify with fewer work credits. Those wishing to claim disability benefits must also meet the Social Security Administration’s definition of disability.
Spouses, ex-spouses, and dependent children of disabled workers may qualify for these benefits as well. Spouses and ex-spouses must be at least 62 unless they are caring for the disabled worker’s qualifying child. That’s one who meets the same criteria as outlined in the previous section.
Ex-spouses must have been married to the disabled worker for at least 10 years and may not have remarried, though, again, it doesn’t matter if the disabled worker remarries. There’s an exception to this rule for ex-spouses caring for the disabled worker’s qualifying child.
5. Survivors benefits
Social Security survivors benefits are available to the family members of deceased workers who had earned at least 40 work credits. Family members of workers who died at a young age may still qualify even if the worker hadn’t earned 40 credits yet.
Benefits are available to spouses, ex-spouses, children, and dependent parents. Spouses must be at least 60, or at least 50 if they’re disabled, to qualify, unless they’re caring for the deceased worker’s qualifying child. That’s one who meets the criteria under the section above on children’s benefits.
Ex-spouses can also qualify if they meet the same criteria as spouses and were married to the deceased worker for at least 10 years. The length-of-marriage rule doesn’t apply to those caring for a qualifying child.
Spouses and ex-spouses who remarry prior to age 60 won’t be able to continue receiving survivors benefits. However, marriages that take place after the spouse or ex-spouse turns 60 won’t affect their ability to claim survivors checks if that benefit is larger than the spousal benefit they qualify for on their new partner’s work record.
Dependent parents could also be eligible for survivors benefits if the deceased worker paid for more than half of their support when they were alive. However, if the parent’s own retirement benefit is larger than their survivors benefit, they’ll get the retirement benefit instead.
If you have any questions about which types of Social Security benefits you qualify for or how to apply, reach out to the Social Security Administration. You can do this by phone or by scheduling an appointment at your local Social Security office.
