James Royal, Ph.D. | Bankrate.com (TNS)

Social Security provides benefits not only to retired workers but also to spouses who have not contributed to the program. Spouses are one of the many beneficiaries of Social Security, and even ex-spouses can claim a payout from the program in some circumstances.

When you apply for Social Security, you automatically apply for the greater of your benefit or half your spouse’s benefit. The average monthly payout for all retired workers was $1,918 in June 2024, according to the Social Security Administration (SSA), while those claiming spousal benefits received an average check of about $911.

Here’s how Social Security works for those looking to claim a spousal benefit.

Claiming spousal benefits from Social Security: How it works

When a worker files for benefits from Social Security, the worker’s spouse may be able to claim a benefit based on the worker’s contributions. For spouses to receive the benefit, they must be at least age 62 or care for a child under age 16 (or one receiving Social Security disability benefits). In addition, spouses cannot claim the spousal benefit until the worker files for their benefit.

There are other important caveats about the spousal benefit as well.

How much should you expect to get from spousal benefits?

“Spousal benefits are capped at half your spouse’s benefit at full retirement age. If [the worker] waits beyond that to claim, the spousal benefit cannot grow further,” says Claire Toth, former managing principal and senior wealth strategist at New Jersey-based Peapack-Gladstone Bank.

Toth is referring to the strategy of a retiree not claiming benefits until past full retirement age (typically between 66 and 67) in order to claim a bigger monthly benefit. Social Security will boost your benefit substantially if you delay filing until as late as age 70. It’s one way to juice your payout without working more.

However, if your spouse files before full retirement age, you will likely receive a permanently reduced benefit. Benefits may be reduced so that the spouse receives as little as 32.5% of the retiree’s benefit. The spousal benefit is reduced by about seven-tenths of 1% for each month before full retirement age, up to 36 months. If you exceed the 36 months, Social Security will dock about four-tenths of 1% for further months.

The math can be complicated, but Social Security provides a tool to calculate spousal benefits.

The exception to this rule of filing early is if a spouse is caring for a child under age 16 or one who is disabled, in which case the benefit is not reduced. In fact, this spouse could claim the spousal benefit at any age if they’re caring for a child who also receives benefits.

Who is eligible for spousal Social Security benefits?

In general, you may be eligible if you are married, divorced or widowed and your spouse was eligible for benefits.

Those who apply for spousal benefits must have been married for at least one year. Your spouse must also have begun receiving Social Security benefits — unless you are widowed. In the latter case, you may be able to receive the full amount of your late spouse’s benefits as opposed to the spousal benefit, assuming their benefit is higher than yours. However, you will not be eligible to receive your late spouse’s benefit if you remarry.

Even ex-spouses can file based on your earnings. The requirements for claiming benefits based on your ex-spouse’s work record include:

—You are unmarried.

—You must have been married at least 10 years.

—You must have been divorced from the spouse for at least two consecutive years.

—Your ex-spouse must be entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits.

—The benefit you would receive from your work record would be less than this spousal benefit.

“In theory, a person could marry someone new every 10 years and give them a spousal benefit as a parting gift,” says Russell D. Knight, an attorney in Chicago. “It’s better than nothing.”

But it’s not like that money comes out of your monthly benefit check, so rest easy.

“When this happens, there’s no reduction to either the high earner or the current spouse – the Social Security Administration deals with this actuarially,” says Warren Ward, CFP at WWA Planning & Investments in Columbus, Indiana.

Strategies for claiming a spousal benefit

Social Security offers quite a few options for how to claim your benefits, and while the options are meant to give flexibility to retirees and others, they do create more complexity. Everyone wants to get all the benefits they’re entitled to, and this complexity might obscure an avenue to receiving more money from the program.

Spouses have a few ways to proceed here, and the best course of action often depends on your personal financial situation.

When should you claim spousal benefits?

While the best age to claim spousal benefits is a personal decision, you can’t claim these benefits before age 62. If you opt for sometime after reaching age 62 and before your full retirement age, you’re likely to see your benefits reduced.

And if you wait until after your full retirement age, benefits won’t increase. The wage earner may benefit from delaying benefits until age 70, but the spouse applying for benefits won’t.

For those looking to max out their spousal benefit, one course of action is obvious.

“The best strategy to claim Social Security retirement benefits as a spouse is to wait until you reach normal retirement age, 65 to 67, depending on birth year,” says Lindsay Malzone, a Medicare expert who has worked at Medigap.com. “Unless you currently care for a qualifying child, you will receive a reduced benefit if you have not yet attained normal retirement age.”

But there are exceptions to this general rule, especially if you believe your longevity is an issue.

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“We usually start by considering health: How long did the same-sex parent live and what’s the current health situation for both partners,” Ward says. “Those with long expected life spans and good health are usually best off waiting until the maximum benefit is available. Those with shorter life expectancies or poor health may be better off starting sooner. Those with a terminal illness can file ‘as of’ six months ago and start receiving payments immediately and collect a check for those ‘missed’ payments.”

The spousal benefit may also offer some flexibility for older filers. For example, a spouse may be able to claim spousal benefits on a worker’s account and then later claim benefits on his or her account. If your spouse was born before Jan. 2, 1954 and has already reached full retirement age, your spouse can receive the spousal benefit and delay receiving their own retirement benefit until later. If your spouse was born after this date, this option no longer exists.

Spouses may also take their own benefit early and then switch to their partner’s benefit later.

“I have several clients where her own benefit is less than or very close to half the spousal benefit and he plans to wait until age 70 to claim,” Toth says. “In that case, the wife is often best off claiming early — sometimes as early as age 62 — and then switching to the spousal benefit when her husband claims. Her benefit only continues until the first death, and the survivor gets his benefit. Even if they both make it into their 90s, this is often the best result.”

And Social Security does also offer flexibility for a spouse whose partner dies.

“If the higher-earning spouse dies, the current spouse can claim the higher of their own benefit or that of the higher earner,” says Ward. “This is certainly better than nothing, but it does represent an overall ‘pay cut’ for the survivor.”

Planning for Social Security can be tough, but Bankrate’s calculator can help you estimate your Social Security earnings. Ward points out that the SSA’s website, financial planners and most brokerage firms also offer planning options and tools to help you out.

Those looking for other sources of retirement income should be sure that they consider all types of retirement plans that may be available to them, including IRAs, 401(k)s and pensions.

Bottom line

Spouses have a lot of flexibility, thanks to the Social Security spousal benefit. As you near retirement, you’ll want to explore your options on how best to take advantage of the program and maximize your benefits from the program.

(Visit Bankrate online at bankrate.com.)

©2024 Bankrate.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

By KATE BRUMBACK Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — Water quality data used by Paris Olympics organizers shows that bacteria levels in the Seine River were within acceptable levels on the days that athletes swam in the famed waterway, according to their tests and established thresholds.

The Associated Press obtained the results of daily tests for fecal bacteria on water samples taken at four points in the river two or three times daily. The data spans a period from July 19, a week before the opening ceremony, through Thursday, when the women’s marathon swim was held and a day before the men’s marathon swim.

Officials have been sharing some water quality data at briefings during the Games, but the new information is a more complete set of numbers, including the results from at least two tests each day for all four sampling sites.

The river that flows through the heart of France’s capital has been so polluted that swimming has been banned for a century with a few exceptions. Paris launched massive infrastructure improvements costing 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to ensure the Olympic triathlon and marathon swimming events could be held in the Seine.

Officials claimed success after the competitions went forward largely as planned.

But the data shows that the levels of E. coli and enterococci bacteria were much higher than are deemed acceptable for competition on many days over the three-week period, generally registering as “poor” for three or four days after heavy rain fell. That raises questions about Paris’ long-term plans to allow the public to swim in the river beginning next summer.

Peru’s Maria Alejandra Bramont-Arias competes during the marathon swimming women’s 10km competition at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Weather has an enormous effect on the Seine’s cleanliness. Rain can cause runoff and wastewater — and, therefore, bacteria — to flow into the river. On the flip side, warm temperatures and the sun’s ultraviolet rays can kill the germs. Hot and sunny weather during the Games has occasionally given way to drenching rain.

Elevated bacteria levels following downpours caused the cancellation of some test runs meant to allow athletes to familiarize themselves with the course ahead of both triathlon and marathon swimming events. They also resulted in the men’s individual triathlon being delayed by a day, but otherwise, the Olympic events were held as planned in the river.

Several athletes who swam in the Seine reported gastrointestinal illnesses after their events, but it wasn’t clear whether bacteria in the water were to blame.

There were notable downpours during the Games’ opening ceremony on July 26 and the night of July 31, after the individual triathlon competitions were held earlier that day. Each time, the bacteria levels in the river increased dramatically and took several days to dip back below the level deemed acceptable, the data shows.

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The numbers reveal how levels can differ from one testing site to the next, even though all the areas are relatively close together.

On Monday, when the triathlon mixed relay was held, all four sites had acceptable levels for E. coli, while the enterococci level was too high at one site. But that site, the Port du Gros Caillou, was outside the relatively short course used for the relay.

Under guidelines set by World Triathlon and World Aquatics, the two sports’ governing bodies that decided whether the Olympic events would go forward each day, “good” water quality can include up to 1,000 colony-forming units of E. coli and up to 400 colony-forming units of enterococci per 100 milliliters.

The bacteria levels can change remarkably in a short amount of time. The Port du Gros Caillou site registered a “poor” level of 436 units of enterococci at 5:45 a.m. Monday. At 12:25 p.m., it showed a “very good” 99 units.

Most strains of E. coli and enterococci are harmless, and some live in the intestines of healthy people and animals. But others are dangerous and even a mouthful of contaminated water can cause infections in the urinary tract or intestines. Several factors determine whether a person falls ill after exposure, chief among them a person’s age and general health.

M Health Fairview and family support services center Family Values for Life have partnered to provide back-to-school vaccines this Saturday.

Held at M Health Fairview’s Roselawn Clinic in St. Paul, the event is open to children ages four to 17 who are “at risk of school exclusion due to missing required vaccines and who face barriers to receiving immunizations at usual clinics,” according to a Family Values for Life press release.

Health insurance is not required, but those with insurance should bring that information, according to the release. Children must be accompanied by a legal guardian who should bring all immunization records and related documents to the event.

Families can select a time slot at signup.com/client/invitation2/secure/1163508010035/false#/invitation, but arrivals outside of the selected time will be accepted.

The event location is 1983 Sloan Place, Suite 1, St. Paul, MN, 55117.

Sponsors include the University of Minnesota Physician’s Black Initiative Network and Cross-Cultural Leadership Network.

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“The greatest threat to Windsor Terrace’s character is not new development, but the status quo. If we continue to resist growth, we risk becoming an enclave accessible only to the wealthy, losing the diverse, family-friendly essence that makes our neighborhood special.”

CityViews are readers’ opinions, not those of City Limits. Add your voice today!

As a parent raising children in Windsor Terrace and a professional dedicated to strengthening communities and keeping families in their homes, I appreciate how special our neighborhood is and how challenging it has become for families to afford to live here. Windsor Terrace has long been a haven for families, offering a perfect blend of urban convenience and small-town community. With Prospect Park as our backyard, excellent schools within walking distance, and easy access to public transportation, it’s no wonder that demand for housing here has surged in recent years.

My family’s story is deeply intertwined with this community. Our children walked to the local elementary school every day, growing up alongside their peers. We’re fortunate to live a few blocks from my husband’s childhood home, allowing our kids to benefit from having grandparents nearby. This multi-generational connection to Windsor Terrace is emblematic of the strong community bonds that define our neighborhood.

However, this experience of a Windsor Terrace for families is under threat—not from development, as many of my neighbors believe, but from a lack of it.

In recent years, our neighborhood has seen a surge in housing demand, thanks to its notable proximity to transit, schools, and parks. But as demand has risen, housing supply has not kept up. Since 2015, neighborhoods on the east side of Prospect Park have built three times the number of homes that Windsor Terrace has. On many blocks in our neighborhood, the number of homes is actually shrinking as wealthier families purchase townhouses with multiple units and convert them into fewer units or even single-family homes.

The consequences are stark: since the pandemic, housing prices have skyrocketed by 30 percent, with family-sized units experiencing even steeper increases.

This failure to act is taking a toll on our community. I’ve lost count of the neighbors I’ve seen priced out, many forced to leave the city altogether in search of affordable housing. Parents should not be forced to choose between housing stability and a neighborhood that meets their family’s needs.

The proposed redevelopment of the Arrow Linen site on Prospect Avenue presents a valuable opportunity to start to address this crisis. The project would transform a sorely underused industrial space and parking lots into hundreds of homes for families near good schools and transit. Many of these homes will be subsidized, allowing low- and middle-income New Yorkers to experience the incredible quality of life Windsor Terrace provides. All of them will be served by elevators and wheelchair accessible, a rarity in our neighborhood with its old housing stock.

The research on housing cost is clear: building homes in a community mitigates housing costs. Further, it helps to maintain socioeconomic diversity, especially in high-demand areas. Windsor Terrace and South Slope are exactly the kinds of neighborhoods where we should be building new homes.

Moreover, this project furthers environmental sustainability goals. Building denser housing in areas well-served by public transit reduces the need for long commutes and decreases our carbon footprint. It’s a step towards sustainable urban planning, which is crucial in our fight against climate change.

The greatest threat to Windsor Terrace’s character is not new development, but the status quo. If we continue to resist growth, we risk becoming an enclave accessible only to the wealthy, losing the diverse, family-friendly essence that makes our neighborhood special.

Some opponents claim they support new housing, but only if it’s 100 percent affordable. This is a common tactic that opponents of all development employ to block any construction, knowing that 100 percent affordable projects are not financially feasible. Affordable housing often requires additional density to be economically viable and to maximize the number of affordable units created.

In order to preserve the Windsor Terrace we know, we must let it grow. Our community should support initiatives like the Arrow Linen redevelopment to ensure that our neighborhood remains a place accessible to families of all backgrounds.

Let’s choose inclusion over exclusion, growth over stagnation, and a vibrant future over a static past. By doing so, we can ensure that Windsor Terrace remains the perfect neighborhood for families—not just for those of us already here, but for generations to come.

Jessica Yager lives in Windsor Terrace with her family.