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also will add $150 from their spouse’s benet, for a total of
$1,400. If the person takes the retirement benet before
their full retirement age, we’ll reduce both amounts.
If you were born before January 2, 1954, are at least full
retirement age, and are eligible for your own retirement
benets and also spouse’s (or divorced spouse’s)
benets, you can choose to:
• Restrict your application.
• Apply for one of the benets.
• Delay your application for the other until a later date.
If you were born on or after January 2, 1954, and are
eligible for both retirement and spouse’s (or divorced
spouse’s) benets, you must apply for both benets. This
is called “deemed ling.” If you le for one benet, you are
“deemed” to le for the other one, too, even if you don’t
become eligible for it until later.
If you receive a pension based on work for which you
didn’t pay Social Security taxes, we may reduce your
spouse’s benet. For more information see the section
“Pensions from work not covered by Social Security”.
If spouses receive Social Security retirement benets
before they reach full retirement age, we reduce the
benet. The amount we reduce the benet by depends on
when the person reaches full retirement age.
For example, if full retirement age is 67, a spouse can get
32.5% of the worker’s unreduced benet at age 62.
The benet increases the longer you wait to receive
benets, up to the maximum of 50% at full retirement age.
Your spouse can receive full benets, regardless of age,
if taking care of a child entitled on your record. The child
must be under age 16, or have a qualifying disability that
began before age 22.