What's Happening
3 hours ago

Mark Zuckerberg Follows Elon Musk's Footsteps As Meta Reportedly Plans Major Investment Into AI-Powered Humanoid Robots

benzingabenzinga.com
3 hours ago

Do You Know How Long $1 Million Will Last If You Retire At 65? Here's A Hint – Longer Than You're Led To Think!

benzingabenzinga.com
3 hours ago

IRS Reportedly Gears Up To Lay Off Thousands Of Workers Elon Musk's DOGE Looks To Shrink The Tax Agency

benzingabenzinga.com
4 hours ago

TRADEPULSE POWER INFLOW ALERT: PALO ALTO NETWORKS INC. (PANW) MOVES UP OVER 5% AT ITS HIGH AFTER TRADEPULSE ALERT

benzingabenzinga.com
5 hours ago

Jeff Bezos-Backed Anthropic Fights US Proposal Blocking Google From Investing In AI Startups, Says It Would Benefit Rivals OpenAI, Mark Zuckerberg's M...

benzingabenzinga.com
6 hours ago

Trump Administration 'Unlikely' To Support TSMC's Control Of Intel's US Chip Factories: Report

benzingabenzinga.com
6 hours ago

Trump's 'Liquid Gold' Plan: Can He Really Make America Rich Again, or Do Oil Giants Hold the Real Power?

benzingabenzinga.com
7 hours ago

Elon Musk's Government Gig Has No Salary, No Job Title, And Plenty of Power

benzingabenzinga.com
8 hours ago

Why Altcoins Were Winning This Week

foolfool.com
8 hours ago

Russell Vought Orders Pause On All CFPB Activity, Critics Say This Gives Corporations 'The Green Light To Scam Families'

benzingabenzinga.com
8 hours ago

Prediction: Zillow Will Beat the Market. Here's Why.

foolfool.com
8 hours ago

$1000 Invested In Super Micro Computer 15 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

benzingabenzinga.com
8 hours ago

'We're Going To Find Billions' – Trump Targets Pentagon For Deep Spending Cuts

benzingabenzinga.com
8 hours ago

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning Meta Platforms Stock In The Last 10 Years

benzingabenzinga.com
9 hours ago

If You Invested $1000 In This Stock 15 Years Ago, You Would Have This Much Today

benzingabenzinga.com
9 hours ago

Why Siemens Stock Crept Higher on Friday

foolfool.com
9 hours ago

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Stock In The Last 15 Years

benzingabenzinga.com
9 hours ago

This Magnificent Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Delivered Stellar Gains in 2024. It Can Jump Another 60%

foolfool.com
9 hours ago

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning American Tower Stock In The Last 20 Years

benzingabenzinga.com
9 hours ago

Why Federal Realty Investment Trust Stock Just Tanked by 6%

foolfool.com

2 2025 Spousal Social Security Benefit Changes All Married Couples Need to Know

The start of a new year usually means changes to Social Security, and this year is no different. The changes to Social Security retirement benefits and changes that affect workers still paying into the program often get the most attention, but spousal benefits see changes too.

If you’re already claiming spousal Social Security benefits or you expect to apply soon, here are two of the most significant changes to expect in 2025.

Start Your Mornings Smarter! Wake up with Breakfast news in your inbox every market day. Sign Up For Free »

Two people looking at  something on a laptop.

Image source: Getty Images.

1. 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)

All Social Security benefits received a 2.5% increase in January, thanks to the latest cost-of-living adjustment (COLA). This is designed to help benefits keep pace with inflation, though there’s good evidence that buying power has declined in spite of COLAs.

The monthly spousal benefit as of November 2024 was about $909 per month. If we add 2.5% to that, we get about $932 per month. However, average benefits creep up over time, so the real average in January 2025 could be a bit higher. Those who received more than $909 per month in November 2024 can also expect a larger increase, since COLAs are based on a percentage of your checks rather than a flat dollar amount.

You may have already received your first check with the new benefit amount. However, those born between the 21st and 31st of a month will not get their first 2025 check until Jan. 22.

2. Higher full retirement age (FRA) for those born in 1959

The Social Security Administration assigns everyone — retired workers and spouses alike — a full retirement age (FRA) based on their birth year. For many years, FRA was 66. But it’s gradually been creeping up due to legislative changes put in place decades ago.

Beginning late last year and continuing into 2025, those born in 1958 have reached their FRA of 66 and 8 months. A few of those born early in 1959 will reach their FRA of 66 and 10 months later this year.

The two-month increase might seem small, but it has a significant consequence for seniors. When you claim benefits before your FRA, you shrink your checks. Retirement benefits decrease by 5/9 of 1% per month for up to 36 months of early claiming, and then by 5/12 of 1% per month thereafter. Spousal benefits have even steeper early claiming penalties at 25/36 of 1% per month for up to 36 months, and then 5/12 of 1% per month thereafter.

If you applied for Social Security before your FRA and you’re currently receiving benefits, the government has already applied the appropriate penalty. If you haven’t applied yet and hope to maximize your spousal benefit, consider waiting until you reach your FRA.

Don’t try to delay beyond this, though. Social Security retirement benefits offer delayed retirement credits that can boost seniors’ checks if they apply for Social Security after their FRA, up to age 70. But spousal benefits don’t allow this. Your maximum spousal benefit is what you qualify for at your FRA.

If you have any questions about how your spousal benefits could change this year, it’s best to contact the Social Security Administration for clarification. You can do this online, over the phone, or by making an appointment with your local Social Security office.

The $22,924 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook

If you’re like most Americans, you’re a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known “Social Security secrets” could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $22,924 more… each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we’re all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies.

View the “Social Security secrets” »

The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Related Posts

Social Security is an essential piece to most American’s retirement plans. Without their monthly benefits, some 16.3 million seniors U.S, would be living below the

The average retirement age in the U.S. was 62 in 2023, but that number’s been slowly ticking up over time. Rising life expectancies and rising

While the stock market is still thriving, some investors may be feeling wary about the future. Spiking inflation could cause the Federal Reserve to shift

There are plenty of ways to become a millionaire, like starting a successful business, being a professional athlete, or becoming a movie star. For most