Social Security Early Spousal Claims Cut Benefits to 32.5% at Age 62
Updated
Updated · IndexBox, Inc. · Jun 12
Social Security Early Spousal Claims Cut Benefits to 32.5% at Age 62
3 articles · Updated · IndexBox, Inc. · Jun 12
Summary
A new analysis found 62-year-olds who claim Social Security spousal benefits early receive only 32.5% of the amount their spouse would get at full retirement age, locking in a permanent reduction.
Spousal benefits are hit harder because they start lower—capped at half of a spouse’s full-retirement benefit—and fall faster than worker benefits, dropping 8.33% a year for the first 36 months of early claiming.
Regular retirement benefits can be reduced by as much as 30%; using April 2026’s average $2,081 monthly check, that would cut payments to about $1,457.
Average spousal benefits were just $986 a month in April 2026, underscoring why delaying a claim can raise lifetime household income for people with average or longer life expectancy.
Couples cannot claim a spousal benefit until the higher-earning partner has started retirement benefits, and some spouses get no separate spousal payment because Social Security automatically pays whichever benefit is higher.