# How does social security for spouses work

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-social-security-for-spouses-work/338230>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 3, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-social-security-for-spouses-work/338230 "2006-01-03T15:57:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-social-security-for-spouses-work/338230/1 "2006-01-03T15:57:46Z")

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If you are the spouse of someone who worked but you stayed home, do you collect social security benefits in retirement if your spouse dies or are they the only one that gets benefits? What if your spouse dies before retirment age at say 59 or so, do you collect anything when your spouse would’ve turned 65 or do you collect nothing?

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**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-social-security-for-spouses-work/338230/2 "2006-01-03T16:04:10Z")

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In a nutshell, yes, there are SS benefits for non-working surviving spouses of workers.

Here is all the technical info -

[http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0300202000!opendocument](http://policy.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0300202000!opendocument)

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**Author:** ![ethelbert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/958977/32.png) [@ethelbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ethelbert)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2006, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-does-social-security-for-spouses-work/338230/3 "2006-01-03T18:59:55Z")

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The link above is to the Program Operations Manuals, which, although accurate, have much more information than you really need. You might get faster answers at [The SSA Website](http://www.ssa.gov/) .

You can also get answers by simply calling your local Social Security Branch Office.