Spousal benefits are a core feature of Social Security, designed to provide financial security to married individuals and divorced spouses who may have limited or no work history of their own. Understanding this often-complex benefit is crucial for retirement planning, as the choices you and your spouse make can maximize your family's total lifetime income.
Test your knowledge on concepts like the primary insurance amount (PIA), claiming age reductions and the rules for divorced beneficiaries with this 10-question quiz on the basics of Social Security spousal benefits.
And don't worry if you miss an answer; you can follow the links below the quiz to brush up on your knowledge.
More on Social Security, from the Kiplinger retirement team:
- Can Both Spouses Collect Social Security Benefits?
- How Divorced Retirees Can Maximize Their Social Security Benefits: A Case Study
- 13 Answers to Pressing Social Security Questions
- Social Security Basics: Things You Must Know About Claiming and Maximizing Your Social Security Benefits
- What's My Social Security Full Retirement Age (FRA)?
- Delay Social Security Benefits — Even by a Month — to Boost Your Check
- When To Take Social Security Payments: Your Age Matters
- Reasons to Take Social Security Early
