We can't find any clear information regarding younger spouses and social security retirement benefits! Everything is focused on spousal benefits and if the SS retired spouse dies and when to seek SS if the spouse is only a few years younger.

In our case, I am MUCH younger than my fiance. We want to get married but are afraid that his SS benefits will be impacted by my income. I am 43 and he is 66. He claimed his SS retirement benefits at 65 and we want to get married this year. He receives $800 a month...will his benefits be impacted by my income if we get married. Also, I have 4 minor children (and one in college). Will this impact his benefits? They are 8, 14, 17, 17 and 18 (so two will be reaching legal adulthood soon--October, but are also going to college).

Thanks for any help!

JB

Hi JB,

No, your income wouldn't have any effect on your husband's Social Security retirement benefits. It's possible, though, that at least some of your children might qualify for child's benefits on your husband's account if you get married.

A stepchild normally can't qualify for child's benefits on a stepparent's record until the stepparent has been married to the child's natural parent for at least a full year. Also, in order for a stepchild to qualify for benefits on the record of a stepparent they must be considered dependent on the stepparent, and to be considered dependent they must receive at least one-half of their financial support from the stepparent. Social Security has complex rules for determining if a stepchild can be classified as financially dependent on their stepparent, and I don't have enough information about your family's finances to know if your children might meet those requirements (https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0301301020).

Stepchildren must also meet the normal requirements for Social Security child's benefits, meaning that they must be either a) under age 18, b) 18 to 19 and attending high school or below, or c) disabled based on an impairment that became disabling prior to age 22.

Furthermore, it's possible that you might become eligible for child in care spousal benefits if you marry. However, in order to be eligible, at least one of your children would need to qualify for child's benefits on your husband's record and that child need to either be under age 16 or disabled. For more information about Social Security benefits for family members, refer to the following Social Security website: https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/applying7.html#h0.

Best, Jerry