Social Security is your most important income source once you retire. In general, you get Social Security because you worked hard when you were young and made regular contributions to the Social Security system. So, it seems logical to say that you get Social Security benefits because you have worked, and that you won’t get Social Security because you never worked. Although the first part of that sentence always holds, i.e., you get Social Security benefits because you have worked, there are some exceptions to the second part. In some scenarios, you can collect Social Security even if you never worked.
In this article, we will discuss scenarios of when you can collect Social Security even if you never worked.
If someone never worked, it means they wouldn’t have contributed to the Social Security system. This, in general, would make them ineligible to receive regular Social Security benefits because the benefits depend on the person’s work history.
However, as noted above, there are a few exceptions to this rule. These exceptions are primarily for dependent, divorced, or widowed persons. The recipient, in this case, won’t require a work history as the benefits in these cases will depend on the work history of the original or deceased worker.
Thus, based on their relationship with the original Social Security recipient, a person who never worked could qualify for spousal, divorce, survivors or disability benefits.
Spousal benefits
To qualify for spousal benefits, you must have been married to someone who qualifies for retirement or disability benefits. The maximum spousal benefit you can receive is 50% of the benefits that your spouse will get at their full retirement age (FRA).
You also need to wait until your own FRA to receive the full 50% benefits. If you claim spousal benefits before your FRA, you will receive a reduced amount.
To qualify for spousal benefits, you must have been married for at least a year. Also, you must be at least 62, or taking care of a disabled child, or a child who is 16 years or younger.
A point to note is that if you qualify for benefits based on your own work history as well, you can still claim spousal benefits. You, however, won’t get both benefits, rather the higher of the two amounts.
Divorce benefits
Divorce benefits, as the word says, are available to those who are divorced. Also, you need to meet a few more requirements – you must not have remarried, your marriage must have lasted for at least 10 years, and you must be 62 years or older. Also, you must have been divorced for at least two years before you claim the divorce benefits.
You can claim divorce benefits even if your ex-spouse has remarried. If you have been divorced more than once, your benefit amount will depend on the highest-earning spouse, provided you meet other requirements.
Similar to spousal benefits, the maximum benefit available under divorce benefits is 50% of your ex-spouse’s benefits at their FRA. You receiving divorce benefits won’t reduce the benefit payment of your ex-spouse or of your ex-spouse’s current partner (if they have remarried).
Survivors benefits
You could qualify for survivors benefits if your spouse has passed away. The benefit amount, in this case, will depend on your age, the age of your spouse when they passed, and whether or not you have a disability. In certain cases, the surviving spouse may be entitled to their spouse’s entire benefit amount.
Survivors benefits are not just for spouses, but for other family members as well, including parents, children, and divorced spouses.
Spousal and survivor benefits may appear similar, but they are different. The biggest difference is that you receive spousal benefits when your spouse is alive, while survivors’ benefits depend on a deceased worker’s earnings.
In case you are already receiving spousal benefits but your spouse dies, the SSA will automatically convert your spousal benefits to survivors benefits. It must be noted that you can’t receive both benefits at the same time.
Disability benefits
SSDI or Social Security Disability Insurance is for people who are eligible for Social Security retirement benefits but became disabled before reaching FRA. When a beneficiary starts to receive disability benefits, some of their family members, such as spouse, divorced spouse, children, and disabled children (adult children disabled before age 22), may also qualify for the benefits as well.
Final words
Though the objective of Social Security benefits is to support those who have contributed to the system through work, we have discussed the situations in which you can collect Social Security even if you never worked.
Just as Social Security benefits help recipients to live a dignified life after they stop working, these other benefits for those who never worked can provide them with stability and support after the original recipient abandons them or dies.
Also, the presence of these benefits gives workers some peace of mind that their family members will be taken care of if they aren’t around. Surviving, divorced spouse and disabled children continue to receive survivors benefits until their death, while benefits for children who aren’t disabled stops at age 18 or 19.
Family members who apply for these benefits need to provide their Social Security number. They may also be asked to provide their birth certificate or marriage certificate to prove their relationship with the original recipient.
If you ever find yourself in a situation where you have limited or no work history at all, it is important that you talk to the SSA or a qualified financial advisor to understand your eligibility for potential benefits.
