Learn about Social Security benefits, including eligibility requirements and how much money you will get.

What's Below:

How much can I expect to get in Social Security benefits?
Who is eligible to collect Social Security benefits?
When can I start collecting Social Security retirement benefits?
How are my Social Security benefit amounts calculated?
Can I keep a job even after I start collecting retirement, dependents, or survivors benefits?
Can I collect more than one type of benefit at a time?
Can I claim spousal benefits if I'm divorced?

How much can I expect to get in Social Security benefits?

The amount of benefits to which you are entitled under any Social Security program (except SSI -- Supplemental Security Income) is not related to need, but is based on the income you have earned through years of working (through jobs and self-employment). Social Security keeps a record of these earnings over your working lifetime, and pays benefits based on the average amount earned.

Who is eligible to collect Social Security benefits?

The specific requirements vary depending on the type of benefits, the age of the person filing the claim, and, if you are claiming as a dependent or survivor, the age of the worker.

There is one general requirement, however: The worker on whose earnings record the benefit is to be paid must have worked in "covered employment" for a sufficient number of years -- that is, earned enough of what Social Security calls work credits -- by the time he or she claims retirement benefits, becomes disabled, or dies. This usually means a total of at least ten years of work.

To check on your eligibility, see Checking Your Social Security Earnings and Benefits or call the Social Security Administration at 800-772-1213.

Note that Social Security has separate eligibility rules for some specific types of workers, including:

• federal, state, and local government workers
• workers for nonprofit organizations
• members of the military
• household workers, and
• farm workers.

If you have been employed for some time as one of these types of workers, check with the Social Security Administration for the rules that may affect your eligibility.

When can I start collecting Social Security retirement benefits?

The Social Security Administration used to consider 65 to be full retirement age for the retirement benefit. Benefits amounts were calculated on the assumption that most workers will stop working full time and will claim retirement benefits when they reach age 65.

Now that people are generally living longer, however, the Social Security rules for what is considered full retirement age are changing. Age 65 is still considered full retirement age for anyone born before 1938. However, full retirement age gradually increases from age 65 to 67 for people born in 1938 or later. For anyone born after 1960, the full retirement age is 67.