Claiming Social Security benefits can be a complex and confusing process for retirees. As a result, many retirees leave money on the table by glossing over some lesser-known benefits.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) usually won’t check for those mistakes. Let’s take a closer look at seven of those benefits that you shouldn’t forget about.
1. Ex-Spouse Benefits
Most people know you can claim benefits based on your spouse’s work records. However, divorced individuals can still claim benefits on their ex-spouse’s work record, as long as the marriage lasted at least 10 years, they are at least 62 years old, and are currently unmarried.
They can also collect those benefits without affecting or decreasing their own benefits or the benefits of the ex-spouse’s current spouse. If the ex-spouse has passed away, they can start collecting those benefits at the age of 60 (or 50 if disabled).
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2. Caretaker Benefits
Retirees who are still raising a minor child (under age 18) or an adult child (with a qualifying disability that began before age 22) can be eligible for certain caretaker benefits.
First, the dependent child can receive a monthly check worth up to 50% of your full retirement benefit. Second, individuals who care for a qualifying child under 16 (or a disabled child of any age) can receive a “mother’s or father’s benefit” before reaching the standard retirement age.
3. Same-Sex Couple Benefits
In the past, same-sex couples couldn’t collect Social Security benefits from their partners because they weren’t legally married. But with the nationwide legalization of same-sex marriages in all states over the past two decades (with a nationwide ruling in 2015), same-sex couples are now entitled to the same Social Security benefits as opposite-sex couples.
4. Special Minimum Benefits
If you worked steadily for decades but consistently earned low wages, your Social Security benefits (calculated based on your 35 highest-earning years) could be very low.
For those low-wage workers, using the “special minimum benefit” formula instead of the standard 35-year formula could increase that payout. However, the SSA doesn’t proactively use that formula — so retirees who believe they can qualify must explicitly ask the SSA to calculate their benefits under both formulas.
5. Supplemental Security Income for Low-Income Retirees
Many retirees assume that receiving a modest Social Security retirement check disqualifies them from other government-subsidized programs.
However, they’re still eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs — which provide extra cash for older adults, people with disabilities, and people who are blind — as well as SNAP (food assistance) and Medicare Savings Programs.
6. Reclaiming Withheld Benefits
If you start claiming your Social Security benefits before your full retirement age and continue working, a portion of your benefits will be withheld if your annual earnings exceed certain annual thresholds. Many retirees believe those funds are lost forever, but they’re not.
Once you reach your full retirement age, the SSA is supposed to recalculate your monthly benefit and credit you for those withheld benefits every month. However, the SSA doesn’t always proactively make that adjustment — so you need to check if you’re reclaiming that cash.
7. The “Do-Over” Rule
The easiest way for retirees to leave money on the table is to claim their benefits too early. But in the first 12 months after your first withdrawal, you can actually reverse the claim, repay the checks, and restart the cycle at a later date.
Doing so resets your record as if you never filed, allowing your future benefits to grow by up to about 8% per year for each year you delay claiming after your full retirement age (up to age 70). That can add up to a six-figure difference in your golden years.
