Can both spouses receive their own Social Security retirement checks or just one per couple?

Yes, both spouses can receive their own Social Security retirement benefits simultaneously if you both worked and earned enough credits (40 quarters/10 years of work). What your neighbor was referring to is the spousal benefit option, which allows someone to receive up to 50% of their spouse's Primary Insurance Amount if that amount is higher than their own earned benefit. You don't get both - Social Security pays the higher of either your own benefit or the spousal benefit. Since you both worked consistently, you'll likely each qualify for your own benefits, but it's worth checking if the spousal option would give either of you a higher amount.

Both spouses absolutely can collect their own Social Security checks if they've both worked enough. I faced this exact situation last year! What many people don't realize is that the TIMING of when each spouse claims can make a HUGE difference in your lifetime benefits. My financial advisor showed us how waiting until Full Retirement Age (66+) versus claiming at 62 could mean over $100,000 more over our lifetimes! The 50% spousal benefit is only relevant if one spouse earned significantly less than the other. Definitely run the numbers before deciding when to file!

Some additional information that might help with your planning: 1. Filing for benefits before your Full Retirement Age (FRA) results in a permanent reduction - up to 30% less if you file at 62 2. Waiting past your FRA increases your benefit by 8% per year until age 70 3. The higher earner's benefit becomes the survivor benefit when one spouse passes away 4. There are strategies where one spouse can file early while the other delays For your specific situation, since your husband is turning 65 soon, it might make sense for him to wait until his Full Retirement Age (likely 66 and several months based on his birth year) to avoid reductions. The decision about when you should file depends on your earnings history and health expectations. The SSA.gov website has benefit calculators that can help you estimate different scenarios.

As someone who deals with these questions a lot, I need to clarify something important. @SeniorPlanner1 gave great info, but I want to address the survivor benefit question. When one spouse passes away, the surviving spouse receives the HIGHER of either their own benefit OR their deceased spouse's benefit - not both. This is why it's often a good strategy for the higher-earning spouse to delay claiming as long as possible (up to age 70) to maximize the eventual survivor benefit. Also, regarding filing, your Full Retirement Age (FRA) matters a lot. For people born 1943-1954, FRA is 66. For those born 1955-1960, it gradually increases to 67. Anyone born 1960 or later has an FRA of 67. Filing before your FRA means permanent reductions.

my aunt told me she gets BOTH her own SS check AND half of my uncles check every month!!! she said its called dual entitlement or something. is that true or is she confused?

YES u can both get checks! me & my husband both get our own checks every month. been getting them for 3 yrs now. best thing is to go on the ssa.gov website and make an account to see ur estimated benefits. shows u exactly what you'll get at different ages. the statements they used to mail stopped coming years ago so u gotta check online now.

I spent HOURS trying to get through to Social Security last month to ask almost this exact same question. Kept getting disconnected or waiting forever. FINALLY someone told me to try this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in about 30 minutes instead of spending all day calling and redialing. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I talked to explained that my husband and I can both claim our own benefits since we both worked, but she also ran the numbers and showed that in our case, I'd actually get more from the spousal benefit than my own work record because I was a stay-at-home mom for many years. Definitely worth talking directly to SSA about your specific situation!

One important point that hasn't been mentioned yet: if you're still working while collecting Social Security before your Full Retirement Age, be aware of the earnings limit. In 2025, if you earn more than $22,500 and are under your FRA, SSA will deduct $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit. The year you reach FRA, the limit is higher ($59,880 in 2025) with $1 deducted for every $3 earned above the limit. Once you reach your FRA, there's no earnings limit. This doesn't apply if you're already fully retired, but it's important to know if either of you plan to work part-time while collecting benefits.

To answer your follow-up question about who should file first: Generally, it makes financial sense for the lower-earning spouse to claim first (especially if claiming early) while the higher earner delays as long as possible up to age 70. This maximizes the survivor benefit and can significantly increase your household's lifetime benefits. But this assumes both of you are in good health and have reasonable longevity expectations. If health issues are a concern for the higher earner, earlier filing might make sense. These decisions are very personal and depend on your specific financial situation, health outlook, and need for income now versus later.