You are here: Social Security Administration > Research, Statistics & Policy Analysis > Beneficiary Projection: Spousal-Only Beneficiaries in 2050

Projections by Beneficiary Type

  1. Divorced Spousal
    Beneficiaries
  2. Early Eligibility
    Age Beneficiaries
  3. Spousal-Only
    Beneficiaries
  4. Survivor-Only
    Beneficiaries
  5. Women & Dual
    Entitlement

Spousal-Only Beneficiaries in 2050

Methodology »
Released: May 2024
Next expected update: 2028

DEFINITION: Spousal-only beneficiaries are individuals who did not work at all or enough to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits on their own earnings records, but do qualify for one-half of their spouses' monthly benefit.

In 2050, we project that:

  • Almost 3 percent of all beneficiaries aged 62 or older will be spousal only and more than three-fourths of spousal-only beneficiaries aged 62 or older will be women.
  • The poverty rate will be higher for spousal-only beneficiaries compared with all beneficiaries aged 62 or older.
  • Spousal-only beneficiaries will be disproportionately in low-earning households.
  • Spousal-only beneficiaries will earn some credits by 2050, but not enough to qualify for benefits on their own records. a
Chart. Title: Population Characteristics: Percentage with characteristic. Pie chart series with tabular version below.
Show as table
Table equivalent for chart: Population Characteristics
Characteristic Spousal-only beneficiaries aged 62 or older Beneficiaries aged 62 or older
Number of beneficiaries 2.2 million 81.7 million
Women 79% 54%
Race/ethnicity  
White 39% 63%
Black 6% 11%
All other races 16% 8%
Hispanic origin 39% 18%
Below 100% of the poverty threshold  
Scheduled benefits 7% 5%
Payable benefits 12% 9%
Chart. Title: Lifetime Shared Earnings: Percentage of spousal-only beneficiaries aged 62 or older in quintile. Bar chart with tabular version below.
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Table equivalent for chart: Lifetime Shared Earnings
Lifetime shared earnings quintile Percentage of spousal-only beneficiaries aged 62 or older in quintile
Lowest 67
Second lowest 15
Middle 9
Second highest 6
Highest 4
Chart. Title: Median Credits Earned: Number. Bar chart with tabular version below.
Show as table
Table equivalent for chart: Median Credits Earned: Number
Lifetime shared earnings quintile Spousal-only beneficiaries aged 62 or older Beneficiaries aged 62 or older
Lowest 8 88
Second lowest 18 149
Middle 20 171
Second highest 25 180
Highest 25 191

a. To be fully insured for Social Security retirement benefits, a worker must have at least 10 years (or 40 credits) of earnings.

SOURCE: Modeling Income in the Near Term, Version 8 (MINT8) microsimulation model using 2023 Trustees Report intermediate assumptions.