Core Points - Social Security primarily provides retirement benefits, intended to replace approximately 40% of income for retirees [1] - Additional benefits include spousal benefits, which can be crucial for individuals who earned less than their spouses during their careers [2] Spousal Benefits - Spousal benefits are available to married individuals and can also be claimed after a divorce if the marriage lasted at least 10 years [5] - Individuals who are divorced have an advantage in claiming spousal benefits, as they do not need to wait for their ex-spouse to claim their own benefits [7][9] - Married individuals must wait until their higher-earning spouse claims their retirement benefits before they can start receiving spousal benefits [8][10]

Key Points You can increase your monthly check by delaying when you claim benefits. However, delaying isn't possible for some people for financial reasons. Those claiming spousal benefits are not eligible for delayed retirement credits. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › Many older Americans depend heavily on Social Security to help them have a financially comfortable retirement. While Social Security alone cannot support retirees, it is still an important incom ...