Your spouse may collect benefits if he/she is 62 or older. They cannot receive benefits if they already get a higher amount of Social Security benefits based on his or her earnings record.
If your spouse is caring for your child who is under the age of 16 or disabled then he/she will obtain these benefits until the child is 16 years old. Once the child turns 16, their benefits will remain, but your spouse’s benefits stop. The only way they wouldn’t stop is if he/she is old enough to collect retirement benefits (age 62 or older) or survivor benefits as a widow or widower (age 60).
