Spouse Eligibility
In order to receive benefits from Social Security, spouses do not need to have worked and paid SS taxes. The reason for this is that they qualify for the benefits on your record. At their full retirement age, a spouse can receive benefits equal to ½ of the full amount of benefits you receive. A spouse can start receiving benefits as early as age 62, but the amount will be permanently reduced by a percentage based on the number of months until his/her full retirement age. If your spouse is working but his/her benefits are lower than yours, SS will formulate a combination of the benefits to equal to the higher amount. In addition to receiving benefits on your record, your spouse can also qualify for Medicare when he/she reaches the age of 65. Social Security Spouse Eligibility
As long as you are receiving Social Security benefits, your spouse will be able to receive benefits at any age as long as he/she is caring for your child. Your spouse will be entitled to these benefits until the child reaches the age of 16. At that time, the benefits will be discontinued until your spouse reaches the age of 62.