Why don't I see spousal benefits starting earlier than other benefits in Social Security scenarios?

Prior to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, there were ways to take spousal benefits to begin either before someone's own benefits or the spouse's benefits.

• File and Suspend: In this strategy, someone could file for benefits, making their spouse eligible to receive spousal benefits, but then suspend their own benefits, allowing those benefits to grow through deferral credits. In this situation spousal benefits could begin sooner than the benefits on which those spousal benefits are based, allowing spousal benefits to be received while the other benefits get a future boost through deferral.
• Restricted Application: 

After April 30, 2016, File and Suspend was no longer possible. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 changed the rules so that if someone suspends their benefits, all benefits tied to that work history are suspended. This means there is no way for a spousal benefit to be received on a work record where the primary benefits are not also being received.

The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 also phased our Restricted Application. Those born on or before January 1, 1954 still had access to Restricted Application, but those born after this date do not. Therefore, if someone begins Spousal benefits, they will also receive benefits based on their own work record. This is called "Deemed Application". Because those who were born in 1954 turned 70 in 2024, Restricted Application is now a thing of the past - it is not available to anyone under 70.

Because of these two changes, now more than 10 years old, the following are true.

• No one can receive a spousal benefit if the spouse is not also receiving their benefit.
• No one can receive a spousal benefit without also receiving their own benefit.