- Workers who earned sufficient income during their employment history may receive full benefits at retirement, or if they retire early, reduced benefits based on the actual retirement age and average overall earnings.
- Starting at age 62, current and former spouses of the opposite gender and legally married to a Social Security beneficiary for at least ten years can receive reduced benefits.
- Widows and widowers of Social Security beneficiaries may be eligible to receive reduced benefits beginning at age 50 if they are disabled or age 60 otherwise.
- Children of Social Security beneficiaries can receive benefits if they are unmarried and younger than 18, still in high school at age 19 or disabled before turning 22.
- Disabled workers might receive benefits if their employment was recent and long enough and if the disability is either long-term or eventually fatal.
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