Why do I have to wait for spousal benefits until I'm 60 yrs. old. I have no income and don't understand the waiting period. Thank you

Hi. Actually, the earliest that you can potentially qualify for spousal benefits on the record of a living spouse is at age 62, unless you have a child in your care who's eligible for child benefits (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.03/handbook-0305.html). You can potentially qualify for survivor benefits on a deceased spouse's account as early as age 60, though, or even as early as age 50 if you're disabled.

The short answer for why you can't qualify for those benefits sooner is that it's part of the Social Security law. The Social Security Act was passed into law by Congress in 1935, and only Congress has the authority to amend the law. You may want to direct your question the office of your U.S. congressional representative.

Best, Jerry