• Workers born after 1960 can collect full retirement benefits at 67 years of age.portrait of an old woman image by studio vision1 from Fotolia.com
  
  The United States Social Security Administration pays benefits to individuals who have worked and had Social Security payments taken out of their wages. Social Security benefits may also be paid to a worker's dependents or beneficiaries. There are three different forms of Social Security benefits that can be received by qualifying individuals.
  
  

Retirement Benefits

• According to the Social Security Administration, retirement benefits are paid to beneficiaries when they reach a certain age. The current age for retirement benefits for anyone born in 1960 or later is 67 years of age, although workers can retire earlier and receive a smaller benefit. In order to receive retirement benefits through Social Security an individual must have received quarterly credits by working and paying into the Social Security system. The amount of Social Security an individual can receive depends on how much they made prior to retirement.
  
  

Spousal Retirement Benefits

• A spouse can receive retirement benefits based on her husband's earnings if they are higher than her own. She can claim these benefits at the age of 62 if she has a child under 16 years of age in the home or a child receiving Social Security disability living with her.
  
  

Survivor Benefits

• In some instances, Social Security will pay benefits to family members of an individual who has died. Minor children and disabled adult children can receive survivor benefits in the event of a parent's death. A spouse can receive survivor benefits at the age of 60, and in the event a spouse dies young her partner can receive Social Security benefits while a minor child or a disabled child is in her care. A spouse who is disabled may receive his partner's benefits at the age of 50 years. In some cases a parent may receive survivor Social Security benefits if the child took care of the parent and the parent is at least 62 years old.
  
  

Disability Benefits

• An individual who has become disabled after working in the recent past is eligible for disability benefits. A spouse of a disabled worker may also receive Social Security benefits if she is taking care of a minor or disabled child, or if she is at least 62 years old. A minor or disabled child may also be able to receive Social Security benefits if her parent is a disabled worker.