For many married retirees, Social Security is essential to their retirement budgets. Nearly 9 out of 10 retirees said Social Security is at least a minor source of household income, in an annual Gallup poll. As such, making the most of the benefits available to you is important to ensure you can get the most out of your golden years.

One important aspect of Social Security available to married couples are spousal benefits. The spousal benefit allows a spouse to claim benefits based on their partner's earnings record, and they may provide a significant boost in household income. And one of the best ages to claim your Social Security spousal benefits is age 67.

Before diving into the details of the average spousal benefit at age 67 and why you might want to wait until reaching that age to make your Social Security claim, it's important to understand how spousal benefits work. 

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Source Fool.com