Social Security is the cornerstone of many Americans' retirement finances. The income it provides can be the difference between being able to enjoy your golden years and not having enough money to make ends meet.

For some, the program's spousal benefits option can significantly boost a household's Social Security income. Those benefits can be worth up to half of the higher-earning spouse's full retirement benefit. But the rules regarding this benefit for low- or non-earning spouses can make calculating when each member of a couple should claim Social Security a lot more complicated.

If you're considering claiming spousal benefits in retirement, you need to know the following three rules -- some of which may surprise you.

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Source Fool.com