Read this and know why I'm confused as anything.

http://news.yahoo.com/social-securit...150713029.html

I have never heard of spousal benefits in addition to SS benefits.

Does this apply if one (or both) are on SSDisability? We are both 64 by the way.

I read this over and over and I have a headache.

lol

Melody

Spousal retirement benefits are part of the original Social Security legislation that was effective in 1936 following the Great Depression and passed during the FDR era. Originally spouse's benefits were only available to women based on the assumption that were the primary bread winners and had higher lifetime earnings than women (which was a valid assumption in 1936). Over the years, society has changed but the legislation still exists.

To this day, many women who have been stay at home wives (AK housewife) can get retirement benefits on their husbands when they reach age 62 IF the benefit on the husband is more than twice what they get on their own. A change in legislation sometime in the 1960's or so added husband's benefits. Now the rules are the same for both genders.

Nothing new.

And what if the wife makes $50 more in her SSD check? Can the husband file? I gather the one who files has to make LESS then the other spouse??

Thanks
Melody

The maximum spousal benefit is 1/2 of the worker's benefit. So if the wife's PIA is $800 the most the husband can get is $400, but that is reduced by the amount he gets on his own. So the one who files has to make less than 1/2 of the other.

If the person with the higher benefit dies first, it is possible that the survivor's benefit (widow/widower) can be increased to equal what the deceased was getting. But not both.

50% in life; 100% in death. Assuming the spouse/widow is over full retirement age.

I'm sure I have more questions but I want to phrase them correctly. Probably just one more. Math was NEVER my strength.

And thanks very much for putting it plainly for me.

Melody