ASK KIM
Spouses Get a Benefits Choice
by Kimberly Lankford

My husband and I both will qualify for social security benefits, but he has always earned about five times more than me. Is it true that I can claim half of his benefit instead of taking my benefit?

That is true. You can either receive benefits based on your own work history or you can get half of your spouse's benefits, whichever is greater.

But you can only get benefits based on your husband's record after he signs up for benefits himself, so if you're older than your husband you can receive your own benefits first then switch over to half of his benefits when he starts receiving social security.

For a general idea of whether half his benefit is actually greater than the benefits you've earned yourself, run the numbers through the Social Security Administration's benefits calculator. You and your husband should have received social security statements near your birthdays listing your earnings history, which will help you know which numbers to plug into the detailed calculator. If you can't track down the statement, you can order a new one at the Social Security Administration's Web site.