betsypupcdx

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HI, I know I can get this answer from Social Security, but I'm sure I'll get a quicker answer here. For those full timer wives who have worked outside the home........do you collect on your SS or on your husband's , or both????
I always had thought that I would have to choose between half of my husbands SS or my own. But, I have heard that some women collect both.
thanks!
Tye & Linda
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arizonadesertbrat

Mt Pleasant, TX

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My understanding is that you collect the highest of the two. Anyone else know anything else?
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trkrhelp

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I haven't heard of both either - you get whichever is the highest of the two as far as I know.
John Ewing
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JFG

TN

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It's the higher of the two... not both.
Fred
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bgum

South Louisiana

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If the spouse is insured on her own SSN then she will be paid on her own SSN. If she is entitled to more on her husbands account then she is also paid the difference on his account. She has dual entitlement. If she is entitled on her own SSN to higher benefits than what she would receive on her husbands SSN then she will receive benefits only on her own SSN.
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Kirk

Livingston, Texas.

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JFG is correct. My wife began to collect SS one year before I could and so got hers. Then when I began to collect she was receiving a little less than 1/2 of what mine is so she went back to the SS office and filed a new form and she now receives 1/2 the amount that I receive.
A wife can even do that if she has never been employed. My wife was a "stay at home" mom for most or my working years and only held temp. jobs for short periods outside of our home until our youngest was in HS. She then did go to work and worked until I retired, but due to a career move on my part she then had to start over and women past 50 have major problems getting a good job, even with experience. As a result, she never really made that much money so for us the 1/2 of mine deal is a good thing.
I wonder, could a husband get 1/2 of what his wife gets? One would think so.
Good travelin! ........Kirk
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jbealecass

MI

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BGUM is correct. If the wife is insured she collects on her own first-ex. $400. Then the amount she is entitled to on her husband, either right then or later when the husband becomes entitled if he is not entitled when she first takes hers is figured-ex. $600. She then receives the difference-$200-off of the husband's account for a total of $600. She is "dually entitled" -that is she is receiving off of two accounts. If she has an inquiry she should give HER ssn-it is easier than going to the husband's account record first. And her account number is her ssn with an A-000-00-0000A. A woman who never worked and was drawing benefits only off of her husband would have as an account number his ssn with a B if he is living or a D id she is a widow-111-11-1111B or D.
And yes,Kirk, a man can draw half of his wife's amount if the situation was reversed-that is his amount was less that half of hers.
40 Year Social Security Employee--Retired
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jbealecass

MI

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Also, the amount isn't always exactly half-it depends on the age (62-66) when the wife takes it.
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rockhillmanor

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Collect on the higher, but.....the one with the higher amount has to be retired and be collecting before you can collect the higher amount.
FYI: Did you know that if you divorce someone and their SS is higher than yours you still get to collect their higher amount after the divorce?!
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priusron

Tx

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Be very careful. Current rules state that if your wife starts collecting on hers ( say at 62 yrs) and then switches to yours (say at 66 yrs), she will only be entitled to 35% of yours, not the 50%. They are changing rules all the time. The SS people will not tell you the most beneficial way for you to collect. They will only tell you what is most advantageous to them.
Go here and find out a wealth of information. http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retirement/1943.html
Disclaimer- I am not a financial adviser, but I did eat at IHOP once.
Ron
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