I need clarification on spousal benefits... my husband receives $3000 a month before taxes, I receive $1600 a month. We are both 66 years old. Are you saying that I can collect 1/2 of my husbands benefits as well as my own?

Hi. No. The only way that you can collect a spousal benefit in addition to your own benefit is if your spouse's primary insurance amount (PIA) is more than twice as much as your own PIA. A person's PIA is equal to their Social Security retirement benefit rate if they start drawing their benefits at full retirement age (FRA).

Even if your PIA is less than half of your spouse's PIA, though, you can't collect a full spousal benefit in addition to your own benefit. The most that you could be paid is essentially the higher of your own benefit rate or your spousal rate. If you're drawing your own benefits and if your PIA is less than half as much as your spouse's PIA, then you can potentially be paid a partial spousal amount that can amount to as much as the difference between your own PIA and half of your spouse's PIA.

Best, Jerry