I am 68 and collecting social security. My wife turns 65 this year, has been collecting since she turned 62 , will she be able to get half of my social security starting this year ? My SS is about $2500 month, hers is $280 now , so half of mine will be more.

Hi. The percentage of your benefit rate that your wife could potentially collect depends of your and your wife's ages when you each started collecting benefits. If you're drawing your benefits and if your wife is collecting her Social Security retirement benefits, then she should already be drawing spousal benefits if she qualifies for them. Since your wife was born after January 1 1954, when she applied for her own retirement benefits she was deemed to also be filing for spousal benefits (https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/claiming.html).

If you weren't already collecting your benefits when your wife started drawing her retirement benefits, then she'd be deemed to have applied to start spousal benefits effective with the first month that you claimed your benefits. In that event Social Security should have solicited an application for spousal benefits from your wife. If they didn't, then your wife should probably call them to see about applying for spousal benefits.

The only way that your wife could get a full 50% of your primary insurance amount (PIA) is if she's drawing disability (SSDI) benefits, not retirement benefits, and if she waits until her FRA to claim spousal benefits. Otherwise, your wife won't be eligible for a full 50% of your PIA because she started drawing benefits prior to full retirement age (FRA). Both her own benefit rate and any spousal benefits for which she qualifies will be reduced.

Here's an example to illustrate. Let's say Amy filed for her benefits in 2019 at age 62. Amy's primary insurance amount (PIA), or full retirement age rate, would be $400, but Amy's rate is reduced for age to $291. This year, when Amy is 65, her husband applies for his benefits. Amy's husband's PIA is $2500, so Amy's unreduced excess spousal rate is calculated by subtracting her PIA from 50% of her husband's PIA. In Amy's case, that amounts to $850 (i.e. $2500/2 - $400). However, since Amy is only 65 when she becomes eligible for spousal benefits her spousal rate is reduced to $743. That amount is then paid in addition to Amy's own reduced rate of $291 to give her a combined rate of $1034 (i.e. $291 + $743).

Best, Jerry