When is a wife eligible to receive half of husbands SS?

How long were you married?

This might help.

Call Social Security and ask them. They’re very helpful and pretty nice.

My impression is that you are currently married, @wishing. Correct?

I believe you can take either yours or half of his but the rules have changed recently so you should talk to them.

https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/applying6.html

Why would you want half of his SS if you guys are still married and, I assume, sharing a home and bills together?
It’s my understanding you don’t get his SS until he dies.

You can get half of your husband’s or you can get your own whichever is greater. You don’t get both.
Please set up a date and check with Social Security though. There might be something I missed.

Oops, I assumed you were divorced.

@Dutchess You’re wrong.

Well. OK @janbb. Can you set me straight?

@Duychess Just read all the other posts, including jca’s link.

Well. My Mom and Dad were married for 23 years before they divorced. Dad remarried in 1982. Then he died in 2005. And it was my understanding that both Mom and his current wife were eligible for his SS.
So please stop beating around the bush and tell me.

I also think you should be able to get the $850 in lieu of the $605, but I think call SS as @jca2 suggests. They are usually very nice. Or, go in person.

Possibly, you need to be married a certain amount of years, that I don’t know, I didn’t read the link provided. Are you newly married?

I have no idea how you get $425? I don’t see where that number comes from.

@Dutchess_III The benefit after death, or after divorcing after many years of marriage, is a different set of rules. While still married a wife can get her own earned social security or half her husband’s. Even if she never worked a day she can get half. Unless, that has changed. My MIL gets SS and she never worked. She’s still married to my FIL, he earned the SS benefit.

This information is provided in great detail on the SS website. I recommend you read there or call them. The rule about this is different that it was a number of years ago. Women often are told by friends that if they were married ten years they can draw off of the husband’s record. Maybe.

https://blog.ssa.gov/understanding-spouses-benefits/

https://blog.ssa.gov/ex-spouse-benefits-and-how-they-affect-you/