--con't--


IOW, she got exactly half my SS check, but they didn't call it half of mine. No, it was HER EARNED benefit plus a small percentage of my benefit.
Well, duh, it doesn't matter how they break it down for their internal bookkeeping. She gets half what I get, period.

Note that she didn't have to do anything other than file for SS. The SSA automatically set her check to exactly half of mine.
She gets the larger of her own benefit and half mine. Automatically. They figure it out and do it.

I also know, from neighbor's experience, that when I die she will *automatically* start getting the larger of $X and $X/2. As soon as the SSA finds out about my death -- which generally takes about a week.

I wish that I was as smart as you.