Insights on receiving SS lump-sum

[donquixote99]

How it really is:

'Primary' as used below, is whichever of a married couple has the higher SS entitlement. 'Spouse' is the person married to the 'primary.'

Spouse is entitled to spousal benefit of 50% of 'primary's' amount while both are collecting, so together they get 150%. If primary dies first, then spouse gets spousal benefit of 100% amount from then on.

But, if spouse worked and is entitled on his/her own account, he/she gets 100% of that entitlement, if it is greater than what he/she would get on primary's account. OTOH, if his/her entitlement is less, he/she just gets the spousal benefit, nothing extra.