 so that means 50 of the higher income person social security is more than the regular amount for the one who earned less that's correct got it yeah so so for instance let's say i'm the higher wage earner and my benefit is two thousand dollars a month at my full retirement age and my spouse let's say only has earned a benefit of 600 a month well they're going to get half of that 2 000 because that's more than their own 600 so yeah the higher benefit would be payable