Your full retirement age is 66. A beneficiary reaching full retirement age can earn $37,680 a year and not lose any benefits in 2011. The SSA will deduct $1 for every $3 earned above $37,680.

The same earnings limits apply to a child or spouse who works and receives benefits on your record.

http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/retirechart.htm

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/236

For this to work, your husband will first need to retire. When a worker files for retirement benefits, the worker's spouse may be eligible for a benefit based on the worker's earnings. The your benefit can be as much as half of your husband's "primary insurance amount," depending on the your husband's age at retirement. If your husband begins receiving benefits before "normal (or full) retirement age," the you will receive a reduced benefit.

If a you are eligible for a retirement benefit based on your own earnings, and if that benefit is higher than the spousal benefit, then we pay the retirement benefit. Otherwise the SSA will pay the spousal benefit based on your husband's record.

http://www.ssa.gov/oact/quickcalc/spouse.html

A Social Security retirement beneficiary under the full retirement age (66.5 for you) can earn up to $14,160 a year and not lose any benefits in 2011. Social Security will deduct $1 in benefits for every $2 earned above $14,160.

Once you reach full retirement age (66.5 for you), you can earn $37,680 a year and not lose any benefits in 2011.

http://socialsecurityhop.com/en/handbook/04/0407-amount-of-widowers-insu...

http://www.ssa.gov/retirement/1957.html

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/236

In general, benefits are not additive. You generally receive the higher amount.

If you are eligible for retirement benefits on your own record Social Security will pay that amount first. But if

• the benefit on his or her record is a higher amount, you will get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount (reduced for age).
• you have reached full retirement age and you are eligible for a spouse's benefit and your own retirement benefit, you have a choice. You can choose to receive only the divorced spouse's benefits now and delay receiving retirement benefits until a later date. If retirement benefits are delayed, a higher benefit may be received at a later date based on the effect of delayed retirement credits.

http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/divspouse.htm

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/299

The SSA has work incentives which help disabled and blind SSI beneficiaries go to work by minimizing the risk of losing their SSI or Medicaid benefits. See here for more information :

http://www.ssa.gov/ssi/text-work-ussi.htm

I doubt if the SSA will be able to help you with this. If your former spouse is still living, privacy rules prohibit the SSA from giving you his or her earnings record. But they can tell you what benefits you may be entitled to after we have established your relationship to him or her.

http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/393

This is beyond our purview, but you may have to seek a judgement or other court order regarding this.

If you are able and willing to work full-time, you may want to delay starting Social Security retirement benefits as long as possible.

See these posts :

http://socialsecurityhop.com/forums/wages-and-social-security/will-i-be-...

http://socialsecurityhop.com/forums/retirement-benefits-social-security/...