Dear Rusty: Why can a non-working spouse claim half of their working spouse’s benefit even though they have not contributed to the Social Security system? This doesn’t seem right or fair to those of us who have contributed for years from our paychecks. Signed: Inquisitive Dear Inquisitive: This is a question which needs a bit of historical background to properly explain: Social Security’s original purpose when it was enacted in 1935 was to prevent America’s seniors from living in poverty (remember, Social Security was enacted during the “Great Depression”). Even before the first Social Security check was sent to a retired worker in 1940, Congress had already changed the original Social Security law to, as well, provide antipoverty benefits to nonworking spouses of a worker (a predominant family reality at that time) and surviving spouses, as well as to their minor children. Social Security’s fundamental goal has always been to lift eligible Americans out of poverty, which it still does very effectively.

Grief no longer engulfs me as it once did. It’s become less and less with time, as people warned me - promised me - it would.