[jwalsh07]

Actually SS will pay two benefits if both spouses have enough credits from their own work history. It will also pay benefits to disabled children independent of parents work history.

[justlurking]

Actually SS will pay two benefits if both spouses have enough credits from their own work history.

That hasn't changed. What was changed: a once obscure strategy that became popular for married couples:

1. Spouse A files for benefits, starts receiving them.
2. Spouse B files for benefits, then suspends them until later.
3. Spouse B receives spousal benefits, based on Spouse A's benefit.
4. Spouse B eventually resumes their own benefits, at a higher monthly payment (since they waited longer to start).

I may have not have the exact details, but that's the gist of it. There were websites that would take all the information for both spouse's, and run through a simulation of all the possible scenarios and give you the one that yielded the largest total benefit.