Hi,

My previous wife, Betsy, died in 2006 (remarried in 2021). I’m 65, can I collect on Betsy’s benefits? I called SSA 2or 3 years ago & they said if did I’d be giving up my benefits. I called last month & they said I couldn’t because I wasn’t born prior to 1952. I’ve been reading the book but couldn’t find a clear answer to this.

Thanks
Lee

Hi Lee. I'm sorry for your loss. The answer to your question is yes, at least potentially. Marriages that occur after a person reaches age 60 do not bar the person from collecting widow(er) benefits on the record of a former deceased spouse (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.04/handbook-0406.html).

However, if you're already collecting your own benefits then you could only qualify for additional widower benefits if your widower benefit rate would be higher than your own rate. Also, since you're not yet full retirement age (FRA), your widower benefits could be fully or partially withheld if you work and earn too much (https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/whileworking.html).

The best filing strategy for you and your wife depends on number of different factors, so you should strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully compare and analyze all of your various options so that you can determine the best overall strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry