My husband died at the age of 61. I am 54 years old. He worked full time and I work part-time. He paid most of the bills; rent, car pymt, etc.

I don't make enough money, can I file for social security widow benefit? I don't have any disabilities. Our two daughters are over 21 and attend college. One works part-time and the other is a full-time student.

Please help.

Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. I wish I had better news for you, but if you aren't disabled and if you don't have a child in your care who qualifies for child benefits and who's either under age 16 or disabled then the earliest that you could qualify for widow's benefits is at age 60. Unfortunately, it doesn't sound like your daughters could qualify for any survivor benefits either. Surviving child benefits can only be paid to children who are either under age 18, 18 to 19 and attending high school, or older children who became disabled prior to age 22.

There is a one-time death benefit of $255 that can be paid to surviving spouses, so if you haven't already applied for that benefit then you'll likely need to call Social Security. I know that's not much consolation, though.

As far as monthly benefit options go, normally the best option for someone who's potentially eligible for both their own benefits and for widow's benefits is to start out drawing the lower benefit first and then switch to the higher benefit when it reaches it's highest potential rate. So, based on your description it sounds like your best long-term strategy would probably be to file for reduced benefits on your own account at age 62 and then file for unreduced widow's benefits at your full retirement age (FRA) of 67. Of course, if your circumstances change between now and when you reach retirement age that could also change your optimal filing strategy. Our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) could help you sort out your options so that you can determine the best strategy for maximizing your future benefits.

Best, Jerry