I am 58 my husband was 73, he just died, we have no children, will I be able to get survivor benefits now or will I have to wait till I am 62? We were married 25 years.

Hi,

I'm very sorry for your loss.

You can qualify for reduced Social Security widow's benefits as early as age 60, or now if you are disabled based on Social Security's standards.

There is also a small lump sum death benefit of $255 that you should be eligible for right away. You will need to contact Social Security to apply for that payment. You can make an appointment by calling 1-800-772-1213.

Before deciding on when to apply for widow's benefits, you may wish to run the maximization software available on this website, particularly if you are insured for Social Security benefits on your own record.

Best, Jerry