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Widow(er) Benefits

April 7, 2023

What's The Best Way To Calculate Potential Reduced Widow's Benefit Rates?

March 9, 2023

Shouldn't I Receive My Deceased Wife's Higher Benefit Amount As The Surviving Spouse?

January 12, 2023

What Would My Widow Receive If My Reduced Benefit Rate Increased From 75% To 85% Of My PIA Due To COLAs?

September 26, 2022

Can I Collect On My Deceased Wife's Record Even Though I've Remarried?

August 7, 2022

If My Wife Dies Am I Able To Collect Her Benefits?

August 2, 2022

Would The Early Filing Penalty Follow Me If I Take My Benefits Early And Later Qualify For Survivor Benefits?

July 28, 2022

If I Marry When I Turn Age 60 Can I Collect My Widow's Benefits?

March 20, 2022

Can I Collect On My Deceased Husband's Account If We Were Only Married For A Few Months?

March 17, 2022

Should I Apply For Widower Benefits Now Or At Age 62?

March 9, 2022

Will My Survivor Payments Be Retroactive To When I Turn 60?

February 24, 2022

Is It Possible That I'll Get My Wife's Benefits?

December 18, 2021

If I Die Before My Spouse Will He Receive My Unreduced SS Or My Reduced SS?

November 29, 2021

Am I Entitled To Surviving Spousal Benefits?

November 15, 2021

Will I Be Able To Collect Benefits From My Deceased Husband's SS?

October 20, 2021

Can I Collect My Deceased Wife's SS Before I Get Mine?

October 9, 2021

Will Drawing Her Own Benefit Early Reduce My Wife's Survivor Rate?

August 23, 2021

Can I Receive A Portion Of My Deceased Wife's SS?

August 11, 2021

Can Widow Survivor Benefits Be Retroactive?

July 31, 2021

Can I File For Survivor Benefits Now?

July 26, 2021

Can I Draw My Deceased Wife's Social Security?

July 19, 2021

What Benefits Am I Entitled To?

June 28, 2021

Can I Collect Survivor Benefits At Age 60 And Continue To Work Full Time?

June 2, 2021

If You Die Before Claiming Retirement Benefits, How Would Your Surviving Spouse's Benefit Rate Be Calculated?

May 29, 2021

Would My Survivor Benefit Be Increased By The COLA Amounts That Occur Between My Wife's Death And My First Payment?

March 3, 2021

Is There Any Way I Could Qualify For Benefits On My Deceased Wife's Record?

February 26, 2021

Am I Eligible For My Deceased Wife's Social Security?

October 20, 2020

Can My Wife Take Her Social Security Benefits At Age 62 Without Reducing Her Future Survivor Rate?

October 19, 2020

Would The Widow I'm Dating Lose Either Of The Pensions She Receives If We Get Married?

August 6, 2020

How Do I Get Widower Benefits?

August 3, 2020

Is My Sister's Husband Eligible To Draw Off Of Her SSI?

July 13, 2020

How Much Would My Husband Or I Be Paid If One Of Us Dies?

June 29, 2020

Do I Qualify For Survivor Benefits When I Turn Age 60?

June 27, 2020

Can You Tell Me More About Widow(er) Benefits?

June 24, 2020

Do I Have To Wait Until I'm Age 60 To Collect Survivor Benefits?

June 23, 2020

Can I Collect Any Of My Deceased Wife's Benefits If I'm Still Working?

June 18, 2020

Can I Collect Any Of The Funds From My Wife's Earnings?

April 21, 2020

Can I File On My Wife's SS Without It Affecting My Benefits?

April 14, 2020

What Percentage Of My Current Benefits Will My Wife Receive If I Predecease Her?

April 2, 2020

How Much Am I Supposed To Receive?

March 4, 2020

Is Social Security Correct In Saying That I Don't Qualify For Widower Benefits?

February 11, 2020

Would My Husband Be Able To Receive My Higher SS Payment If I Die Before Him?

February 2, 2020

If My Wife Dies Before I Do, Can I Collect Her Full Benefit Amount?

January 31, 2020

Is My Friend's Friend Eligible For Widower Benefits?

January 25, 2020

Would My Relative Receive A Lower Widow's Rate Because She Started Drawing Her Benefits At Age 62?

January 13, 2020

Is It True That I'll Be Able To Draw More Of My Husband's Social Security When I Reach Age 62?

January 2, 2020

What Would My Wife's Survivor Rate Be If I Died Tomorrow?

November 14, 2019

If My Wife Dies Before Starting Her Benefits At Age 70 Can I Delay Taking Widower Benefits Until She Would Have Been Age 70?

November 5, 2019

Can I Draw On My Deceased Wife's Social Security?

October 6, 2019

What Would I Be Entitled To If I Get Married And My Wife Dies Before Me?

November 4, 2018

Can I Still Receive Benefits On My Deceased Wife's Record If Her Children Drew Benefits?

October 7, 2018

What Amount Will My Wife Get As A Widow?

September 25, 2018

If Something Happens To My Spouse Or Me Can The Other Of Us Draw Part Of Their Social Security?

September 22, 2018

Was The SS Representative I Spoke With Correct?

September 13, 2018

What Would I Need To Have To Prove That My Parents Were Together For A Long Time?

September 10, 2018

Should I Apply For My Survivor Benefits Now?

September 19, 2019

If I File For Survivor Benefits Now At Age 64 Will The Reduction In My Benefit Rate Continue After I Reach Age 66?

September 11, 2019

Can I Collect Off Of My Wife's Record Now That I'm 62?

August 27, 2019

What Will Happen If My Wife Dies Before Me?

July 5, 2018

Do I Have It Right?

July 5, 2018

Where Did The 82.5% Rate For Widow(er) Benefits Come From?

July 3, 2018

Do I Get Any Survivor Benefits While I Continue To Work Until I'm 66?

June 13, 2018

Are There Any Loopholes That Would Help My Friend?

May 15, 2018

Would I Lose My Widow's Benefits If I Remarry?

April 19, 2018

Why Can't I Receive Surviving Spouse Benefits?

February 19, 2018

If My Husband Files For His Benefits At Age 62 And I Die, What Would He Receive?

February 5, 2018

What Month Should I Choose To Start Benefits?

January 26, 2018

How Will My Widow's Benefits Be Affected If I Remarry?

January 21, 2018

Should I Apply For Widower's Benefits?

December 17, 2017

Can A Surviving Husband File For His Wife's Monthly Allotment If It's Higher Than His Own Rate?

November 16, 2017

How Much Will My Husband Receive If I Die Before Him?

October 24, 2017

Is What I Was Told True?

October 11, 2017

Can I Receive Widower's Benefits Before I Reach Full Retirement Age?

October 4, 2017

Can My Spouse Be Entitled To Any Part Of My Social Security Even If I Didn't File For Benefits?

September 25, 2017

Will My Father-In-Law Be Eligible For Additional Benefits?

September 5, 2017

Can My Friend Still Collect Benefits On His Deceased Wife's Record?

June 18, 2017

Can My Husband Receive What I'm Receiving If I Die First?

June 6, 2017

How Much Can I Earn And Still Receive Widower's Benefits?

June 1, 2017

Am I Eligible To Receive Benefits From My Deceased Wife's Record?

May 15, 2017

Am I Eligible For Any Benefits From My First Wife's Record?

November 5, 2016

Can My Relative Get Widow's Benefits If She Divorces?

October 24, 2016

Is My Mom's Widow's Benefit Rate Correct?

October 23, 2016

Were My Own Benefits Suspended When I Started Drawing Widow's Benefits?

October 22, 2016

Why Aren't My Widow's Benefits Higher?

October 18, 2016

Will I Receive Cost Of Living Increases On My Widow's Benefits?

September 29, 2016

Why Am I Getting Both Retirement And Widow's Benefits?

September 17, 2016

When Should I Take My Widow(er) Benefit?

September 6, 2016

What Happens If I Die Soon, And Do We Have Any Options?

September 6, 2016

What Is the Max My Wife Can Collect If I Die?

September 4, 2016

Can I Collect A Widows Benefit From Both Social Security and the Israeli Pension System?

September 4, 2016

Can I Collect A Widows Benefit If My Husband Died Before We Were Married For Nine Months

August 27, 2016

When Will I Receive My Higher Widow's Benefits?

August 26, 2016

Who Is Eligible For Widow(er) Benefits?

August 23, 2016

How Are Reduced Widow(er) Benefits Calculated?

August 16, 2016

Can My Wife Continue To Receive Reduced Spousal Benefits If I Die?

August 9, 2016

Can I Draw Widow's Benefits Even Though I'm Remarried?

August 7, 2016

What Happens To My Surviving Spouse If I Die?

August 1, 2016

How Are Widow(er)'s Benefits Calculated If A Person Dies Before Age 70?

July 30, 2016

Can I Receive Widower's Benefits While I'm Working?

July 28, 2016

How Much Does A Widow(er) Receive?

July 26, 2016

Can I File For Widow's Benefits Now?

About the Author

Laurence J. Kotlikoff 

Laurence J. Kotlikoff is a William Fairfield Warren Professor and Professor of Economics at Boston University, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Econometric Society, and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Professor Kotlikoff received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973 and his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1977. Kotlikoff is the Director of the Fiscal Analysis Center.
A New York Times Bestselling author, he has written nineteen books and hundreds of professional articles and op-eds. He is a frequent television and radio guest. His columns have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, London Financial Times, the Boston Globe, Bloomberg, Forbes, Yahoo.com, Fortune, and other major publications. In 2014, The Economist named him one of the world's 25 most influential economists