Widow(er) Benefits

I am 68 and started my social security benefits at FRA when I turned 66. My wife will turn 66 in January and plans to work until age 67, but delay starting social security benefits until age 70. Her benefit will be considerably more than mine, so my understanding is that my benefit will bump up to one half of her FRA when she starts taking her benefits at age 70. My question concerns what happens if she passes away before starting her benefits at age 70?

I am 72 years old I have been drawing Social security since I was 60 to my wife passed away at 53 years old can I draw on her social security now or can I get part of her so security now

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

I am 62 and I get $635 mo. in early SS retirement. My 66 year old girlfriend with whom I live gets $838 mo. SS retirement plus $400 in surviving spousal benifits from her late husband.. If we get married what would be the best way for us to file and what would I be entitled to if she dies before me ?

Hi,

Getting married wouldn't change the current amount that either you or your girlfriend receive. Neither of you would qualify for spousal benefits, so you'd just continue receiving the benefits that you presently receive.

Hi,

I am currently 64 years old (born July 1955). My wife passed away in April 2018 at the age of 54. I am not currently working but I will have some earned income this year. I also plan to delay my benefits until I am 70.

I understand that if I start taking my wife's benefit today, I will get a percentage of her social security benefit, but if I wait until I am 66, I will get 100% of her benefit.

I'm currently 62, my wife died eight years ago and she was collecting SSDI. Is there anything I can collect off of her SSDI now that I'm 62. I continue to work full time and have no plans of retiring before my full SS benefits at 66 and 6 months but was curious if I was missing out on anything?

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

Hey Larry,
I am 69 now. Because I have a small pension, I have been collecting Social Security since age 62. My wife, now 67, retired and started collecting the "restricted benefit" at age 66. Assuming all goes as planned, she will increase her monthly payment by almost $500 when she finally starts collecting from her own account at age 70.

I am a 56 year old male, just trying to plan for my retirement. my wife of 8 years passed away in 2012. I have heard rumors that I can apply for her benefits at age 60. she had minor children that drew her ssn. they are now adults. can I still receive her benefits? thank you for your input.

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

Larry, my wife, born in 1951, is now age 67. A year ago or so, she started her social security benefit based on her own earnings record at her Full Retirement Age 66. I was born in 1949. A couple of years ago, I filed and suspended my benefit in March 2016 (prior to April 29, 2016) at my age 67 and have been letting my credits increase. I am now 69+ and planning on delaying a few more months until I am age 70 in 2019 to start my benefit. Assuming I die after having started to receive my age 70 benefit, what amount will my wife get as a widow benefit?

I am 72 and my husband is 78 we both draw social security now. Will it be affected? If something happens to one of us can the other one draw part of their social security? We make almost the same in Soc Sec so we would only get our own?

Hi,

Question regarding survivor's/widow's benefit. Page 62 of "Get What's Yours" states "If they died after FRA, your survivor's benefit is the actual benefit, inclusive of Delayed Retirement Credits..." My wife and I are the same age, 65 (born 1952) and she filed on her social security at 62. I just filed for spousal benefits on her record when I turn 66 in Dec 2018 and plan to hold off of filing on my record till 70.