Larry,

Thanks for the great service you are providing in maintaining this website.
I am 70 and took reduced benefits of approximately $1750/mo. at age 64. My wife of 7 years just turned 60 but has never worked or paid money into Social Security. Can she begin to draw Soc Sec benefits at age 62 based upon my earnings? Would her benefit be 50% of my $1750 less some additional reduction for taking the benefits before her full retirement age?
I want to know what happens on my death. How is her survivors benefit calculated? What is the maximum she can receive?

Hi Larry,

My son and I currently receive Survivor/child benefits from SS. lately, I have known that we also qualify for widow/child pensions in Israel too, since my late husband had full-time jobs at both CA and Israel.
Before I can file for the pension in Israel, I need to know if receiving that pension would reduce our SS Survivor/child benefits and how would I file it in my Taxes?? My son and I are both US citizens and live in CA.
Thank you so much.
Tara Damos

Dear Tara,

Hello Larry,

I filed for widow benefits this year at 60 years of age and was denied because I wasn’t married to my husband for at least nine months before he died. This is true. Is there any exception, recourse or loop hole to this decision?

My husband to be and I planned to marry in June, 2004, he was diagnosed with cancer, we moved the date up and married on June 11, 2003, he died February 5th, 2004. These are the basic facts.

Dear Anita,

My husband who received a higher SS payment than me passed away the middle of June. I have filed the appropriate paperwork at my local SS office but am wondering when I can expect to receive his higher amount and also if they will be retroactive dating back to June. If there is anything else I should be doing, please let me know. I received my August payment today and see it is still only my lower amount. Thank you for your help.

Hi,

Hello. I am 58 yrs. old. I am now currently married to my second husband. I was married first for 20 yrs. My ex just passed away about a month ago.He was 62. Together we had 3 grown up children. However he was also married a second time but had no children. Who qualifies for his benefits? Thank you in advance.

Hi,

Dear Larry,

I posted my question at your PBS link yesterday, but found this portal this morning, so I am resubmitting my question here. I hope my double posting doesn't cause you and your team of experts any duplication of time and effort.

I am 71, and started my retirement benefit at 70. My wife is 62 and just started receiving her spousal benefit. She does not qualify for benefits on her own record. If I pass away prior to my wife reaching her FRA, can she continue to collect her current spousal benefit until her FRA, and then switch to her 'maximized' survivor benefit?

Hi,

No, she can't. If you die before she reaches full retirement age, which is 66 in her case, her benefits will automatically convert to reduced widow's benefits effective with the month of your death.

I am 63 and want to make the best decision about social security. My first husband died 18 years ago. I remarried 5 years ago (my husband is 59). Is it possible to claim my first husbands social security. He would be 69 now.

Hi,

No, you can't receive widow's benefits unless you are unmarried, or if remarried, the remarriage took place after you reached age 60.

I am turning 66 in Feb, 2017 and have a terminal disease. Currently I am in remission and doing great but the odds are not in my favor as my disease is a particularly aggressive one. What happens to my spouse ( who is 8 years younger than me) if I die before I reach the age of 70? Our retirement plan had always assumed that we would wait until I was 70 before we started to receive social security benefits.

Hi,

I'm sorry to hear about your illness. I hope it stays in remission.

If a husband waits to claim SS until he is 70, so that his wife will get a larger SS benefit (I guess the survivor benefit), but he dies before he gets to 70, how is his wife's benefit calculated?

Hi,

Unreduced widow(er)'s benefits are paid at a rate of 100% of the deceased's full retirement age benefit (PIA), plus any delayed retirement credits the deceased earns, or would have earned.