Hello Larry,
My wife of 25 years passed away 2/15/2016 at the age of 59. She had not worked for 7 years before she passed.
She had worked for 26 years straight at California Casualty Insurance and paid Social Security there.
I am currently 62 years old and do not plan to retire until I am at least 66.
Can I collect any benefits from her account now she has passed?
Please let me know.
Thank you.
Best regards,
Brad

Hi Brad,

I an my husband receive SSI, he is 82 y/o and I am 79 y/o. When one of us dies, what part of the spouses SSI does the survivor get, I can't seem to get an answer anywhere.
Thank you in advance.

Hi,

First of all, I'm assuming that by SSI, you mean Social Security benefits and not Supplemental Security Income. Supplemental Security Income (https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/) is a needs based benefit with no survivor entitlement.

Hello Larry. I am 60 years old and a widow and disable, Can I apply for my husbands benefits now. We were married for 9.5 years.

Hi,

My husband died in 2002 leaving one child under 19 years of age. He received SS benefits until he completed high school. I did not receive widows benefits. I retired last August at 62 and moved from CA to MI. I began receiving my own SS in Sept. My understanding is that when I am 66 I can take my full survivor's benefits and that waiting until 70 or ? would not increase my benefits. Is this correct?

Hi,

I am 57, working full time. I will collect widow benefits at 60. Will this benefit be taxable or reduced because I will still be working full time?

Hi,

If you apply for benefits prior to full retirement age, Social Security will withhold $1 of benefits for each $2 that you earn in excess of an exempt amount, which in 2016 is set at $15720. The exempt amount is higher in the year you reach full retirement age, and the withholding rate drops to $1 for each $3 of excess earnings.

I have read your book , Get what's yours, and it seems to conflict with the answer I get from Social security. I further took a class in social security and they said my case was complicated and they didn't know much about disability issues. The teacher then asked some colleagues who gave him " I think this is right" kind of answers, so I decided I needed to contact you.

I was married on June 21, 1986. I was married 16 years. Divorced on March 8, 2002 I have not re-married.

Dear Larry,

My father passed away last month he was 75 years old . My dad was a resident in United States he work all his life .my mom is a us citiZen and she is 73 years old and taking social security . My dad never claimed his social security . He went to Pakistan and got sick he never made it back to United States can my mom claim the social security benefits of my dad or is there any other way we can claim his benefits that will be very helpful for us .

Thank you, Noman

Dear Noman,

I turn 64 in December. Can I file for spousal benefits from my deceased ex wife of 18 years? She died 20 years ago so her earnings were minimal. Is what her age would have been a factor? She would have been 61 this September. I am contemplating retirement soon and am trying to not claim on my own until my full retirement age of 66 so any additional income would help

I am 64 and began takin a early retirement benefit from SS of $611. Per month just to cover a car payment. My husband planed on taking his retirement at 66 and I would then take a spousal benefit that would be substantially larger than what I had earned in my own. My husband has passed away unexpectedly at age 65; he had not taken any benefits yet.

Hi, I was born 10/1948 and my wife was born 12/1958. I plan to take my benefits at age 70 at their maximum. If I die before my wife's FRA, will her survivor benefits, taken at her FRA, be reduced if she has taken benefits on her own work record at age 62? Thanks, Andy

Andy, your wife's widow's benefit will not be reduced if she files for her retirement benefit before her full retirement age (FRA). Her widow's benefit will only be reduced if she files for it before her FRA. Thanks, John