i feel it is terribly unfair - That when my husband died of a sudden massive MI at age 64 - I was 62. He did not smoke or drink - He was such a good man - Lots of stress- however.
We both have worked all these years and had such plans - I am still getting calls from places where he wanted us to retire at and travel.

I still have the same bills and all I got from his social security is 250.00???

That is not right -My bills are still the same- just less food. However, I am still helping our three grown children with their grief and putting one through college - totally as well as helping our son who just got back from Afghanistan. I now have to be Mother/ Father - Grandmother and Grandfather as well as help his mother - and our two grandchildren - and I am sure there will be more.

I of course would much rather have my husband!!! - but I really think this is totally unfair that I will not get any social security benefits from him when I turn 66. Thank goodness I have teacher retirement from the university to go with my social security -

I just think it is not fair - We had so many plans to travel I do not plan to remarry - but now my life-style will not be the same if he had lived - Why am I penalized - I have worked all these years and taken care of three children- worked and I get none of his social security If he had died after we both retired- I bet I would have gotten some of his benefits - My mother-in law who was divorced from her husband get some benefits from her husband - even after his death and remarriage - I am just confused.

Do you have any suggestions. Thank you - i JUST think it is unfair. Sad lady

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

I probably can't tell you much that you don't already know. Assuming that you are already receiving your own Social Security retirement benefits, if your husband wasn't yet receiving his benefits your unreduced widow's rate (if any) would be calculated by subtracting your benefit amount from his full retirement age rate (PIA). Or if he was receiving benefits, then your own rate would be subtracted from the higher of your husband's benefit rate or 82.5% of his PIA.

Furthermore, if you're receiving a teacher's pension based on your earnings that were exempt from Social Security taxes then any widow's benefits that you would otherwise qualify for could be offset due to the government pension offset (GPO) provision (https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf).

If you aren't already drawing your own benefits or if you are still within the 1-year timeframe in which you could withdraw your application for retirement benefits (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/withdrawal.html), then you may have a number of options available to you. In that case you should strongly consider using our maximization software in order to determine your best course of action.

Best, Jerry