I'm 62 and began receiving early retirement benefits last year. My fiance is 68 and receives his full retirement benefit. Once we are married, will I qualify for his full retirement benefits when he dies (assuming he passes after I reach full retirement age)?

Hi,

Yes, although you do need to have been married for at least 9 months in order to qualify for widow's benefits in most cases. You wouldn't get both your own and your husband's benefit rates, though, just the higher of the two.

My husband passed away suddenly approx 5 yrs ago. I now have an inherited IRA-invested. He was only 52. We were married 31 years. I am now 55. I have questions. What happens to my survivor/widower benefits if I remarry before age 60? I believe I loose them but not sure. What happens if I get married then divorced? Do I regain my first husband's back? What happens if I stay married, but my second husband dies?

Hi my husband passed away in 2007.i collect his pension..i am t8 now and plan on collecting his social security ay the age 60..i plan on retiring in 2 or3 years..i have been working at my job dor 18 yrs now. His social security $ will be more then mine.he worked for liberty lines then the twu took over.he worked all his life.will i get his partial amount..i was going to call and find out.

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

I started collecting ss at 70 1/2. My wife is 9 years younger and just turned 62. If she starts collecting now based on my earnings since it is higher than if based on her earnings and I passed away before she reaches fra is she required to take the survivor benefit at that time or can she wait until her fra.
Thanks
Mel

Hi Mel,

Larry,

My mother is entitled to 6 months of retroactive payment from Social Security due to the RIB-LIM rule. My father had taken Social Security 3 years early, so my mother should have taken her payment immediately after he died in December 2016. However, she thought she had to wait until her FRA, and I didn't know about RIB-LIM until I came across your website.

I’m inquiring about Survivors or Widows Benefits. My husband died suddenly in October of 2016 at age 58. We were married for 35 Years with no children. I have no previous marriages & have not remarried. He worked full time since the age of 18 & the last 10+ Years was a 6 figure income. He did not apply for any benefits prior to his death. I also have worked mostly full time since age 18 at a much lower income. I have recently learned that I am entitled to file for Survivors Benefit. I am 57 & will be 58 in June of this year.

Dear Larry,
Will I receive both my own and my husband's full social security benefits if he dies before I do. Assuming we are both eligible for full benefits. Thank you.

Hi,

my husband was a Federal Employee, he died 15 years ago since then i have been receiving a widows benefit am i entitled to his social security when i turn 60.

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

The answer is likely yes, assuming that your husband was insured for Social Security. Receipt of a federal civil service survivor annuity would have no adverse affect on your potential Social Security benefits. However, if you start drawing widow's benefits at age 60 as opposed to full retirement age (FRA), your benefit rate will be reduced by 28.5%.

Hi Larry, Here is a really complicated question that I hope you can help me make sense of related to widow's benefits. I could swear that at one time I heard that as a widow I could take my own full social security benefit 2 years early (so at age 64 instead of waiting until 66) without penalty for continuing to work. I would like to do that and switch to my late husband's social security benefit when it maxes out (would that be when he would have been 70 or when I would be 70)? I hope this makes sense.

Mr. Kotlikoff and Assistants:

Thank you for the opportunity to ask a question. I am 57.5 years old in a job over 32 years with an ok pension. I lost my husband of 35 years at age 60 in 2015. I am still reeling and confused on widows benefits. The SSA told me when I am 60 I can claim a 1407 benefit with earned income limitations.