If you are divorced and your ex-spouse dies, you might be able to get the same benefits as any current spouse. This is true if your marriage lasted at least 10 years or you are caring for a qualifying child. Once you and your spouse have started getting Social Security benefits, the ...
If there is no surviving spouse, children of the deceased may instead be eligible for the payment, so long as they qualify to receive benefits on their deceased parent’s record when they died. The Social Security Administration should be notified as soon as possible when a beneficiary dies to...
“How much the surviving spouse will receive at the passing of the first spouse will depend on when that [deceased] spouse started their Social Security.” “The largest benefit stays in the household when a spouse dies,” says Beau Henderson, lead retirement planning specialist with RichLife ...
Many divorced people don't realize they can getSocial Securitybenefits derived from their ex-spouse's work history, said William Meyer, founder of Social Security Solutions, a website that helps people determine when and how to claim Social Security. Those who are aware of the benefits often ...
When a spouse dies, the benefit amount received from Social Security by the survivor will depend on three things: 1) whether the deceased spouse had begun to collect benefits prior to his death; 2) the time at which the deceased spouse first began to collect his Social Security benefits; an...
“For all other cases, the surviving spouse will need to call Social Security and schedule an appointment to apply for survivors benefits,” Sherman said. “You cannot do this online.” If the widow or widower has reached their own full retirement age, they can get their deceased spouse’s...
Finally, and perhaps surprisingly, a delayed claim may also benefit your husband or wife. When one spouse dies, the surviving spouse is eligible for benefits based on the deceased spouse’s PIA. Consequently, if you delay your claim, thus raising your monthly benefits to your full PIA, your...
A spouse may be currently married—or formerly married—to an employed person, but under Social Security, as long as the former marriage was a long-term relationship, it still counts when it comes to claiming your Social Security benefits. Here's how the rules work if you are divorced. Bas...
Spouses who didn’t work or who didn’t earn enough credits to qualify for Social Security on their own can receive benefits starting at age 62 based on their spouse’s work record. Similar to claiming benefits on one's own record,a spouse's benefitwill be reduced if they claim benefits ...
Child Benefits:A child or adult child with a disability may be eligible for Social Security benefits if the parent receives retirement or disability benefits. The child must be under 18, a high school student up to 19, or an unmarried adult who became disabled before age 22.10Family income li...