Social Security Survivor Benefits

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I don't know why this is not typically discussed in any of the articles you see on Yahoo etc. There sure is enough said about Spousal Benefits, but I didn't hear about Survivor benefits until my former broker retired and a new one took her place in January. I'm not sure whether I dismissed it because I was under the impression that we had to be married for 10 years, but that requirement does not apply if you are not divorced and never remarried. Also, my husband passed away in 1970 so if I had heard about this back then I surely didn't remember. But the SS Rep today confirmed that you only have to be married 9 months and have not remarried (at least until after age 60). I finally pulled together the documents I need and started the ball rolling today over the phone. I have an appointment in 2 weeks and am really quite anxious to see exactly what the benefit will be.

Actually I could have started collecting these benefits when I was 60, but I am now 68 and missed out on a lot. At least I was told that I would be able to get 6 months retroactive to the month I apply. But whatever I get found money is still found money.

I am still working and have decided to work till the end of the year. This year I will have to pay taxes on 85% of it but the following year I won't. This benefit plus my 401K will cover me from 69 to age 70 when I file against my own record.
 

I am widowed too. I am under the assumption that the widow/widower receives a higher percent, the longer she/he waits until age 65. To my understanding, I can only collect 70% of my husband's SS, at the age 60. But if I wait until age 65, then I can collect 100% of my husband's SS. According to what I read on web, advisers recommend collecting at age 60, and keep working until age 70, then switch to my own SS at that time.
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/survivors/onyourown5.html

A widow can still work, however earn only $15,720/yr. Any OVER that, the SS will lessen the widow benefit amt.
http://www.socialsecurity.gov/planners/retire/whileworking.html
 
it goes by your full retirement age which may or may not be 65.

at age 60 you get what his full benefit would have been x.71 . at 62 it would be x.81 . at full retirement age you would get what he got .
 

My wife and I both started receiving SSDI when she died within that year (last year). I have no idea what percentage I receive. She was 57 when she died and I was 65, well actually our birthdays hadn't arrived so we were actually 56 and 64. It is so complicated. I just received a letter from the SSA stating that they made a mistake in figuring my SS so I have no idea what percentage of hers I get. She made a lot more money than I did also.
 
TimMcCoy said:
Yes, it but it converts to regular SS retirement when you become retirement age. They have treated it the same as SS. Thanks, Tim
Click to expand...

yes and no .
typically you would get what she would have gotten less a penalty if you take survivor benefits before your own fra. since I take it your full fra is 66 you would be taking ss younger then fra. there is a calculator on the ss site where you can compute the penalty for you taking her benefit early . since she was not ss age it never converts to regular ss . what you get is her survivor benefit and survivor benefits are a separate system from regular ss with their own rules ..
 

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