Social Security

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dcj55373

New Member
Location
Minnesota
I'm new here and hi! I have a question...I live in MN. My husband is retired and is age 66.... my question is, I heard that as a spouse I would only get 34% of my retirement on Social Security. If that's so, would I ever get full retirement if something happens to my spouse? He has Cancer. How does this work? Thanks, Denise
 

A quick word before Monday, but yes, best thing is to talk the SS folks themselves. Each working person's S/S taxes collected over their lifetime are used to determine the payback. Married, single, one's personal status does not affect their benefit.

In the event that a married couple are both obtaining benefits of their own, the death of a husband relegates 50% of his benefit monthly to his wife, in addition to her already existing benefit. Don't ask if it works the same if the wife dies.

I think this is so, because when my Dad died, my Mom began getting 50% of his benefit, hers remaining the same. I could be wrong. imp
 

dcj55373 said:
I'm new here and hi! I have a question...I live in MN. My husband is retired and is age 66.... my question is, I heard that as a spouse I would only get 34% of my retirement on Social Security. If that's so, would I ever get full retirement if something happens to my spouse? He has Cancer. How does this work? Thanks, Denise
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It's my understanding that you would receive the larger of either his pension or yours upon his death. Check with SS to make sure of course.
 
According to my friend whose hubby died a year ago, you receive as Lon said, but you won't receive any of yours than, just his. It's your choice which one you want. With me, I'd chose my husband's as he worked more than I did, by a long shot. (For pay anyway)
 
imp said:
A quick word before Monday, but yes, best thing is to talk the SS folks themselves. Each working person's S/S taxes collected over their lifetime are used to determine the payback. Married, single, one's personal status does not affect their benefit.

In the event that a married couple are both obtaining benefits of their own, the death of a husband relegates 50% of his benefit monthly to his wife, in addition to her already existing benefit. Don't ask if it works the same if the wife dies.

I think this is so, because when my Dad died, my Mom began getting 50% of his benefit, hers remaining the same. I could be wrong. imp
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NO! you get whichever check is more. My husband just died last year, I wish that were so. I would be doing much better. You do get either $225. or 250 death benefit. also, for those that it might apply, if you were married at least 10 years , divorced never remarried (doesn't matter if he remarried) you can get his if it's more than yours. I should have said his or hers. Of course it applies to either.
 
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I don't know if I trust folks at the Social Security office to answer correctly. They are just employees trained to take in information but not extensively trained in the regulations. They can give incorrect information - I have know a few couples who were told wrong information that adversely affected them for the rest of their lives. It worries me to rely on a person in the SS office.

I once went to the IRS office to ask a question about taxes and filled out the form per the IRS staff's recommendations. It was wrong and I was fined!!
 
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