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Will my disabled adult daughter and I get increased Social Security benefits when my terminally ill husband passes?
My husband (65) is receiving SS retirement benefits and is currently in hospice care with terminal cancer. Both myself (61) and our disabled daughter (29, disability onset before age 22) receive auxiliary benefits on his record - we each get 50% of his benefit amount. I'm trying to prepare financially for when he passes. Will my benefit automatically convert to survivor benefits at 100% of what he receives? And will our daughter's benefit increase to 75% of his? I've heard different things from friends and family and want to make sure I understand correctly before I have to deal with this while grieving. Does anyone know if these changes happen automatically or will we need to contact SSA? Thank you.
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Can my ex-spouse get benefits from my higher Social Security now that he's disabled at 70?
My ex-husband (70) and I were married for 12 years before divorcing, but we still care about each other. He's recently developed serious health problems that likely mean he can't return to work. He's already collecting Social Security (about $19,000/year) but was working full-time to supplement until his health deteriorated. My retirement benefit is significantly higher at roughly $35,000 annually. I know that if I die first, he could claim survivor benefits on my record since we were married over 10 years and he never remarried. But I'm wondering - since he's disabled and his benefit amount is so much lower than mine, is there any way he could qualify for benefits based on my record while we're both still alive? Does Social Security have provisions for ex-spouses in situations like this? Thanks for any guidance!
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u should tell him to go to ssa.gov n make an account if he doesnt have 1 already. thats the fastest way to see what options r available. the website shows u everything ur eligible for
While creating a my Social Security account at ssa.gov is definitely good advice, the website doesn't actually show all benefits you might be eligible for, particularly in complex situations involving ex-spouse benefits with PIAs and delayed retirement credits. For these specialized situations, speaking directly with an SSA representative is still the most reliable approach to explore all options.
One thing nobody's mentioned - since your ex-husband is 70 and has health problems, he might also qualify for SSI (Supplemental Security Income) depending on his total assets and income. It's meant for people with limited resources. The benefit amount isn't huge but every bit helps when someone's struggling financially with health issues.
This suggestion about SSI is technically possible but unlikely to apply in this situation. With a $19,000 annual Social Security benefit, the ex-husband would exceed the income limits for SSI eligibility (which is well below $19,000 annually for an individual). SSI is primarily for those with very limited income and resources, including those with little or no Social Security benefits based on their work record.
Social Security earnings limit question - how does SS calculate the $1 for $3 deduction at age 62?
I'm turning 62 in July 2025 and planning to claim my SS retirement benefits then. I've got some chronic back issues that make my current full-time job unbearable, but I can still handle part-time work (maybe 15-20 hours weekly). I understand there's this earnings limit where they reduce benefits if you earn over a certain amount before full retirement age. My confusion is about the $1 reduction for every $3 earned - is this calculated from January 2025, or only from when I start receiving benefits in July? And does SS look at my gross income or after-tax earnings when figuring this out? I've spent hours on the SSA website and can't find a clear answer about WHEN the counting starts. If nobody here knows, I'll try calling SSA directly (though that's always a nightmare). Thanks for any help!
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My uncle said nobody actually reports their part-time income and SSA doesn't really check anyway lol
This is extremely bad advice. SSA has direct access to IRS earnings records and automatically checks them against what you reported. They WILL find out and you WILL get an overpayment notice, potentially years later with interest.
So after reading everyone's comments, it sounds like I should: 1) Understand it's actually $1 reduction for every $2 I earn above the limit (not $3 like I thought); 2) For 2025, they'll only count my earnings after I start benefits in July; 3) I need to report my expected earnings when I apply; 4) It's based on gross wages. Am I missing anything else important?
That's correct! And remember the earnings limit for 2025 will be announced late 2024 (it's adjusted for inflation each year). The 2024 limit is $22,320 for those under FRA. Since you're only counting July-December in 2025, you'd use a monthly limit of $1,860 (the annual limit divided by 12).
Thank you! That monthly breakdown is really helpful. I'll probably earn around $1,400/month at my part-time job, so it sounds like I'll be under the monthly limit anyway.
Can my widowed sister claim SS survivor benefits at 60 while waiting on her disability claim?
My sister just became a widow last month and I'm desperate to help her figure out her Social Security options. She's 59 years old (turning 60 in about 8 months) and was married to her husband for 32 years before he passed away. He was receiving SSDI benefits of about $1,570/month since a workplace accident in his early 30s. My sister hasn't worked in almost 3 years due to her own health issues and actually filed for disability herself about 6 months ago, but it's still pending. She has basically no income right now and is staying with me temporarily. When she called Social Security after the funeral, the agent told her to focus on getting her disability approved because "it would pay more" than survivor benefits, but didn't give specific numbers. Now she can't even see any estimates when she logs into her MySocialSecurity account. I have so many questions: 1. Can she take survivor benefits at 60 at the reduced rate? 2. If she does take early survivor benefits, could she later switch to her own retirement benefit at her full retirement age without penalties? 3. What happens if her disability claim gets approved while she's receiving survivor benefits? 4. Is there any way to find out exactly what amounts she'd receive under different scenarios? I'm just trying to help her make the best decision for both immediate needs and long-term security. Any advice would be incredibly appreciated.
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just wondering, has ur sister checked if shes eligible for any of her late husbands Medicare?? my aunt got Medicare at 62 thru her deceased husbands benefits even tho normal Medicare age is 65. might help with her health issues
This is partially correct but needs clarification. Widow(er)s can qualify for Medicare before 65 ONLY if they also qualify for Social Security disability benefits themselves. It's not automatically available to all widows at 62. However, if the sister's disability claim is approved, she would get Medicare after 24 months of receiving SSDI regardless of her age.
WARNING ABOUT SURVIVORS BENEFITS! If your sister gets a job while collecting early survivors benefits (before her FRA), she'll be subject to the earnings limit ($22,320 in 2025) and could lose some benefits if she earns over that amount. This trips up so many people! Also, make sure she applies for the one-time $255 death benefit if she hasn't already. It's not much but every bit helps in this situation.
Thanks for mentioning the death benefit - we did apply for that right after the funeral. And good point about the earnings limit. She's not planning to work due to her health issues, but it's definitely something to keep in mind if her situation changes.
Can I claim Social Security survivor benefits from first husband who died if my third husband was a state employee?
I'm turning 60 this weekend and trying to figure out my Social Security options with a complicated marital history. I've been married three times - my first marriage lasted 14 years before divorce, my second ended in divorce too, and my third husband (who was the love of my life) passed away 18 years ago. Recently found out my first ex-husband died about two years ago. My third husband worked for the state government his entire career and never paid into Social Security. I'm wondering if I qualify for survivor benefits from my first husband since we were married for 14 years? Does the fact that my third husband didn't pay into SS affect my eligibility for benefits from my first marriage? I'm planning to contact Social Security soon but wanted to see if anyone has experience with multiple marriages and survivor benefits. Thanks for any help!
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My uncle was a state worker and my aunt couldn't get his SS either, something about the windfall provision I think? But she got his pension so it worked out ok. Good luck!
Just to avoid confusion: State workers who don't pay into Social Security don't earn Social Security benefits, so there are no SS benefits to claim from them. That's different from the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), which reduces your own SS benefits if you also receive a pension from non-covered work. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduces spousal/survivor benefits if you receive a pension from non-covered work. But in the original poster's case, if she's not receiving a pension from her third husband's state work, these provisions likely don't apply to her.
After reading through all the comments, I think your situation is actually more straightforward than it might seem. Since you were married to your first husband for more than 10 years before divorcing, and you'll be 60 when applying, you should be eligible for survivor benefits on his record now that he's deceased. The fact that you later married other people doesn't affect this eligibility since you're over 60 now. When you contact SSA, ask specifically about 'surviving divorced spouse benefits.' Also, make sure to compare this amount with what you might get on your own record when you reach 62, as you can switch to whichever is higher later.
Thank you so much for this clear explanation. I'll specifically ask about 'surviving divorced spouse benefits' when I contact them. It's a relief to know that my later marriages don't complicate my eligibility since I'm turning 60. I truly appreciate everyone's help!
Zoe Wang
You're right - widow(er) benefits are reduced if claimed before Full Retirement Age. At age 61, the reduction is approximately 28.5% from the full 100% survivor benefit. The exact reduction percentage depends on birth year and exact age when claiming.
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Aidan Hudson
I want to thank everyone for all this helpful information. I'm going to call SSA tomorrow to schedule an appointment to discuss advance planning. It's a relief to understand what to expect, even though it's hard to think about. I'll make sure to keep all the necessary documentation organized and ready. I appreciate the tip about Claimyr too - sounds like it might save a lot of frustration when the time comes to make these changes.
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