Unmarried vs married - Social Security survivor benefits implications for older couple

Yes, you're understanding correctly. For survivor benefits, they would need to be married for at least 9 months before he passes away (unless death is accidental, then the duration requirement may be waived). As his widow, she could receive his full benefit amount which would be significantly better than her own benefit. Remember that she can't receive both benefits simultaneously - she would get the higher of the two. There are other considerations though - if she has a pension from non-covered employment (like government work where she didn't pay into Social Security), the Government Pension Offset might reduce survivor benefits. Also, marriage could affect other benefits like Medicaid if either of them might need it for long-term care.

my grandparents were in a similar situation!!! they got married when he was 77 and she was 68, mostly for this exact reason. she ended up getting his full benefit when he passed 4 years later and it was WAY more than what she wouldve gotten on her own. best decision they ever made according to her

Marriage won't affect his current benefit amount at all. It would only potentially give her access to: 1. Spousal benefits (up to 50% of his PIA while he's alive if that's more than her own benefit) 2. Survivor benefits (up to 100% of what he was receiving when he passes) One other thing to consider: if your aunt is still working and hasn't reached her Full Retirement Age yet, her benefits could be reduced by the earnings test if she claims any benefits before her FRA. This applies to spousal benefits too, not just her own retirement benefits. Another consideration is that if she's currently receiving any needs-based assistance like SSI, marriage could affect those benefits since his income would count toward household income.

Just want to add that she should be SUPER CAREFUL about this decision!!! My mom married her long-time boyfriend for exactly this reason and then they had to deal with medical debt issues after he got sick. The marriage meant she was responsible for his medical bills!!! Plus it affected her Medicaid eligibility later. Not saying don't do it, just saying there's MORE to consider than just the SS benefits!!!

I called Social Security about a similar situation for my parents last month. I was on hold for THREE HOURS before giving up. Then I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a real SSA agent in under 15 minutes. Just dial through their system and they get you past the hold times. Saved me so much frustration! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed what others are saying - the 9-month marriage rule is real for survivor benefits (except in accident cases), and she could get up to 100% of his benefit amount as a survivor. The agent also said marriage wouldn't affect his current payment at all.

Regarding your question about her claiming spousal benefits now vs. her own at FRA: If they get married, she could potentially file for spousal benefits, which would be up to 50% of his PIA (Primary Insurance Amount). However, since she's already in her mid-60s, she should compare what she'd get as a spouse (50% of his benefit) versus her own retirement benefit. If her own benefit at FRA would be around $1,800 as you mentioned, and his benefit is $3,500, then 50% of his would be about $1,750 (this is approximate since I don't know his exact PIA). In this scenario, her own benefit might actually be slightly higher than spousal benefits. However, the survivor benefit (which would be 100% of his benefit amount if she's at FRA when she claims it) would be significantly higher at $3,500. That's the major financial advantage of marriage in their situation.

Hate to bring this up but what if THEY DIVORCE? does she still get survivor benefits? i think there's some rule about being married for 10 years for divroce benefits, but not sure if that applies to survivor too???

my neighbor went thru this exact thing. they waited too long. he got sick suddenly and they rushed to get married but he passed away after only 7 months of marriage. SSA denied her survivor benefits because they missed the 9 month requirement by just a few weeks. don't wait if their gonna do it

One other tax consideration: Filing status for income taxes will change if they marry, which could result in either a marriage penalty or bonus depending on their income levels. If both have significant income besides Social Security, they might want to consult with a tax professional to see how marriage would affect their tax situation. Also, if estate planning is a concern, marriage provides certain legal advantages for inheritance purposes beyond just Social Security benefits. In many states, a spouse has automatic inheritance rights that a non-married partner doesn't have, even with a will in place. For the most personalized advice, they might want to consult with both a financial advisor who specializes in retirement planning and an elder law attorney who can advise on the broader implications for their specific situation.

As someone new to this community, I wanted to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful information! This thread has been incredibly educational. One thing I'd add based on what I've learned from my own family's experience - it might be worth having your aunt and her partner sit down together and make a list of all their current benefits, assets, and potential liabilities before making the marriage decision. Things like Medicare supplemental insurance, any pensions, property ownership, etc. Sometimes marriage can affect things you don't initially think about. Also, since they're in Florida, they might want to check if there are any state-specific considerations for married couples regarding things like homestead exemptions or Medicaid asset protection that could factor into their decision. The timeline pressure mentioned by others is real though - at 75, waiting too long could be risky if the goal is to secure those survivor benefits. Wishing your aunt the best with this important decision!