My Husband Died Will My Check Change if I Marry Again
If My Spouse Dies, Exercise I Go His Social Security and Mine?
- Updated September 25, 2020
The 2020 Widows Benefits Guide & Calculator
The short respond is that you cannot collect both your own Social Security benefits and survivor benefits at the same time. But information technology's a bit more than complicated than that. Nosotros intermission down what you need to know about benefits later on the passing of a spouse.
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Contents
Chapter 1: What are survivor benefits?
While many people acquaintance Social Security benefits with payouts to retired workers, the Social Security Administration in fact distributes several different kinds of beneifts. These include both benefits for the families of a deceased worker, as well equally benefits for people who are disabled and and then unable to work.
Social Security survivor benefits (often referred to equally "widows benefits") provide an important source of income for family members whose workers take passed abroad. As long as the deceased worker would have been eligible to collect Social Security benefits upon their retirement, their family members will be able to collect them in their stead.
If the deceased worker would have been eligible to collect Social Security benefits upon their retirement, their family unit may exist able to collect them in their stead.
Affiliate ii:
Who is eligible for survivor benefits from Social Security?
Survivor benefits are not limited to the surviving spouse. The following people can receive survivor benefits:
If you were married to the deceased for at least 9 months, y'all could be eligible for survivors benefits.
Chapter 3: How are Social Security Survivor Benefits Calculated?
When a worker pays into the Social Security arrangement over the course of their life, they accumulate credits. A worker can receive up to four credits a yr. For example, in 2020, workers will receive one credit for every $1,410 they earn. When your spouse has earned $v,640, they have earned their four credits for the twelvemonth.
In order to claim retirement, a worker needs twoscore credits. However, the number of credits required to provide survivor benefits for the worker'southward family depends on the worker's historic period when they dice. This means that the younger a person is when they pass abroad, the fewer credits they will need for their family unit members receive survivor benefits.
When someone retires, or when they die, the amount of their benefit is calculated based on their earnings over their lifetime. This is the amount that survivors will receive all or part of. To calculate their benefit, Social Security adds up the worker's income during the years they made the well-nigh money. They then index that total against boilerplate wages beyond the country during those years. This results in the worker's "Average Indexed Monthly Earnings" (AIME). The Social Security Assistants only includes the portion of a worker's income up to the maximum taxable earnings limit. This is the amount that is taxed for Social Security—in 2020, that'south $137,700. If your spouse earned more than than that, the higher earnings will not be included in the calculation because these monies were not taxed by Social Security.
Fifty-fifty if you were divorced, you could be eligible for up to 100% of your deceased married man's benefit.
Social Security then applies a formula to that monthly amount to determine how much your spouse would have received at full retirement. In 2020, that formula is:
-
90% of the start $960 of your AIME;
-
plus 32% of any amount over $960 up to $5,785;
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plus fifteen% of whatsoever amount over $v,785.
The resulting number is the worker's primary insurance amount (PIA). This is the amount they would have received if they applied for retirement benefits when they reached their full retirement age—not before or after.
Chapter 4: How much will you receive in survivor benefits?
After the passing of the worker, Social Security pays a one-time decease benefit of $255 which can be collected by the widow or child.
Then there is the (ongoing) monthly Social Security survivor benefit. That benefit is based on the Social Security benefit the worker was receiving (or would have received).
The benefit tin can be upwards to 100% of what your spouse would take received at full retirement. If the benefit you would receive as a survivor is higher than the do good you receive on your own, Social Security will pay you the higher of the two amounts, not the ii combined. However, survivor benefits, dissimilar spousal benefits, don't have to be claimed at the same time every bit yourain retirement benefits. You can, in many cases, receive one benefit for a fourth dimension and then file for the other i later. This is a common strategy for widows to have to maximize their benefits.
The primeval a widow or widower tin apply for survivor benefits is historic period 60 (fifty if disabled).
Reduction to benefits
The earliest a widow or widower can apply for survivor benefits is age 60. (Note that if the widow is disabled, and began receiving disability payments before, or within, vii years of the worker's death, they may utilize at historic period 50. Social Security uses the aforementioned definition of disability for survivors as information technology does for workers.)
Widows can claim benefits at any time between 60 and their survivor full retirement age. All the same, if a widow files for benefits earlier they take reached their survivor full retirement age (FRA), those benefits will be reduced a fraction of a per centum for each calendar month claimed "early". (Note that your survivor total retirement age is dissimilar from your ain full retirement age.)
The Primary Insurance Corporeality (PIA) is the number Social Security uses to make up one's mind survivor benefits. If you employ before your survivor total retirement age, yous will receive betwixt 71.five% and 99% of your spouse'south benefit (PIA). A disabled widow or widower aged 50 to 59 would receive 71.5% of their spouse's do good. The percent scales upwards for each calendar month that you look until your survivor full retirement historic period. All the same, if you wait to claim survivor benefits until survivor total retirement age, y'all are eligible for 100%.
How much tin you earn and all the same collect survivor benefits?
While information technology tin seem unfair to not be able to fully merits both your ain and your survivor benefits, at that place are claiming strategies to maximize what you receive. This includes switching from 1 benefit to the other. Meet an example from 1 of our users directly below.
Making the right decision on how to maximize your own benefits depends on how much your own retirement do good vs. survivor benefit would be, and how long y'all think y'all will be living and needing the money. It besides depends on whether you're working.
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Survivors benefits if you accept children
If your spouse dies and you lot have children with them under the age of xvi, then (regardless of your own age), y'all can receive upwardly to 75% of your spouse's benefit. Similarly, if your spouse has children under xvi past a previous marriage, that spouse may receive upwardly to 75% of your spouse'southward benefit. Too, each child, upwardly to the age of eighteen, or nineteen if nevertheless in secondary school or disabled—may too receive up to 75%.
The maximum a family unit tin can receive is up to 180% of the worker'south PIA. If ex-spouses receive benefits, it does not in any fashion impact the amount a current spouse volition receive (and vice versa). However, if yous authorize because you have the worker's kid in your intendance, your benefit will affect the amount of the benefits of others on the worker's record.
If a spouse or one-time spouse is non caring for the children of the deceased worker, they may nevertheless apply for benefits on their ain, if they are at to the lowest degree 60 (or 50 if disabled).
Survivors benefits if yous are divorced
An ex-spouse is eligible to receive the same benefits as a current spouse if they were married to the deceased worker for at least 10 years and are not currently married. Nevertheless, if the living ex-spouse remarries before age threescore, they forfeit their correct to their deceased onetime spouse'southward Social Security—unless that subsequent marriage concluded in death, divorce, or annulment. If the living ex-spouse remarries after historic period lx, this rule doesn't employ.
How much a spouse or sometime spouse receives depends on several factors including when they file for benefits and whether they are notwithstanding working and earning coin.
Chapter 5:
Maximizing your benefit
Many people ask "tin I collect my deceased spouse'southward social security and my own at the same fourth dimension?" In fact, you cannot simply add togetherboth a survivor benefit and your own retirement benefit. Instead, Social Security will pay the higher of the 2 amounts.
If the do good yous would receive as a survivor is higher than your own earned benefit, Social Security pays the higher of the two amounts –not the two combined.
While it tin can seem unfair to non be able to claim both total benefits, there are challenge strategies you can employ to maximize the total Social Security benefits you receive. This includes switching from one benefit to the other. See an instance from ane of our users direct beneath.
Making the right decision on how to maximize your own benefits depends on how much your ain retirement benefit vs. survivor do good would exist, and how long you lot think you will exist living and needing the money. It also depends on whether yous're working.
Beneath we outline a few additional scenarios, and different strategies and considerations for each.
- If your retirement do good is less than the 1 you would receive as a survivor… y'all tin apply to receive the higher corporeality even if you are receiving retirement benefit payments.
- If you are over 60 and remarried, and your current spouse is a Social Security beneficiary… you lot may apply for spousal benefits on your current spouse's record or opt to take your former spouse's survivor benefits. Depending on whichever is college (your own and either your spousal benefits or your survivor benefits), you can decide to claim a combination of benefits equal to the college corporeality.
- If you lot are already receiving your own retirement benefits when your spouse dies… then the optimal strategy depends on how long you accept been receiving your own benefits. If y'all have been receiving your retirement benefit for less than 12 months when your spouse dies, you couldwithdraw your retirement application and only take your survivors benefit now (and later switch back to your ain benefit). If you lot accept been receiving your retirement benefit for more than 12 months when your spouse dies, you can only apply for survivors benefits if the benefit of your spouse's business relationship is more the benefit y'all receive on your own.
- If you are already receiving spousal benefits when your spouse dies… Social Security will convert your benefit to survivors benefits, which are upwards to 100% of your late spouse'due south total retirement benefit (compared to l% for spousal benefits).
Chapter 6:
How to apply for survivor benefits
A widow, widower, or surviving divorced spouse cannot utilize online for survivors benefits. You must phone call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY number at i-800-325-0778.) Alternatively, you lot can go in person to your local Social Security field role.
To apply for Social Security survivor benefits, y'all must have the following documents:
- Proof of expiry (either from a funeral home or a death certificate—note that it must be a certified copy)
- Both your own Social Security number and that of the deceased worker
- Your nascence certificate
- Your marriage document (if you are a widow or widower)
- Your divorce certificate (again, if you lot are a widow or widower—and annotation that it must be a certified copy)
- Dependent children'southward Social Security numbers, if available, and birth certificates
- Deceased worker's W-2 forms or federal self-employment tax render for the nigh contempo year
Different other Social Security benefits, you cannot use for survivors benefits online. Yous must call the SSA or become in person to your local Social Security field office.
Applying and ensuring you lot claim the right benefit at the right time for your personal finances can exist disruptive. When yous're ready to apply, we recommendusing a checklist to ensure yous take the correct steps and have the right documentation.
The bottom line
Many Americans depend on Social Security as a critical source of income, especially in retirement. This is peculiarly true for people who have lost a spouse. Nonetheless if y'all do not know the facts effectually Social Security benefits, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to lose money depending on when yous merits. Only while Social Security tin can feel complicated, you are not lonely. Our team of experts is here to assist. When you're ready, we recommend using a Social Security benefits estimator that accounts for survivor benefits. With a comprehensive understanding of what you are owed and how Social Security works, you can navigate the next chapter of your life with the conviction and financial security you lot deserve.
Other Social Security manufactures of involvement
- Guide to Social Security and Decease
- Social Security Widows Benefits Checklist
Digitizing receipts, bills & important documents has never been easier. Download the Smart Filing Cabinet to start organizing your documents today.
Source: https://www.simplywise.com/blog/ss-benefits-if-my-spouse-dies/
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