Ask Larry

Hi Larry, my husband passed away in 2018, he was ten years older than myself, I was a widow at 49. Can I get survivors or widow's benefits right now or do I have to wait until I'm 60 or 62 to collect, my husband would of been 63 this year. Thankyou for your advice

Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. Unless you have a child in your care is either under age 16 or disabled who's eligible for survivor benefits or if you are disabled, then the earliest that you could qualify for widow's benefits is at age 60. The full requirements for widow's benefits are outlined in the following section of Social Security's handbook: .https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.04/handbook-0401.html.

Best, Jerry