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Survivor Benefits

May 18, 2023

Am I Eligible For My Ex-Husband's Benefits?

May 11, 2023

Was I Legally Divorced?

May 7, 2023

Can I Get Survivor Benefits If My Deceased Husband Collected Social Security Disability Benefits?

May 4, 2023

What Will My Mom's Benefit Be If My Dad Dies Before Her?

April 28, 2023

Once I Pass Will My Wife Be Able To Collect Both My Government Pension And Survivor Benefits From Social Security?

April 25, 2023

Is Filing To Be Representative Payee For My Mother The Only Way To Get Survivor Benefits?

April 24, 2023

If My Spouse Takes Spousal Benefits Early, Would That Cause Her Survivor Rate To Also Be Reduced Even If I Die After She Reaches Her Full Retirement Age?

April 20, 2023

How Much Would My Wife's Survivor Benefit Amount Be If I Die Before Taking Benefits?

April 19, 2023

Would I Be Eligible For My Husband's SS If He Predeceases Me?

April 7, 2023

When I Die WIll My Children And Spouse Be Able To Collect Benefits?

March 23, 2023

What Should I Expect In Terms Of Payment When I Reach Retirement Age?

March 8, 2023

If My Wife Takes Spousal Benefits Early Will The Reduction For Age Carry Over To Her Survivor Benefit?

March 2, 2023

Can I Collect Survivor Benefits From My Parents' Social Security?

January 3, 2023

Can You Give Me Some Answers About Survivor Benefits?

December 12, 2022

Can I Qualify For Survivor Benefits On My Partner's Account?

November 26, 2022

Does My Brother's Second Wife Have Rights To His Survivor Benefits?

November 19, 2022

Should My Husband Or I Pass Away, Is The Surviving Spouse Eligible For Death Benefits?

September 27, 2022

Will The COLAs Since My Wife's Death Be Added When Calculating My Survivor Rate?

September 15, 2022

Can I Collect Benefits Under My First Spouse?

September 3, 2022

Am I Able To Collect Survivor Benefits Even Though I Got My Wife's Life Insurance?

September 1, 2022

Will My Husband's Older Daughter's Benefit Be Redistributed To My Children When She Ages Out?

August 29, 2022

Is It Too Late To Ask Social Security For Proof That My Ex-Husband's Benefit Amount Was Lower Than Mine?

August 29, 2022

Will My Deceased Son-In-Law's PIA Be Credited With Future COLAs?

August 16, 2022

Is Mary Has A Disabled Child In Her Care Can She Get Survivor Benefits From Her Deceased Ex-Spouse?

August 15, 2022

Will My Check Start Back Up Now That My Daughter Has Returned To My Care?

August 14, 2022

Am I Entitled To My Father's Social Security Retirement Because I'm Disabled?

August 7, 2022

Would I Be Eligible For Any SS Payment Now?

August 7, 2022

Am I Entitled To Any Of My Deceased Ex-Husband's SS?

August 5, 2022

Can My Dad Receive Any Benefits From My Deceased Mother's Record?

August 4, 2022

What Do I Need To Do So That My Wife Can Get My SS Benefits When I Die?

July 27, 2022

If My Wife Files For Her Own Benefits Prior To FRA Will Her Survivor Rate Also Be Reduced?

July 19, 2022

How Much Will My Dad Receive Now That My Mom Has Passed Away?

July 15, 2022

WIll My Deceased Husband's First Wife Get His Social Security?

June 8, 2022

Who Will Get My Survivor Bneefits When I Die, My Current Wife Or My Ex-Wife?

June 4, 2022

If My Husband Starts Drawing At Full Retirement Age But Keeps Working, How Will That Affect Survivor Benefits?

May 30, 2022

Will My Survivor Benefit Rate Be Reduced Because I Started Drawing My Own Benefits At Age 62?

May 16, 2022

Will My Current Wife And My Ex-Wife Both Receive 100% Of My Benefit Amount When I Die?

May 10, 2022

Will I Qualify For Deceased Spouse Benefits From My First Marriage?

April 29, 2022

What Portion Of Our Spouse's Amount Will We Receive When One Of Us Dies?

April 20, 2022

How Can We Help Our Mom Satisfy Social Security's Evidence Requirements?

April 20, 2022

Does Social Security Owe Me Survivor Benefits?

April 18, 2022

Will My Wife's High Earnings Eliminate Or Reduce The Survivor Benefits Payable On My Record?

April 12, 2022

Can I Receive My First Husband's Benefits If They're Higher Than Mine?

February 15, 2022

Can I Get My Deceased Husband's Benefits Even Though I'm Already Getting Disability Benefits?

January 31, 2022

Can I Get Survivor Benefits Due To My Mother's Death?

January 23, 2022

Is There A Difference Between A Widow's Pension And Survivor Benefits?

January 16, 2022

What Should I Do?

January 11, 2022

Would I Possibly Qualify for Widower Benefits?

January 8, 2022

Can My Brother Claim Child In Care Survivor Benefits?

January 1, 2022

Is It True That I Can't Be Paid Any Survivor Benefits?

December 31, 2021

Can I Get Dependent Benefits From The Man I Lived With For 15 Years?

December 27, 2021

Will Applying For A Domestic Relationship Disqualify Me From Collecting My Deceased Ex-Spouse's Social Security?

December 27, 2021

What Happens To My Wife's Benefit Going Forward And Upon My Death?

December 7, 2021

Should I Apply For Survivor Benefits Or Would It Be A Waste Of Time?

December 3, 2021

When Do I Qualify For Survivor Benefits?

November 15, 2021

Could You Confirm That A Person Can Stay On CIC Benefits Until Their Full Retirement Age?

November 13, 2021

Is My Mom Eligible To Receive My Deceased Father's SSI?

November 12, 2021

If My Husband Dies Before We've Been Married For Ten Years Do I Receive His Benefits Or Does His Former Wife?

November 12, 2021

If You're Legally Separated From Your Spouse When They Die Are You Still Allowed To Collect Survivor Benefits?

November 10, 2021

If I Take Child In Care Benefits Will That Lock Me In To Lower Survivor Benefit Rate?

November 5, 2021

How Will The Fact That My Ex-Wife Collected Disability Benefits Starting At Age 58 Affect My Survivor Rate?

October 15, 2021

Can I Get Any Type Of Monthly Benefits?

October 28, 2021

What Benefits Do I Qualify For?

October 12, 2021

Will Social Security Take Away My Mother's Benefits Because Of My Father's Death?

October 10, 2021

Can My Daughter And I Draw Anything?

October 2, 2021

Can I Collect A Widow's Pension When I'm 60?

September 20, 2021

What Will My Wife Need In Order To Ensure Eligibility For Survivor Benefits?

September 17, 2021

If I Don't Start Drawing My Own Benefits Until Age 70 Would My Wife Be Able To Draw A Higher Survivor Benefit Rate?

September 11, 2021

Do You Have Any Advice For Me About Applying For Survivor Benefits?

September 7, 2021

If My Wife Takes Her Benefits At Age 62 Will She Be Forced To Take A Reduced Survivor Benefit If I Die Before She Reaches FRA?

September 2, 2021

Do I Qualify For Anything From My Deceased Husband's Record?

August 31, 2021

Is My Mother Eligible For Survivor Benefits Now Or Not Until Her Back Taxes Are Paid?

August 27, 2021

How Do I Find Out What Our Monthly Benefits Will Be?

August 27, 2021

Will I Be Awarded Back Pay?

August 26, 2021

Can My Step-Mother Receive My Deceased Father's Benefits If Their 'Marriage' Was Non-Legally Binding?

August 25, 2021

Did I Qualify For Social Security Or Not?

August 21, 2021

Would Any Of Our Family Members Receive Survivor Benefits?

August 9, 2021

Can My Sister In Law Get Survivor Benefits For Her Grandchildren?

August 6, 2021

Why Didn't My Daughter's Benefit Rate Go Up When Her Older Sibling Turned Age 18?

August 2, 2021

Can My Grandchild Get Benefits On His Deceased Grandfather's Account If I Adopt The Child?

July 31, 2021

Can I Draw Social Security Off Of A Deceased Spouse If I Had Already Remarried?

July 12, 2021

Who Can I Marry If I Want To Leave My SS To Someone?

July 11, 2021

Can I Draw Survivor Benefits When I Reach Age 60?

July 9, 2021

Am I Entitled To Any Of My Ex-Husband's Benefits?

July 7, 2021

If My Wife Takes Her Benefits At Age 63 Or 64, Would She Still Get My Full Amount If I Die?

July 7, 2021

Will My Daughter's Benefit Amount Go Up When My Benefits Stop?

July 3, 2021

Are Survivor Benefits Calculated At The Time You Apply For Them Or When You Start Collecting Them?

June 23, 2021

Can I Collect SS As A Divorced Survivor?

June 17, 2021

Can I Collect My Husband's SS After He Passes Away If We Haven't Been Married For 10 Years?

June 15, 2021

Can My Eleven Year Old Daughter Get Her Deceased Father's Benefits?

June 14, 2021

Can My Wife Collect From Her Ex When He Dies?

May 28, 2021

Can I Get Part Of My Dad's Benefits If I'm On SSDI?

May 10, 2021

Am I Entitled To Widow's Benefits On My Former Husband's Record Even If I Remarried At Age 60?

May 9, 2021

What Should I Do?

May 2, 2021

Will My Wife's Survivor Benefit Be Affected If She Takes Spousal Benefits At Age 65?

April 30, 2021

Am I Eligible To Collect Benefits Off Of My Wife's SSI?

April 22, 2021

Can My Son's Wife In Mexico Get His Survivor Benefits?

April 4, 2021

Why Would Social Security Ask Me To Return My Son's Social Security Funds?

April 1, 2021

Will Survivor Benefits Be Reduced If The Surviving Spouse Is Receiving Their Own Benefits?

March 29, 2021

If My Husband Passes Away, Am I Entitled To His Social Security Benefits?

About the Author

Laurence J. Kotlikoff 

Laurence J. Kotlikoff is a William Fairfield Warren Professor and Professor of Economics at Boston University, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Econometric Society, and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Professor Kotlikoff received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973 and his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1977. Kotlikoff is the Director of the Fiscal Analysis Center.
A New York Times Bestselling author, he has written nineteen books and hundreds of professional articles and op-eds. He is a frequent television and radio guest. His columns have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, London Financial Times, the Boston Globe, Bloomberg, Forbes, Yahoo.com, Fortune, and other major publications. In 2014, The Economist named him one of the world's 25 most influential economists