BrightPersonal FinanceRetirementFixed Income

Answering Questions From Widows

Whether someone gets widowers benefits or their own retirement benefits depends on which is higher.
Save
Answering Questions From Widows
Widows often have questions regarding the Social Security benefits that they receive. fizkes/Shutterstock
Tom Margenau
Updated:
0:00

I hope that there is nothing in the air that is causing old goats like me to keel over. For some reason, I’ve been getting a lot of questions from widows lately. Here are some of them.

Q: I am 90 years old and getting widow’s benefits from my first husband who died a long time ago. I also have my own Social Security, but I’m not getting it because my widow’s benefits pay more. I married another man about two years ago. He is 83. His Social Security is smaller than even my own Social Security. Assuming that I die before he does, I want him to be able to get widower’s benefits on my account. Do I have to switch to my own so he'll get mine when I die?
Tom Margenau
Tom Margenau
Author
Tom Margenau worked for 32 years in a variety of positions for the Social Security Administration before retiring in 2005. He has served as the director of SSA’s public information office, the chief editor of more than 100 SSA publications, a deputy press officer and spokesman, and a speechwriter for the commissioner of Social Security. For 12 years, he also wrote Social Security columns for local newspapers, and recently published the book “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” If you have a Social Security question, contact him at [email protected]