Can I collect both my Social Security and my deceased spouses?

Many people ask “can I collect my deceased spouse’s social security and my own at the same time?” In fact, you cannot simply add together both a survivor benefit and your own retirement benefit. Instead, Social Security will pay the higher of the two amounts.

How old does my wife have to be to collect my Social Security if I die?

60
In most cases, a widow or widower qualifies for survivor benefits if he or she is at least 60 and had been married to the deceased for at least nine months at the time of death.

Can I collect Social Security benefits and survivor benefits at the same time?

Social Security allows you to claim both a retirement and a survivor benefit at the same time, but the two won’t be added together to produce a bigger payment; you will receive the higher of the two amounts. For both retirement and survivor benefits, the payment amount rises if you wait past the minimum age to apply.

Can a surviving spouse collect Social Security at full retirement age?

A surviving spouse can collect 100 percent of the late spouse’s benefit if the survivor has reached full retirement age, but the amount will be lower if the deceased spouse claimed benefits before he or she reached full retirement age. (Full retirement age is currently 66 but is gradually increasing to 67 over the next several years.)

How are Social Security benefits determined when a spouse dies?

Survivors benefits are based on a percentage of the deceased person’s Social Security benefit. The SSA lists examples of benefits survivors might receive: Widow or widowers, full retirement age (FRA) or older, get 100% of the benefit amount. Widow or widower, age 60, spouse was FRA when they died, 71.5 to 99 percent of the deceased’s benefits.

Can a widow collect on her late spouse’s Social Security?

If you apply on the basis of caring for a child who is under 16 or disabled, you can collect 75 percent of the late spouse’s benefit, regardless of your age. You will not receive a survivor benefit in addition to your own retirement benefit; Social Security will pay the higher of the two amounts.

When do you get your spouses Social Security benefits?

You will receive your full spouse’s benefit amount if you wait until you reach full retirement age to begin receiving benefits. You will also receive the full amount if you are caring for a child entitled to receive benefits on your spouse’s record who is younger than age 16 or disabled.