A friend of ours is a widow 80 years of age, who was married for 20 years or so before her husband died a few years ago...She is thinking of marrying a widower.
Since his death, she gets her late husband's Social Security.. She is wanting to know if she remarries will she get to keep her first husband's Social Security? She has been given the run around by Social Security Admin - long waits on phone, etc., even though this seems to be a simple question.
Please advise if you know the answer.
Grace + Peace,
Bob
It seems that if what you are doing is within your own SS benefit, even if its dependent benefits for a kid or spouse, you can do it all on-line.
BUT for survivor benefit, you HAVE to go in-person.
I'd suggest that she & probable new hubs go together to SSA to discuss what the difference in payout would be & qualifier for:
-her to go back to drawing just her own SS work benefit
-her to continue to draw hubs #1 survivor,
-her to draw future hubs #2 dependent spouse benefit vs dead hubs survivor benefit.
& what happens if she remarries & hubs #2 dies as to her getting his survivor benefit vs. hubs #1 survivor benefit.
Remarriage financially could mean less $ for the rest of their lives. If they are totally dependent on just SS, may be better not to remarry. SSA can run the #'s
SSA was really slammed this year as "file & suspend" had to be done by April. SSA should be oodles less busy now.
Survivor benefits need in person vist to SSA.
Has she checked their website? For as convoluted as the SSA is their website is amazingly comprehensive. She might find the information she's looking for there.
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