Skip to content
Show
Social Security for Widowed Spouses in RetirementThe National Academy of Social Insurance provides this information to help those seeking to better understand Social Security, which continues to be a cornerstone of retirement security for American workers and their families. We encourage you to use the information on our site to increase your familiarity with social insurance programs as they currently exist and to envision how they could evolve to meet the needs of a changing world. Who is entitled to survivors’ benefits from Social Security?How Social Security Can Help You When a Family Member Dies SSA.gov/benefits/survivors Social Security is a key source of financial security to widowed spouses. About 7.8 million individuals aged 60 and older receive Social Security benefits based, at least in part, on a deceased spouse’s work record. These surviving spouse beneficiaries are overwhelmingly women. These beneficiaries include 3.6 million people who are eligible only as widowed spouses. Another 4.2 million who are entitled to benefits based on their own work records but whose deceased spouses’ benefit amounts were higher than their own, will receive higher benefits as individuals (although, as discussed below, lower household total benefits). How much do widowed spouses receive?Social Security survivors’ benefits are especially important to women (95% of survivor beneficiaries are women), because wives tend to earn less than their husbands, and they also typically outlive their husbands. When a retired worker dies, the surviving spouse receives a benefit equal to the deceased worker’s full retirement benefit. Depending on the widow’s or widower’s circumstances, however, this benefit may substantially reduce her (his) monthly household income because only one Social Security benefit is now arriving (whichever is higher), not the two benefits that the couple received before the spouse’s death. Women who had worked and earned their own Social Security benefits, in particular, may find themselves struggling to meet the rising fixed expenses that come with aging.
For more information on Social Security and survivor benefits, please visit the Social Security Administration at ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/. Additional resources:
How can we help you?Stay up-to-date on the latest research & policy updates.Subscribe to our newsletterWhat is the difference between widow benefits and survivor benefits?While spousal benefits are capped at 50% of your spouse's benefit amount, survivor benefits are not. If you're widowed, you're eligible to receive the full amount of your late spouse's benefit, if you've reached full retirement age. The same is true if you are divorced and your ex-spouse has died.
When my husband dies do I get his Social Security and mine?If you are a widow (or your ex-spouse died), you may be eligible to receive benefits on your late spouse's, or ex-spouse's, Social Security record. How much you receive will depend on your age, the amount of benefits you may receive on your own record, and whether you have dependent children.
How long does a widow receive survivor benefits?Widows and widowers
These benefits are payable for life unless the spouse begins collecting a retirement benefit that is greater than the survivor benefit. Beneficiaries entitled to two types of Social Security payments receive the higher of the two amounts.
Do all widows get Social Security benefits?Social Security survivors benefits are paid to widows, widowers, and dependents of eligible workers. This benefit is particularly important for young families with children.
|