To apply for widow's benefits at age 60, you must contact the Social Security Administration (SSA) directly by phone (1-800-772-1213) or visit a local office, as these applications usually cannot be completed online. You must be at least 60 (or 50 if disabled) and married for at least 9 months.
To get widow's benefits, you must apply through the Social Security Administration (SSA) by calling or visiting in person (not online), generally being at least 60 (or 50 if disabled) and having been married to the deceased for at least 9 months, while providing proof of marriage/death and bank details; eligibility varies, especially if you're a divorced spouse or caring for children, but it involves proving the deceased paid Social Security taxes and you meet age/relationship criteria.
To qualify for Social Security spousal benefits, you must generally be at least 62 (or any age if caring for a young/disabled child), married for at least one year, and your spouse must already be collecting their own retirement or disability benefits; divorced spouses have slightly different rules, needing a 10-year marriage and no remarriage before age 60 (or 50 if disabled). You'll receive the higher of your own benefit or the spousal benefit (up to 50% of the worker's full benefit), and claiming early (before full retirement age) may reduce the amount.
For anyone born 1962 or later, full survivors' benefits are payable at age 67. This is different from the full retirement age for retirement benefits, which is 67 for people born in 1960 or later. Your surviving spouse can get reduced benefits as early as age 60.
No, generally you cannot take your own reduced Social Security at 62 and then switch to a higher spousal benefit later because of the "deemed filing" rule for those turning 62 after January 1, 2016, which means you apply for both and receive the higher amount upfront, but you can switch to a spousal benefit if your spouse hasn't filed yet, though your early filing reduction will still apply to that spousal amount.
Is this doable? Yes, your client's plan is indeed doable. She can start receiving her own Social Security retirement benefits at age 62 and then switch to the surviving divorced ex-spouse benefit when she reaches Full Retirement Age (FRA) for survivor benefits.
The biggest recent change is the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA) of 2023, effective January 2024, which eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), meaning your spouse's or survivor's benefits won't be reduced by your non-Social Security government pension anymore, making it much fairer. Also, the "file and suspend" strategy for spousal benefits ended for most, but the core rules remain: you get the higher of your own or your spousal benefit (up to 50% of your partner's), and you can generally switch from spousal to your own higher retirement benefit at full retirement age.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Widows cannot apply online for survivor's benefits. You can call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), or make an appointment at your local Social Security office.
Seniors cards
These offers a discount on public transport and some goods and services. Generally, you must be aged at least 60 years (at least 65 in some states), and work less than 20 - 35 hours per week.
Yes, a widow can get Medicare Part A (hospital insurance) at age 60 based on their deceased spouse's work record, often premium-free, if married at least nine months before death and haven't remarried before age 60, plus they can receive Social Security survivor benefits starting as early as 60 (or 50 if disabled), but this doesn't automatically mean they get Part B (medical insurance) or a full Medicare package until age 65, unless they qualify through disability or other specific circumstances.
People are only eligible for a spousal benefit when their own benefit is less than half of their retired spouse's benefit, or when they seek to delay their own application for Social Security benefits based on their own work record.
Although you can claim the spousal benefit as early as age 62, the amount you receive will grow if you wait until full retirement age, (which is between 66 and 67, depending on year of birth; for people born in 1960 or after it's age 67).
Not everyone automatically qualifies for survivor benefits. Typically, the deceased must have accumulated enough work credits through Social Security taxes. Surviving spouses may be eligible at age 60 (or 50 if disabled), and unmarried children under 18 (or up to 19 if still in high school) generally qualify.
Earliest Claiming Age: You can typically claim widow benefits at age 60 (or 50 if disabled), but you must wait until age 62 to claim your own retirement benefit.
The Allowance for the Survivor is a monthly payment you can get if: you are age 60 to 64. you live in Canada. your spouse or common-law partner has died and since their death you have not remarried or become a common-law partner to another person.
Pension Credit
Seniors Card. The NSW Seniors Card and Senior Savers Card are for NSW permanent residents over the age of 60 to receive discounted products and services. The Seniors Cards allow cardholders to get the thanks they deserve for their lifelong contribution to our NSW community.
Form SSA-2 | Information You Need to Apply for Spouse's or Divorced Spouse's Benefits. You can apply: Online, if you are within 3 months of age 62 or older, or. By calling our national toll-free service at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visiting your local Social Security office.