How do spousal benefits work?

Full question: I am 62 (January 1962) and my spouse is 69 (March 1955). I am still working and doing quite well (>175K per year). She has not started withdrawing her SS yet. How is her portion determined on my SS when I have not retired yet? Is she better off receiving the 130.67% at…

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I am 58 and my wife is 50. We have a disabled son. What benefits (if any) are we eligible to collect?

Full question: I am 58 (turn 59 in December), and my wife is 50. We have a disabled/autistic child who is 7. My wife is suffering from numerous health issues most of which are attacking her immune system. Consequently, she is unable to provide consistent care for our son. She applied for SS Disability, but…

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Am I eligible for a survivors benefit?

Full question: I was widowed 19 years ago. My wife was 57 at the time of her death. I began collecting Social Security payments at age 62. I am now 77 and have been told I may be eligible for a widows benefit as my wife had paid into the system for many years. Can…

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My spouse passed away at 39. She worked for more than 10 years. What can I expect from Social Security for me and my children?

Full question: My spouse passed away at only 39 years old. She has worked full and part time for more than 10 years. What can I expect in Social Security insurance benefits for myself and our 5 children? Hi there, This is a very important question and has a number or rules that apply to…

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Can I apply for spousal benefits and switch to my own benefits later?

Full question: I’m 62 and stopped working, but not collecting Social Security yet. My husband is 69 and still working. Can he apply for Spousal benefits? Can I apply for Spousal benefits after he retires until I’m 67 and then apply for SS? Hi there, One spouse of a couple can only collect spousal benefits…

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Can I collect a survivor benefit if I am caring for his adult disabled child?

Full question: Can I continue to collect my deceased spouse’s SS when I retire if I am caring for his adult disabled child without GPO penalty? The adult child has had SSI denied three times. Can he collect off my deceased spouse’s SS? Also my deceased spouse was military. I am 76 and not retired…

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