Full question: Can I receive survivor benefits since my wife died June 27, now they’re telling me we will no longer receive her benefits, only a $250 burial fee Hello, There are two reasons that you may not be entitled to a survivor benefit based on your wife’s earnings. First, if your own retirement benefit…

Full question: Social Security said I’m not eligible for my deceased husbands benefit because I receive a pension from a government agency. We were married 53 years, and I am 71 and receive my own social security as well as the pension. Do I have grounds to appeal their decision? Hi there, There are two…

Full question: I am retired military and I retired from a Police Department that didn’t pay into Social Security. How would the GPO and WEP affect me if I was to collect a spousal benefit based on my wife’s earnings? Hi there, We are assuming that if the Police Department did not pay into Social…

Full question: I am 62, was married to my ex-spouse for 22 years, been divorced for 9 years, am not remarried, and have no dependents. My ex-spouse is a high earner and is 61 years old. My Social Security benefits are less than 50% of my ex-spouse benefits. I want to apply to receive my…

Full question: If I apply for Social Security at FRA, can I get half of my wife’s Social Security and let mine grow? She is 6 years older. Hi there, Unfortunately no, you cannot claim a spousal benefit and later switch to your own retirement benefit. When you apply for benefits, the SSA looks at…

Hi there, I am assuming you are asking about switching from a survivor benefit (based on your deceased spouse’s earnings record), not a spousal benefit (based on your living spouse’s earnings record.) If your own retirement benefit is a greater amount than the survivor amount, you should contact your local SSA office to make this…