I’m a widow. My husband was 53 when he died. He was accumulating Social Safety incapacity for about two years previous his loss of life.
I’m nearing retirement age and was planning on taking his Social Safety once I attain my full retirement age, after which switching to mine once I flip 70.
Is this feature nonetheless obtainable? Would I be eligible for 100% of his? Once I known as Social Safety, the woman stated, “It is going to be a shock.” Shock, my foot! I must know.
I additionally might have a troublesome time proving we have been married. Our marriage ceremony license burned up in a latest home hearth. We have been married within the Bahamas, and I doubt they maintain information. I could be OK in that I had the wedding license on the time of his loss of life and used it to gather the one-time $255 loss of life profit, so it could be within the system. Which may be my solely salvation.
I’ve obtained so many conflicting solutions concerning with the ability to swap from his to mine once I’m 70.
-S.
Pricey S.,
I don’t assume you’re in for any large surprises. So long as you’re eligible in your late husband’s survivor advantages, you’re allowed to begin survivor advantages, then swap to your personal greater Social Safety profit in a while. And even with out the precise marriage license, it is best to have the ability to show that you just have been married.
Let’s begin with the primary problem, although. I think that the confusion you’re working into stems from the truth that the principles have modified for spousal advantages, that are paid to spouses and ex-spouses primarily based on the work report of somebody who’s nonetheless alive.
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Previously, married {couples} typically used what was often called a restricted utility. One partner would file an utility for spousal advantages solely as early as age 62. Then, they’d swap to their very own retirement in a while. This was a well-liked approach to maximize advantages as a result of the longer you wait to take Social Safety, the larger your checks can be.
However a 2015 regulation ended this technique for anybody born after Jan. 1, 1954. Nevertheless, there are exceptions for spouses who qualify for incapacity advantages or are caring for a kid who’s youthful than 16 or disabled.
The essential factor to know is that this alteration doesn’t apply to survivor advantages. You possibly can declare survivor advantages as early as 60 or age 50 in case you’re disabled. Then you may swap over to your personal profit as early as 62 or as late as age 70 if you need the utmost profit.
In contrast to retirement advantages, survivor advantages cap out at full retirement age. You’ll get 100% of your late husband’s profit at that time. So that you’ll get the most important Social Safety checks potential by doing what you’re planning.
If you happen to don’t need to take my phrase for it, right here’s what Social Safety’s web site says: If you happen to’re eligible for each survivor and retirement advantages however haven’t but utilized, “You possibly can apply for retirement or survivors advantages now and swap to the opposite (greater) profit later.” For all the principles on this matter, try Social Safety’s publication “If You Are the Survivor,” which is available online.
You also needs to have the ability to doc that your marriage did, in reality, exist even when it’s important to soar by means of just a few extra hoops. I don’t know if Social Safety would have the ability to use the one-time $255 cost you obtained when your husband died as proof. However within the absence of a wedding certificates, you should still have the ability to receive a licensed copy of your marriage paperwork by contacting the U.S. embassy within the Bahamas.
When official paperwork aren’t obtainable, Social Safety may also settle for different proof, like witness statements or pictures from the ceremony. You most likely have proof of the home hearth that you could possibly use as proof of why you don’t have the unique marriage certificates. I’m guessing you’ve got different paperwork, like tax returns or property information in case you owned a house collectively, that you could possibly use as further proof.
Typically when you’ve got an advanced state of affairs, you received’t get good data by calling Social Safety. There are such a lot of difficult guidelines, and it’s inconceivable for one particular person to have the precise reply for each situation. However you may typically discover the data you want on Social Safety’s web site, ssa.gov.
Attempt to discover as a lot data as potential earlier than you name. If what you’re advised conflicts with official Social Safety data, level out the discrepancy. Ask them to refer you to the precise rule they’re citing. It might even be useful to take notes throughout every cellphone name. Doc the time and date of the cellphone name and the title of the worker you converse with.
Coping with any paperwork is usually a headache. Nevertheless it appears like you’ve got a wise technique for maximizing your Social Safety. If you happen to do a little bit of prep work, I don’t assume you’ll encounter any main hurdles in claiming the advantages you’re entitled to.
Robin Hartill is a licensed monetary planner and a senior author at The PNW. Ship your tough cash inquiries to [email protected].