Today’s column addresses early widow's benefits, when spousal benefits become available, the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, how married couples can sequence benefits and whether to file and suspend.

How Should I File As A New Widow? Hi Larry, My husband recently died at age 62. I turned 62 this week. Which is the best way for me to file for my Social Security widow's benefit?

Discover Social Security benefits for divorced or widowed spouses. Learn how to qualify and file for benefits in this informative guide.

A recent law means widows and dependents may qualify for higher Social Security payments and even back pay if they take ...

First, let me clarify the “when to file” part. If you are filing for widow’s benefits (as was the lady who sent me the email), you will almost always do that soon after the death of your spouse.

Answer: Yes. You must be at least 62 to receive Social Security retirement benefits, but you could apply for widow's benefits as early as age 60. Incidentally, even if you were not currently ...

If you are able to qualify for retirement benefits yourself, one strategy to generate some retirement while deferring (and growing) a claim on your own benefit would be to apply for a widow (er)s ...

If you wait until your FRA to apply for your widow’s benefit, you’ll receive 100% of the amount your husband was collecting (or was eligible to collect) when he died. Here’s how the rules work: ...

Married couples usually receive two Social Security checks. That could mean two retired-worker benefits, or one ...

The rules for a widow's benefit are different from regular worker benefits. If you're eligible for both, here's what to consider before choosing when to take your benefits.

Widows benefits are benefits available to the surviving spouse of deceased workers. If the worker claimed Social Security early, this will also reduce the maximum widows benefit available to their ...