Question: Im retiring in eight months from county government employment at age 63. If the number of months exceeds 36, then the benefit is further reduced 5/12 of . be at least age 62 or have a qualifying child in her/his care. The estimated monthly amount of your Social Security benefit as a spouse, widow, or widower before the effect of GPO. Effect of the retirement choice on your benefit: A spouse can choose to retire as early as age 62, but If you pass away before your husband, hell receive an excess survivor benefit equal to the difference between your retirement benefit and his, again, reduced by two-thirds of his STRS pension. If you got divorced and your ex-spouse passed away, you can still claim survivor benefits if you are 60 or older. Teachers in some states benefit from the states independent pension plan, while other states offer only coverage in partnership with Social Security. This story was published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information. Social Security When A Spouse Dies - A Guide To Survivor Benefits - AARP With my Social Security, you can verify your earnings, get your Social Security Statement, and much more all from the comfort of your home or office. You can speak to one of our representatives between 8:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Pareto Principle: How To Use The 80/20 Rule To Retire Earlier, When Social Security Sues A 6-Year-Old Orphan Over Its Own Mistake. Ask Larry: Can My Husband's Ex File On His Record And Reduce Our Benefits? on your spousal benefit as a percentage of the worker's primary insurance amount. Take the first step in addressing hearing loss concerns by taking the National Heaering Test. This assumes you are eligible for retirement benefits and your retirement rate is higher than your rate as a surviving spouse or surviving divorced spouse. If you are the unmarried child under age 18 of a worker who dies, you can be eligible to receive Social Security survivors benefits. You will reach normal retirement age 05-10045); SSAs Government Pension Offset fact sheet (Publication No. Under the Windfall Elimination Provision, she gets only $42 a month from Social Security. again. Consider these affordable and exotic places to launch your retirement abroad. Some survivors can get benefits if the worker has credit for 1 and 1/2 years of work (6 credits) in the 3 years just before their death. Social Security is much more than a retirement program, providing financial benefits, information, and tools to help support workers and their families in every community across America. You may be eligible to receive a Social Security survivor benefit equal to the full benefit your spouse was receiving. For more information about this lump-sum payment, contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). If a spouse is eligible for a retirement benefit based on his or her own earnings, Optional homework assignment: Visit the Students page and review the information. That also includes benefits from their late spouses. in Social Security Teachers have widespread confusion about collecting retirement and social security benefits. Click on Defined Contribution Plan or Combined Plan for information on these retirement plan options. The GPO reduces the SS income of survivors by two-thirds the amount of their TRS annuity. insurance amount. Lesson Plan 2: Is Social Security Just For Retirement and Will It Be There For Me?