I’m a widow. My husband was 53 when he died. He was accumulating Social Safety incapacity for about two years previous his dying.
I’m nearing retirement age and was planning on taking his Social Safety after I attain my full retirement age, after which switching to mine after I flip 70.
Is this feature nonetheless out there? Would I be eligible for 100% of his? Once I known as Social Safety, the girl stated, “Will probably be a shock.” Shock, my foot! I have to know.
I additionally might have a tough time proving we had been married. Our wedding ceremony license burned up in a current home hearth. We had been married within the Bahamas, and I doubt they maintain information. I is likely to be OK in that I had the wedding license on the time of his dying and used it to gather the one-time $255 dying profit, so it could be within the system. Which may be my solely salvation.
I’ve acquired so many conflicting solutions relating to with the ability to swap from his to mine after I’m 70.
-S.
Pricey S.,
I don’t assume you’re in for any huge surprises. So long as you’re eligible in your late husband’s survivor advantages, you’re allowed to start out survivor advantages, then swap to your individual larger Social Safety profit afterward. And even with out the precise marriage license, it is best to have the ability to show that you simply had been married.
Let’s begin with the primary subject, although. I believe that the confusion you’re operating into stems from the truth that the principles have modified for spousal advantages, that are paid to spouses and ex-spouses based mostly on the work document of somebody who’s nonetheless alive.
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Prior to now, married {couples} usually used what was often known as 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 afterward. This was a well-liked solution to maximize advantages as a result of the longer you wait to take Social Safety, the larger your checks will probably be.
However a 2015 legislation 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 necessary factor to know is that this transformation doesn’t apply to survivor advantages. You may declare survivor advantages as early as 60 or age 50 if you happen to’re disabled. Then you’ll be able to swap over to your individual profit as early as 62 or as late as age 70 if you need the utmost profit.
Not like 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 largest Social Safety checks doable by doing what you’re planning.
When you don’t need to take my phrase for it, right here’s what Social Safety’s web site says: When you’re eligible for each survivor and retirement advantages however haven’t but utilized, “You may apply for retirement or survivors advantages now and swap to the opposite (larger) profit later.” For all the principles on this matter, try Social Safety’s publication “If You Are the Survivor,” which is available online.
You must also have the ability to doc that your marriage did, the truth is, exist even when it’s important to soar by a number of extra hoops. I don’t know if Social Safety would have the ability to use the one-time $255 cost you acquired when your husband died as proof. However within the absence of a wedding certificates, you should still have the ability to acquire an authorized copy of your marriage paperwork by contacting the U.S. embassy within the Bahamas.
When official paperwork aren’t out there, 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 can use as proof of why you don’t have the unique marriage certificates. I’m guessing you have got different paperwork, like tax returns or property information if you happen to owned a house collectively, that you can use as extra proof.
Generally when you have got a sophisticated state of affairs, you received’t get good data by calling Social Safety. There are such a lot of sophisticated guidelines, and it’s unattainable for one individual to have the proper reply for each situation. However you’ll be able to usually discover the data you want on Social Safety’s web site, ssa.gov.
Attempt to discover as a lot data as doable 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 could even be useful to take notes throughout every telephone name. Doc the time and date of the telephone name and the title of the worker you communicate with.
Coping with any paperwork could be a headache. Nevertheless it feels like you have got a sensible technique for maximizing your Social Safety. When you 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 an authorized monetary planner and a senior author at The FinanceGrabber. Ship your tough cash inquiries to [email protected].