What Happens to Your Social Security If Your Spouse Dies Before You Claim
You actually have more options than you did before.
Overview
Losing a spouse is difficult, no matter when it happens. But if it's around the time you were thinking about applying for Social Security, it can introduce a new kind of uncertainty into your future finances. Claiming a spousal benefit, as you may have planned to do, will no longer be an option for you. Still, that doesn't mean you're out of luck.
There are two other types of Social Security benefits you may qualify for, and you might actually be able to apply for either sooner than you could have applied for a spousal benefit. But it's important to understand the rules for each benefit type before you sign up.
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Details
Source
Originally published at www.fool.com.
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