Present Situation Regarding Social Security Spouse And Survivor Benefits
When Social Security was established back in 1935 it was normal for women to reside in home to raise the family. In most families the husband was the higher earner or the only earner in the family. In addition, women statistically outlive men, particularly if the wife is younger than the husband.
The combination of lower or no income and a longer life span implied many women found themselves in poverty when their husbands passed away, as their husband's Social Security retirement benefits ended at their death. The Social Security Board recognized the problems that women face and have implemented several changes to the system over the years to account for these requirements.
One important amendments to the Social Security system was to allow women to apply for benefits at age 62 instead of waiting until 65 under the assumption that they were younger than their spouses and that they would want to retire at the same time.
Then in 1939 two other categories of benefits were included: Social Security survivor benefits and dependent benefits (payable to the spouse and minor children of retired workers).
These changes transformed Social Security from a retirement plan that only paid benefits to retired workers into a family-based program, where spouses and children may receive benefits of retired, disabled or departed workers. This was a tremendous help to women who did not qualify for retirement benefits on their own, or who had significantly smaller benefits than their spouses.
Today, although it's not strange for women to earn as much or more than their husbands, they however may take time off to look after families, and they still statistically live longer than their spouses. In addition, the number of divorced women reaching retirement age is greater than it has ever been. As a result of of this, many women still receive Social Security spousal benefits or survivor benefits rather than benefits according to their own work records.
Therefore it's important for women - no matter what their relationship status is - to understand the spousal and survivor benefits available to them along with the retirement benefits so they can enjoy the maximum benefits they are entitled to.
Don't Overlook The Social Security Spousal Benefit Can a spouse collect on her husband's social security if she reaches retirement age before her husband? No. In order for a wife to collect Social Security benefits on her husband's earnings the following requirements must be met:
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