What a widow's benefit is and how much it pays
A widow's benefit is a monthly payment you may receive from Social Security if your spouse died and you were receiving benefits based on their work record. The amount you get is a percentage of what your spouse was receiving at the time of death — typically 75 percent of their benefit amount, though the exact percentage depends on your age when you start receiving it.
The payment is not a separate calculation. Social Security takes your spouse's benefit amount and multiplies it by the percentage that applies to your age and situation. If your spouse was getting $1,500 a month, for example, and you may have access to for 75 percent, your benefit would be $1,125 before any reductions that might explore.
Your benefit amount can also be affected by something called the family maximum. This is a cap on the total amount Social Security will pay to your entire family based on one person's work record. If other family members are also receiving benefits on your spouse's record, your individual payment might be reduced so the family total does not exceed the maximum.
Key Takeaways
- Your widow's benefit is usually 75 percent of what your spouse was receiving, but this percentage changes based on your age when you start receiving it.
- The family maximum may reduce your payment if other relatives are also collecting on your spouse's work record.
- You can receive a widow's benefit at age 60, or at age 50 if you are disabled, though the payment is smaller at these ages.
- Your benefit stops if you remarry before age 60, unless you remarry after age 60, in which case it continues.
- Social Security will tell you the exact amount in a letter after you report your spouse's death and provide required documents.
How your age affects the percentage you receive
The percentage of your spouse's benefit that you receive depends on how old you are when you start collecting. If you wait until your full retirement age — which is the same age as your spouse's was — you receive 100 percent of what they were getting. This is the highest amount available to a widow.
If you start receiving benefits before your full retirement age, the percentage is lower. At age 60, you receive about 71 to 72 percent of your spouse's benefit. The closer you are to your full retirement age when you start, the higher the percentage climbs. Each month you wait adds a small amount to your percentage.
If you are disabled and under 60, you may be able to receive a widow's benefit at age 50. At that age, the percentage is about 71 to 72 percent — the same as it would be at age 60. The disability must have started before your spouse died or within seven years after their death.
The family maximum and how it might reduce your payment
Social Security sets a family maximum for each person's work record. This maximum is usually between 150 and 180 percent of what the deceased worker was receiving. If you are the only family member collecting on your spouse's record, the maximum does not affect you. But if your children, your spouse's ex-spouse, or other relatives are also receiving benefits, the total paid to all of them cannot exceed this cap.
When the family maximum is reached, Social Security reduces each person's payment proportionally. This means your widow's benefit might be less than the percentage you would normally receive. For example, if the family maximum is $3,000 a month and the total of all family members' benefits would be $3,500, each person's payment is reduced by about 14 percent.
You can ask Social Security what your family's maximum is. They will tell you when you report your spouse's death, and they will factor it into your payment calculation. If other family members stop receiving benefits later — such as when a child turns 19 — your payment may increase because more of the maximum is now available to you.
Remarriage and how it affects your widow's benefit
If you remarry before age 60, your widow's benefit stops when ready. You lose the right to collect on your spouse's record. If the new marriage ends — through divorce, death, or annulment — you may be able to restart your widow's benefit, but you will have to report the change to Social Security.
If you remarry at age 60 or later, your widow's benefit continues without interruption. You keep receiving the same amount you were getting before the remarriage. This is an important distinction: the age 60 threshold is the dividing line between losing your benefit and keeping it.
If you are receiving a widow's benefit and you marry someone who is also receiving Social Security benefits, your individual payments do not change. Each person's benefit is calculated separately based on their own work record or their own widow's or widower's status.
How to find out your exact benefit amount
Social Security will not calculate your widow's benefit until you report your spouse's death and provide the required documents. You will need an original or certified copy of the death certificate, your spouse's Social Security number, and proof of your own identity and age.
After you submit these documents — either in person at your local Social Security office, by mail, or through your online account at ssa.gov — a Social Security representative will review your case. They will determine your full retirement age, calculate the percentage you are may have access to to based on your current age, check for any family maximum reductions, and send you a letter with your exact monthly amount.
The letter will also explain when your first payment will arrive. Widow's benefits typically begin the month after Social Security receives your report, though this can vary. If you have questions about the amount in the letter, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or visit your local office to ask for an explanation.
What happens if your spouse was receiving reduced benefits
If your spouse started receiving Social Security before their full retirement age, they were receiving a reduced amount. Your widow's benefit is calculated as a percentage of that reduced amount, not of what they would have received at full retirement age. This means your widow's benefit will also be lower than it would have been if your spouse had waited.
For example, if your spouse started benefits at 62 and was receiving $1,200 a month instead of the $1,600 they would have received at full retirement age, your widow's benefit at your full retirement age would be based on the $1,200 figure. You would receive 100 percent of $1,200, not 100 percent of $1,600.
This is one reason some people choose to delay claiming Social Security — it increases not only their own benefit but also the benefit their surviving spouse or children will receive. There is no way to change this after your spouse has already started receiving benefits, so the decision was made when they first claimed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I receive a widow's benefit and my own Social Security benefit at the same time?
If you have your own work record with Social Security, you may be able to receive both benefits. Social Security will pay you the higher of the two amounts, not both combined. In some cases, you may receive a partial widow's benefit plus a partial retirement benefit, depending on your age and your own earnings record.
What if my spouse had not started receiving Social Security yet when they died?
You can still receive a widow's benefit. Social Security will calculate what your spouse would have been receiving at their full retirement age, then explore the widow's percentage based on your age. You do not need your spouse to have already claimed benefits for you to be may have access to to a widow's benefit.
Does my widow's benefit count as income for other programs like Medicaid or food information?
Yes, widow's benefits are counted as income for most means-tested programs. The amount may affect your may be able to access or the size of your benefit from other programs. Contact your state's Medicaid office or your local food information program to find out how your widow's benefit will be treated.
Can I receive a widow's benefit if my spouse and I were divorced?
Yes, if the marriage lasted at least 10 years. You can receive a benefit on your ex-spouse's record even if they have remarried. The rules about remarriage, age, and benefit amounts are the same as for a current spouse. You do not need your ex-spouse's permission to claim.
What if Social Security made a mistake in calculating my widow's benefit?
You can request a reconsideration within 60 days of receiving the decision letter. Contact your local Social Security office or call 1-800-772-1213 to explain what you believe is wrong. Social Security will review the case and send you a new decision letter explaining their findings.