Q. I am retired on disability and receive SS Disability. Does my wife receive the same benefit amount that I am receiving at the time of death?

A. When you were approved for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, your benefit was calculated as if you had already reached retirement age. A benefit to your widow will be calculated the same as the widow of any other Social Security retiree.

If your wife is full retirement age or more before being widowed, her widow benefit will be the full benefit you would receive if still alive. If she is less than full retirement age, her widow benefit will be reduced for each month of early retirement. A widow who begins a widow benefit at age 60, for example, receives 71.5 percent of her deceased husband’s full benefit.

Q. My son, daughter and I receive Soc. Sec. survivor benefits since my husband’s death. My son will turn 18 in April and will no longer receive a check. Will my daughter’s check increase at that time? I have a part-time job, but have a $54,000 income limit for my own benefit. It will be a challenge to stay within that limit and still care for a young child and college student.

A. Your son will remain eligible for a dependent child benefit until age 18, age 19 if still in high school. When his benefit ends, your caregiver benefit and your daughter’s dependent child benefit will increase, but your combined benefits will not be as much as your family now receives.

There is a family maximum payable on any wage earner’s Social Security earnings record. The retired and survivor family maximum varies but ranges from 150 to 180 percent of the deceased wage earner’s primary benefit. When there are more than two surviving dependents, the family maximum is divided equally between all eligible beneficiaries. When there are only two eligible dependents, each receives 75 percent of the primary benefit or a combined 150 percent of the primary benefit.

Q. My niece’s husband, 24, died 10 days ago leaving his wife and two daughters ages 5 and 2. He had a regular job. Are there any possible Social Security benefits available for the daughters?

A. As soon as convenient, your niece should call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 or call or visit her local Social Security office to apply for a $255 lump sum death benefit and to file an application for monthly benefits for herself and her daughters. She will need her deceased husband’s Social Security account number, his death certificate, their marriage certificate and birth certificates for the daughters. She need not wait until all the documents are assembled before starting the application process.

When a wage earner as young as your niece’s husband dies, his dependents are insured for survivor benefits if he had as little as one and a half years of Social Security earnings credits. The daughters will be entitled to benefits until age 18 (19 if still in high school). Your niece could receive a caregiver benefit until the youngest daughter reaches age 16.

Q. I am 64 and my Social Security benefit at age 66 will be $2,240. My husband will receive a smaller retirement benefit when he reaches age 66 of only about $500. He plans to apply for benefits on his own record at age 66. Will he be able to receive a higher benefit when I apply for retirement benefits when I reach age 66?

A. Yes. When you begin receiving Social Security benefits at age 66, as you plan, he will be eligible for an additional amount on your Social Security record that would provide him with a total monthly benefit that would be equal to half of your own benefit.
If you expect your annual earnings to exceed the limitation but would like to receive some months of benefits, the best time to apply for benefits to begin is January. Provide the Social Security Administration with your best estimate of earnings for the year. The Social Security Administration will determine how many months of benefits are payable based on your earnings estimate. If you continue working, benefits will cease at the beginning of the following year. Based on your new estimate of annual earnings, benefits will resume when they are again payable.

The annual earnings limitation rises each year in keeping with the rise of wages in the economy. The general limitation for 2019 is $17,640. A higher limitation applies the year full retirement age is reached. The higher limitation for 2019 is $46,920. Beginning with the month full retirement age is reached, a benefit is payable regardless of earnings.

Q. I would like to collect Social Security. I’m 63 but I am told I can only earn 17,000/yr. Why do they have the right to tell me how much I can earn? I don’t want any more than I am entitled to. The money in there is mine.

A. Social Security is intended to replace earnings lost by retirement, disability or death. The annual Social Security earnings limitation is a rough measure as to whether an applicant for retirement benefits has actually retired. Beginning with the month full retirement age is reached, full benefits can be paid regardless of earnings.

If you expect your annual earnings to exceed the limitation but would like to receive some months of benefits, the best time to apply for benefits to begin is January. Provide the Social Security Administration with your best estimate of earnings for the year. The Social Security Administration will determine how many months of benefits are payable based on your earnings estimate. If you continue working, benefits will cease at the beginning of the following year. Based on your new estimate of annual earnings, benefits will resume when they are again payable.

The annual earnings limitation rises each year in keeping with the rise of wages in the economy. The general limitation for 2019 is $17,640. A higher limitation applies the year full retirement age is reached. The higher limitation for 2019 is $46,920. Beginning with the month full retirement age is reached, a benefit is payable regardless of earnings.

Q. I want to begin benefits in August. How much can I work and earn while drawing SS benefits?

A. In the first year of retirement — and in that year alone — a monthly earnings test is used. The monthly test is 1/12th of the annual amount ($1,470 in 2019 for those under full retirement age). After benefits begin, no benefit whatsoever is payable for any month that earnings exceed the monthly limit. The monthly test permits retirement benefits to begin in mid-year without regard to how much is earned before benefits begin. Even in the first year of retirement, the annual test can be used if it permits more months of benefits to be paid. If the annual test is used, all earnings for the year must be considered.

Q. Please advise if, after the death of a husband, the surviving wife is entitled to receive her deceased husband’s full benefit? This was a recent discussion we had today with others.

A. A young widow with dependent children is entitled to a child-in-care benefit until the youngest child reaches age 16. After child care benefits cease, no benefit is payable to the widow until she reaches retirement age. Dependent children are entitled to survivor benefits until age 18; age 19 if still in high school.

A retirement-age widow receives whichever Social Security benefit is the greater amount — her own benefit or the benefit her husband would receive if still alive. If a widow is less than full retirement age when benefits begin, her widow benefit could be reduced for months of early retirement. A widow who has not begun her own benefit before being widowed has the option of which benefit to begin first. She can begin to receive a reduced widow benefit as early as age 60 (50 if she is disabled) and change to her own benefit at full retirement age or later. Her benefit reaches its maximum at age 70. Alternatively, she can wait until age 62 to begin her own reduced benefit and switch to an unreduced widow benefit at full retirement age.

Q. My daughter is named as the guardian of our disabled son when we both pass away. Will she be entitled to Social Security as the “guardian” of a disabled child? What will the payments be, if any, in relationship to my present Social Security payments?

A. Social Security provides a benefit to a parent caring for a young dependent child or a disabled adult child entitled to benefits. A guardian or other caregiver is not entitled to a benefit.

A surviving disabled adult child is entitled to a benefit equal to 75 percent of the wage earner’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). A PIA is the monthly benefit a wage earner receives if he or she begins Social Security retirement benefits in the month full retirement age is reached. If you retired earlier or later, call the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 and ask for your Primary Insurance Amount. That will enable you to determine how much your daughter will receive on your son’s behalf when she becomes his guardian.

Q. I am 75 years old; my wife is 61. I did not start collecting Social Security until age 70 and receive about $1,650 per month benefit. How much can my wife expect to receive at my death, assuming it happens this year? What would her benefit be at age 65, 66, 67?

A. If Social Security widow benefits begin at or after full retirement age your wife would receive the same benefit you would receive if still alive. Her widow benefit would be reduced for each month of early retirement if widow benefits begin before she reaches full retirement age. The rate of reduction is approximately 5.7 percent per year. The Social Security Administration can provide you a precise amount if you call 1-800-772-1213 or call or visit your local office.

Q. Is it correct that if my wife receives Social Security based on her own earnings at 62 she cannot switch to 50% of my benefit when I retire? One more question, please. Is there some kind of a “family maximum” that affects how much retirement benefits a married couple can receive? Thanks again.

A. No, that’s not true. Your wife may begin her own reduced Social Security benefit and still qualify for an additional spouse benefit when you begin your benefit. However, a wife who retires early never receives the full 50 percent. Her own early retirement must be taken into consideration. A very simple example may help. Assume your wife’s full retirement age benefit is $400 and your full-retirement age benefit is $1,400. If she begins her benefit at age 62, her early retirement reduction will reduce her benefit to approximately $300. Assuming she is full retirement age when you retire, her $300 monthly payment will increase by $300 – the difference between her full benefit ($400) and half of your full benefit ($700). Her new monthly payment would be $600.

The family maximum does not affect the amount of benefits that can be paid to a married couple when both have been in the work force. Each receives his or her own benefit. There is a family maximum on the amount of benefits that can be paid on a single earnings record. For example, the maximum would be reached if a deceased wage earner left a widow and two dependent children.