# question on social security



## ronaldj (Jan 18, 2016)

If the wife takes half of the husbands social security andhe dies, does her amount go up to equal what he was getting. The wife has notworked enough to take hers and is thinking about taking half this year? Someonetold me that if she is getting half and I pass she will get my amount.


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## Sunny (Jan 18, 2016)

Yes, I think the survivor gets the larger of the two payments.


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## applecruncher (Jan 18, 2016)

To get correct and complete answers to Social Securoty questions call Social Security *1-800-772-1213.*


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## FazeFour (Jan 19, 2016)

Yes. Dad died in 07. Mom was receiving a small soc-sec pension (she had been a housewife, worked only after all 7 kids reached adulthood). After his death, her monthly pension increased to an amount equal to what he had been receiving.


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## mathjak107 (Jul 14, 2016)

ronaldj said:


> If the wife takes half of the husbands social security andhe dies, does her amount go up to equal what he was getting. The wife has notworked enough to take hers and is thinking about taking half this year? Someonetold me that if she is getting half and I pass she will get my amount.




depends .

there are 3 factors .     survivor benefits are what the husband was getting less a deduction if the wife is not  full retirement age .   so if the husband took early ss that is one cut , if the wife takes that survivor benefit and as an example is 62 she gets the higher of the reduced amount the husband got or his full x.81  because she gets cut for not being full retirement age .

if she is full retirement age then she just gets the husbands .

she can take her own until full retirement age and then take survivor or the reverse . both are options .

but there always will be that penalty if the wife is not full retirement age  . she can start survivor benefits at age 60 but then it is reduced more . it is the husbands full beneft x .71 if she is 60


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## OneEyedDiva (Aug 5, 2016)

Go to www.ssa.gov and you will find answers to your question and other questions you may have.


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