Spousal Benefit

[Calm1]

• If the wife is a home maker and has never worked (has no accumulated social security points) and if the husband dies at 62 (before claiming his social security) can the wife apply for social security benefit with husband's credit and If so, does she receive 50% of the potential husband's benefit?

• Also, does she have to wait till she turns 67 to file or can she file at 62 with reduced benefit

[Tonster521]

@Calm1 Please note that there is a difference between Spousal Benefits and Survivor Benefits. Survivor Benefits are payable based on the situation you described. The Survivor Benefit is generally payable from age 60 to your Full Retirement Age (66 to 67) at 71.5% to 99% of the deceased's worker's basic benefit amount. At Full Retirement Age or after, 100% of the deceased worker's benefit amount. Here is a link https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/ifyou.html#h6  Hope this helps.

[elayne24]

My husband passed away at 59. I started taking his social security benefits at age 60. Our situation was a little different from yours because I had worked all my adult life. I had planned on switching to my own benefit at age 67. In the meantime, my ex-husband passed away and Social Security recommended I switch to his benefit; higher than my own so no need to switch again. Call your local Social Security office. If they are like mine, they are incredibly kind and helpful.

Good luck!

Layne