General Discussion

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)

75. A widow gets 100% of her (deceased) husband's SS,

Sat Sep 28, 2013, 06:47 PM

Sep 2013

unless her own is larger. I think technically she collects her own, and the difference between hers and his so it adds up to his.

And you become a widow when husband dies, even if you're now divorced from him, so long as you were married for at least ten years in the first place.

I believe originally the widow only got 50%, but that changed some time ago. A divorced spouse only gets 50% while ex is still alive.

I pay attention to these things, because I'm currently divorced. It will be to my financial benefit if my husband dies as soon as the court-ordered support money ends in about three years. Then I'll be his widow. And his full benefit will greater than mine, as he made more money all along.

Chances are the 90 year old widow's husband simply didn't earn a great deal, and so the benefit just isn't all that large.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

134 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

All the Older Single Ladies in Poverty [View all] xchrom Sep 2013 OP

No surprise. The top 1% have all the money, and they're not going to be giving it Dark n Stormy Knight Sep 2013 #1

The regime of ZIRP means that savers and those on fixed income, like elderly women kenny blankenship Sep 2013 #15

ZIRP is THE Biggest reason for the 1% / 99% Divide Yavin4 Sep 2013 #29

I have a master's degree (not in biz or finance, but still,,,) and I used to be in MENSA (stress Dark n Stormy Knight Sep 2013 #62

I'm taking out two CD's due next year, and simply keeping the cash. At least I'll know I have it. WinkyDink Sep 2013 #117

lots of gals trying to get by on 500/mo. SSI elehhhhna Sep 2013 #2

It's Social Security, NOT SSI, which is for the disabled. n/t duffyduff Sep 2013 #51

I receive SS of $1400 a month. RebelOne Sep 2013 #61

yep my only income is Soc. sec. under $1000/month ellenrr Sep 2013 #64

the 90 year old widows who never worked are screwed too - elehhhhna Sep 2013 #69

A widow gets 100% of her (deceased) husband's SS, SheilaT Sep 2013 #75

My mother would be 91 now if she were alive. Curmudgeoness Sep 2013 #84

Thanks. And you're right - the really desperate elderly widows on the south side of elehhhhna Sep 2013 #85

It was a low amount, but I thought that it was what the widow had earned in her own right Lydia Leftcoast Sep 2013 #92

Oh if only my ex would do me the favor....... llmart Sep 2013 #95

62 percent were "non-Hispanic whites" Divernan Sep 2013 #3

Very Sad MichaelKelley Sep 2013 #4

Uhh, the fact that they are living in deep poverty alittlelark Sep 2013 #108

Continuing War on Women. Downwinder Sep 2013 #5

"Smirk" - Republicons Berlum Sep 2013 #65

shame on us dembotoz Sep 2013 #6

This does not show the whole picture. I fit their discription and live with my grandson, his wife jwirr Sep 2013 #7

I don't get this paragraph... magical thyme Sep 2013 #8

SSI= differently funded income stream for very low income seniors, disabled, etc. Gormy Cuss Sep 2013 #25

For perspective, roughly 25% of American children live in poverty. nt Romulox Sep 2013 #9

that *does* give perspective. BlancheSplanchnik Sep 2013 #11

15% of seniors live in poverty, 25% of seniors in DC in poverty, 20% of seniors in Calif in poverty avaistheone1 Sep 2013 #60

Yes, we know that so what's your point? pitbullgirl1965 Sep 2013 #76

Talk about "Pulling the plug on Grandma." tblue Sep 2013 #10

I wonder what percentage of them vote for Republicans and are fundamentalists. JDPriestly Sep 2013 #12

Does it always have to come back to enlightenment Sep 2013 #30

I don't meant to say, "it's their own fault." JDPriestly Sep 2013 #35

I'll accept that, enlightenment Sep 2013 #40

One of the strangest things about Americans is when they don't vote for their own best interest. ellenrr Sep 2013 #68

And isn't it our responsibility as Democrats to talk to people about what their interests JDPriestly Sep 2013 #73

of course it is hard to tell people who are in financial trouble that they should vote for ellenrr Sep 2013 #123

Sanctions are much kinder than war and killing in that way. JDPriestly Sep 2013 #126

Message auto-removed Name removed Sep 2013 #38

As one ages, one's party is mostly a matter of habit. Religion, too. ... Hekate Sep 2013 #111

This can't be right! Aren't all Heather MC Sep 2013 #13

OK, so this topic isn't funny. Brigid Sep 2013 #16

Caregiving = Zero Years for Social Security mntleo2 Sep 2013 #14

excellent post. thanks for the info. over the last couple years the highest increase in divorce is seabeyond Sep 2013 #19

Very few women these days stay home, raise families, and don't have paying jobs. duffyduff Sep 2013 #52

Millions of them are still alive.. that may shock YOU, if you are young SoCalDem Sep 2013 #80

You don't understand the point of the post ... mntleo2 Sep 2013 #89

well, we made that choice. and we are not wealthy. we lived within our means. seabeyond Sep 2013 #90

Um, excuse me but I'm still very much alive...... llmart Sep 2013 #94

Yes! Yes! Yes! mntleo2 Sep 2013 #96

Thanks! llmart Sep 2013 #99

Spot on. Hekate Sep 2013 #112

I am one of them.. Getting a divorce a hair under 50 alittlelark Sep 2013 #110

+1000 Liberal_in_LA Sep 2013 #36

It's interesting that if two women work for each other's families for pay, the GDP goes up. SharonAnn Sep 2013 #46

That is fascinating.... alittlelark Sep 2013 #113

(Taking off glasses) Yes, Verrrry interrrresting.... mntleo2 Sep 2013 #120

I hate to say this, but that generation of women who were housewives has mostly died off. duffyduff Sep 2013 #50

Yeah, and the RW has the nerve to call food stamps theft, while endorsing Dark n Stormy Knight Sep 2013 #63

Early boomer women enlightenment Sep 2013 #83

So true! mntleo2 Sep 2013 #121

Erm, Love, boomer women got little benefit ... mntleo2 Sep 2013 #100

Tell it like it was...... llmart Sep 2013 #115

There are plenty of women in their 70's and 80's, mothers of Boomers. WinkyDink Sep 2013 #118

k&r deek Sep 2013 #104

Good grief IrishAyes Sep 2013 #17

This trend is going to reverse in the future fitman Sep 2013 #18

raising two sons, i do not want the boys to be struggling either. not a gender competition. BUT... seabeyond Sep 2013 #20

I don't think anyone should be surprised by this. ladyVet Sep 2013 #21

no more so than in past years hfojvt Sep 2013 #23

They still don't. "Older" now is the baby boomer generation and that right before it. duffyduff Sep 2013 #48

"a rapidly growing group" hfojvt Sep 2013 #22

there really is not one womens issues you do not readily dismiss. literally come into all the seabeyond Sep 2013 #26

I've noticed that. undeterred Sep 2013 #28

Me, too. chervilant Sep 2013 #70

maybe because I like to be included hfojvt Sep 2013 #33

unneeded confirmation. that is all. nt seabeyond Sep 2013 #34

unneeded snark, that is all hfojvt Sep 2013 #41

Yes. Men die earlier than women and our concern is women living alone joeglow3 Sep 2013 #49

Listen, Hon ... mntleo2 Sep 2013 #122

You are my new Hero! Sissyk Sep 2013 #124

not to enlighted about race either noiretextatique Sep 2013 #66

oh ya? well, hell, that is consistent. the three walk arm in arm. nt seabeyond Sep 2013 #77

yep noiretextatique Sep 2013 #88

Just a few starving elderly women, then. enlightenment Sep 2013 #31

As a member of this particular demographic madamesilverspurs Sep 2013 #32

at least THEY got an article hfojvt Sep 2013 #39

Ick. enlightenment Sep 2013 #42

Really? If you want to see nastiness. hfojvt Sep 2013 #44

Ah, bless your heart. enlightenment Sep 2013 #45

+1000 noiretextatique Sep 2013 #67

except that I never did any dismissing hfojvt Sep 2013 #81

Low wage workers die earlier mntleo2 Sep 2013 #101

Well, aren't you precious. Hekate Sep 2013 #109

When was the last SS raise that was above inflation? hootinholler Sep 2013 #24

with 10,000 baby boomers retiring everyday questionseverything Sep 2013 #27

Er, SS has more than two and a half trillion in the fund. Cleita Sep 2013 #55

i did not say ss was going broke at all questionseverything Sep 2013 #72

no fault divorce is one cause of this phenomenon grasswire Sep 2013 #37

not that big a cause hfojvt Sep 2013 #43

yep grasswire Sep 2013 #53

I'm one of those who are widowed. Cleita Sep 2013 #56

to me, part of that is the unfair way they price utilities hfojvt Sep 2013 #74

One can blather on and on about "investing," but if you work all your life duffyduff Sep 2013 #47

If our social security reflected the real COLA over the last Cleita Sep 2013 #54

That's what 50 to 66% of income will get you BlueToTheBone Sep 2013 #57

My mom talks about all her single older women friends in this boat. Arugula Latte Sep 2013 #58

How was this unexpected? haikugal Sep 2013 #59

women get paid less Skittles Sep 2013 #78

Exactly...and this was unknown to who? haikugal Sep 2013 #102

Excellent point. Curmudgeoness Sep 2013 #87

If you like it, then you should have put a corrective back brace on it. Warren DeMontague Sep 2013 #71

Many women "of a certain age" were never "allowed" to work in a capacity SoCalDem Sep 2013 #79

Kick! sarcasmo Sep 2013 #82

"America's ladies are not doing a great job of figuring it out on our own": way to blame the victims Hekate Sep 2013 #86

you are abso-fuckin-lutely correct. nt seabeyond Sep 2013 #91

Glad I didn't have kids! n/t PasadenaTrudy Sep 2013 #93

Thank you for speaking for us ladies in our 60's...... llmart Sep 2013 #97

Makes two of us!! haikugal Sep 2013 #103

unfortunately, what goes around does NOT come around eom deek Sep 2013 #105

women also take more time off to care for ailing parents Skittles Sep 2013 #107

We really need to be able to rec replies to OPs Barack_America Sep 2013 #129

Thank you for that Hekate Sep 2013 #132

Kicked and recommended. Uncle Joe Sep 2013 #98

This is a problem that's affecting the elderly all across the country. cristianmarie533 Sep 2013 #106

The sad consequence of a capitalist society in which each individual or family unit needs to be self gtar100 Sep 2013 #114

K&R.......This nation's priorities are askew. Enthusiast Sep 2013 #116

Even 0.1% is unnacceptable, but are these statistics accurate enough... Silent3 Sep 2013 #119

My retirement plan is living with a couple other people close to my age Marrah_G Sep 2013 #125

22% of children live in poverty. The 24% of the population who are kids constitute 36% of all poor. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2013 #127

fuck that. it shouldn't be any one group. xchrom Sep 2013 #128

Childhood poverty has gone up about 40% in the last 15 years. lumberjack_jeff Sep 2013 #130

Whatever.nt xchrom Sep 2013 #131

Yeah, let the elderly rot in the name of "saving the kids" n/t duffyduff Sep 2013 #133

Did you read the graphs? lumberjack_jeff Sep 2013 #134