A widow can collect on her husband's Social Security record at age 60, or at any age if she is caring for his child under 16
The age at which you can collect depends on whether you are caring for a minor child. If you are not caring for a child under 16, you must wait until age 60 to collect a widow's benefit on your husband's record. If you are caring for his biological, adopted, or stepchild who is under 16, you can collect at any age, even in your 30s or 40s.
The amount you receive is a percentage of what your husband was receiving or would have received. If he had already started collecting when he died, you receive a percentage of his benefit amount. If he had not yet started collecting, Social Security calculates what he would have received at his full retirement age, and you receive a percentage of that amount.
You must have been married to him for at least nine months before his death for this benefit to be available to you, with limited exceptions for accidental death. You also cannot be married to someone else at the time you file.
Key Takeaways
- A widow can collect on her husband's Social Security record starting at age 60, or at any age if caring for his child under 16.
- The benefit amount is a percentage of what the husband was receiving or would have received at full retirement age.
- You must have been married for at least nine months before his death, with exceptions only for accidental death.
- Collecting before your full retirement age results in a permanently reduced benefit amount.
- You can switch to your own Social Security benefit at a later age if it becomes larger than the widow's benefit.
How the nine-month marriage requirement works
Social Security requires that you were married for at least nine months before your husband's death. This rule has no exceptions except in cases of accidental death — if your husband died in an accident, the nine-month requirement is waived.
The nine months do not need to be continuous. If you were married, divorced, and then remarried to the same person, Social Security counts all the time you were married to him toward the nine-month total. However, if you were married to different people, each marriage is counted separately.
If your husband died before you had been married nine months and it was not accidental, you cannot collect a widow's benefit on his record. You would only be able to collect on your own work record if you have one.
Widow's benefit amounts at different ages
The percentage of your husband's benefit that you receive depends on your age when you start collecting. If you start at age 60, you receive about 71.5 percent of what he was receiving or would have received. The percentage increases as you age.
At your full retirement age — which is 66 or 67 depending on your birth year — you receive 100 percent of what your husband was receiving or would have received. This is the maximum widow's benefit available to you.
If you are caring for his child under 16, you receive 75 percent of his benefit amount regardless of your age. This rate does not increase if you wait longer to collect.
| Your Age When You Start | Percentage of Husband's Benefit |
|---|---|
| 60 | About 71.5% |
| 62 | About 76% |
| Full retirement age (66–67) | 100% |
| Caring for child under 16 | 75% (any age) |
What happens if you remarry
If you remarry before age 60, you lose the right to collect on your deceased husband's record. You would then be able to collect on your new spouse's record instead, but only if you meet the requirements for that benefit.
If you remarry at age 60 or later, you can still collect on your deceased husband's record. Your new marriage does not affect this benefit.
If your new marriage ends in divorce or death, you can go back to collecting on your deceased husband's record if you were married to him for at least nine months.
Collecting your own benefit versus a widow's benefit
If you have your own work record with Social Security, you may eventually have a choice between collecting a widow's benefit and collecting on your own record. Social Security will pay you the larger of the two amounts, but not both at the same time.
Many widows find that their own benefit grows larger over time because it increases each year you delay collecting it. If you start a widow's benefit at 60 but wait until 70 to claim your own benefit, your own benefit will have grown significantly. At that point, Social Security switches you to your own benefit.
You do not have to make this choice yourself. Social Security automatically pays you whichever benefit is larger once you reach the age when both are available to you.
How to report your husband's death to Social Security
You do not need to report your husband's death to Social Security yourself. The funeral home or the vital statistics office usually reports it automatically. However, you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 to confirm they have received notice of his death.
When you are ready to collect a widow's benefit, you will contact Social Security to file. You can do this by phone at 1-800-772-1213, in person at your local Social Security office, or online at ssa.gov. You will need to provide your husband's Social Security number, a copy of your marriage certificate, and proof of his death, such as a death certificate.
If you are caring for his child under 16, you will also need to provide the child's birth certificate and proof that the child is in your care.
Widow's benefits for divorced widows
If you were divorced from your husband at the time of his death, you may still collect a widow's benefit on his record if the marriage lasted at least 10 years. This is different from the nine-month requirement for current spouses.
You must not be married to anyone else at the time you file. If you remarry before age 60, you lose the right to collect on your ex-husband's record. If you remarry at 60 or later, you can still collect.
The benefit amounts and ages are the same as for current widows. You can collect starting at age 60, or at any age if caring for his child under 16.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I collect a widow's benefit if my husband was not yet collecting Social Security when he died?
Yes. Social Security calculates what your husband would have received at his full retirement age and bases your widow's benefit on that amount. You do not need him to have already started collecting for you to be may have access to to a benefit.
What if I am caring for my husband's child but I am also working?
You can collect a widow's benefit while caring for a child under 16 regardless of how much you earn. There is no earnings limit for this benefit. However, if you collect a widow's benefit before your full retirement age and are not caring for a child, your benefit will be reduced if you earn above a certain amount.
Can I collect on my husband's record and my own record at the same time?
No. Social Security pays you one benefit at a time — whichever is larger. As you age and your own benefit grows, Social Security will automatically switch you to your own benefit if it becomes larger than the widow's benefit.
How long can my husband's child collect a benefit on his record?
A child can collect until age 19 if still in high school full-time, or until age 18 if not in school. A child who became disabled before age 22 can collect for life. Stepchildren and adopted children have the same rules as biological children.
What if my husband had remarried before he died?
His current spouse has the right to collect a widow's benefit on his record. If there is more than one widow (such as a current spouse and a divorced ex-spouse), Social Security divides the family benefit amount among them. Your share may be less than the full widow's benefit.