widow benefits
A Widow’s Social Security Journey
The aftermath of losing a spouse is difficult enough, without the stress of dealing with the Social Security Administration when they learn of your spouse’s death. And Social Security does find out – if not from a survivor, they’re usually…
Attention, Women: Some Rules You Should Know About
Social Security is, as most people know, gender-neutral. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t portions of the rulebook that women need to pay special attention to. Tom Margenau, a 32-year veteran of various positions with the Social Security Administration, offers…
Widow(er) Benefits and Delayed Retirement Credits Explained
In a post on maximizemysocialsecurity.com, the firm’s analysts examine the question of how delayed retirement credits (DRCs) are applied to widow benefits, explaining how the full retirement rate a surviving spouse will receive is calculated when DRCs are involved. Check it…
Q&A on Spousal Benefits
In a post on www.forbes.com, contributor Laurence Kotlikoff tackles a series of questions about Social Security spousal benefits, one of the most misunderstood facets of the program. Check out his post here, and know that the AMAC Foundation offers a…
More on the Social Security Earnings Test
In a post on www.forbes.com, Laurence Kotlikoff provides a detailed explanation of the Social Security earnings test and how it impacts the benefits of those who choose to continue employment after filing for benefits. His post also addresses questions on an assortment…
Questions from widows, answered by an expert
Tom Margenau is a nationally recognized expert on Social Security matters, now retired after a long career with the Social Security Administration. In his most recent Social Security and You column appearing at Tucson.com, Tom fields a variety of questions…
Widows could benefit by changing Social Security’s survivor rules
While it’s true that women have made great strides to correct income inequality in the workplace, it’s a sad fact that widows are three times more likely to live in poverty than their married counterparts. This is largely because of the…