Present Situation About Social Security Spouse And Survivor Benefits

Present Situation About Social Security Spouse And Survivor Benefits

When Social Security was launched back in 1935 it was typical for women to stay home to raise the family. In a large number of families the husband was the higher earner or the only earner in the family. Additionally, women statistically outlive men, especially if the wife is younger compared to the husband.

The coincidence of lower or no earnings and a longer life span meant many women got themselves in poverty when their husbands died, as their husband's Social Security retirement benefits expired at their death. The Social Security Board identified the challenges that women face and have employed several adjustments to the system over the years to account for these needs.

One of the first amendments to the Social Security plan was to allow women to apply for benefits at age 62 in place of waiting until 65 under the idea that they were younger than their husbands and that they would like to retire simultaneously.

Then in 1939 two new categories of benefits were added: Social Security survivor benefits and dependent benefits (to be paid to the spouse and minor children of retired workers).

These modifications converted Social Security from a retirement program that only paid benefits to retired employees into a family-based system, where spouses and children could receive benefits of retired, disabled or deceased workers. This was an incredible help to women who did not qualify for retirement benefits on their own, or who had considerably smaller benefits than their husbands.

Today, although it's not uncommon for women to earn as much or greater than their spouses, they still may take time off to raise families, and they still typically live longer than their spouses. In addition, the number of divorced women reaching retirement age is higher than it has ever been. Because of this, a lot of women still get Social Security spousal benefits or survivor benefits instead of benefits based on their own job records.

So it's essential for women - no matter what their marital status is - to learn the spousal and survivor benefits open to them in addition to the retirement benefits so they can get the highest benefits they are entitled to.

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