Social Security is an important source of income for widows. Check the list below to determine if you may be qualified for widow ’s benefits. A widow who is already receiving Social Security benefits can receive either their own benefit …
Social Security Survivors Benefits
Social Security survivors benefits are paid to widows, widowers, and dependents of eligible workers. This benefit is particularly important for young families with children. The Social Security Administration (SSA) Survivors Benefits page provides detailed information about survivors benefits and can …
Going it Alone – A Guide for Widows
Women are three times more likely to experience the death of a spouse than men. For many women, widowhood means taking on and making important decisions about current and future financial, legal, and personal matters at a particularly difficult time. …
Managing the Financial Impact of Widowhood
The emotional impact of widowhood can be overwhelming, but the financial impact can hit just as hard. There is often a decline in standard of living for the surviving spouse; household income can decline due to changes in Social Security …
Widowhood: Why Women Need to Talk About This Issue
Widowhood is one of life’s tragedies that most families hope to avoid. However, for most married women, it is inevitable. It’s a life situation that can affect even those who appear to be safe. It happened to Katie Couric, former …
Rights of Surviving Spouses
As a widow or widower, you may have the right to part of your spouse’s pension. The money you are entitled to receive is called a survivor’s benefit. Whether or not you are eligible to receive a survivor’s pension depends …
Widows and Widowhood
What Women Need to Know Widowhood is often associated with unexpected loss in income support. Women often find that after their spouse dies, they are overwhelmed by their emotional loss and their new responsibility for handling the family finances. Married …
Marriage and Finances: Planning for the Unexpected
There are many benefits to being an active participant in managing the household finances when you are married. One of those benefits, while not easy to think about, is being better prepared to deal with some of life’s unexpected events. …
Pension and Survivor Benefits
If you are married when you retire, and either you or your spouse has a traditional defined-benefit pension, you will face some choices when you retire and apply for benefits. A defined benefit pension plan is a pension plan that promises …