The Savings Game: Reader questions about Social Security

Q. I was married for more than 10 years before my divorce. My ex worked many years under Social Security. If I remarry, will I lose the right to survivor benefits if I remarry?

A. Good question. If you remarry after age 60, you still are entitled to a survivor benefit based on your ex’s Social Security benefit. However, you would be entitled to one benefit out of a possible three: either the survivor benefit based on your ex’s work record, or the benefit based on your own work record, or the Social Security benefit you are entitled to based on your new spouse’s work record, whichever is greater.

Q. My spouse does not plan to apply for his Social Security benefit until age 70. He is 68. I am 65, and worked many years under Social Security. I have not filed for my Social Security benefit yet, because I have not reached my full retirement age, which is 67. My husband’s Social Security benefit will be greater than mine. When should I apply for my Social security benefit?

A. If you apply for a Social Security benefit now based on your work record, it will be discounted because you are applying prior to reaching your full retirement age (FRA). If you wait until 67 to apply, when your husband reaches age 70 and applies for his benefit, you will be entitled to a spousal benefit equivalent to 50% of his FRA benefit. If you apply for Social Security benefits now, your spousal benefit would be discounted slightly because you applied prior to your FRA.

My suggestion is that you ask a representative at the Social Security Administration (SSA) what your monthly benefit would be now, based on your work record, and what the benefit would be if you waited until 67. Also ask SSA what your spousal benefit would be if you applied now, as opposed to what it would be if you waited until 67, when your husband plans to apply for his benefit. With that information, you will be in a better position to decide when you should apply for a benefit.

After you reach your FRA, if your husband predeceases you, you would be entitled to 100% of his age 70 benefit as a survivor benefit, even if you apply for your Social Security benefit now.

Q. My wife passed away in 2024. She was receiving more for her Social Security benefit than I am for mine because I did not work as many years under Social Security as she did. I worked many years as a teacher, when I was not working under Social Security. I am receiving a pension from my work as a teacher. When my wife passed, I asked Social Security whether I was entitled to a survivor benefit. They indicated that because of the size of my pension from my work as a teacher, I was not entitled to a survivor benefit. I understand that because of the repeal of WEP and GPO, I may now be entitled to a survivor benefit. Is that true?

A. That is correct. Under the regulations in effect in 2024, any survivor benefit you would be entitled to would have been reduced by two-thirds of your pension. With the repeal of GPO, known as Government Pension Offset, which was passed at the end of 2024, which is retroactively effective as of January 2024, your survivor benefit is no longer reduced by two-thirds. So you will now be eligible for a full survivor benefit. You should contact SSA and request a survivor benefit. You would be entitled to whichever is greater, the survivor benefit or the amount of your Social Security benefit based on your work record, but not both.

Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com.