Q. Mrs. S writes: “I would like to know if I will be eligible to collect my deceased husband’s Social Security when I turn 60 years old. We were married for 15 years, before he died in January 2000. Since that time I re-married and divorced. At the present time I am not married. If I remain unmarried will I be entitled to surviving widow’s Social Security at age 60?”
A: If a widow is unmarried at the time that she attains age 60, she may be eligible for benefits from any prior marriage with a duration of 10 years or more. The individual should submit an application on or up to three months prior to attainment of age 60.
Q: A reader asks: “My father passed away 20 years ago, and since that time, I have found the State of Tennessee has unclaimed property in his name. I have all the information they require to claim his property except a Social Security card. How do I go about getting a Social Security card for someone deceased for this long? Thank you.”
A: If an individual is seeking the Social Security Number of a deceased family member, the individual should visit the Social Security office with ID for themselves and the deceased individual along with proof of relationship and we will issue a statement with the SSN. An original birth certificate is acceptable proof of relationship.
Q: “My cousin and I are both retired and get Social Security. We worked for the same employer for years, but he gets a higher Social Security benefit. Why is that?”
A: Your payments are based on your earnings over your lifetime – generally your highest 35 years.
To get the same benefit as your cousin, you and he must have had identical earnings, be the same age, and retire at the same time. To learn more about Social Security retirement benefits, visit www.socialsecurity.gov and select the “Retirement” link.
Get answers to your Social Security questions each Thursday from the Social Security staff. Submit questions by writing to Business Editor John Vass Jr., Chattanooga Times Free Press, P.O. Box 1447, Chattanooga, TN 37401-1447, or by e-mailing him at jvass@timesfreepress.com.