survivor benefits from social security
I will be collecting my late husband’s social security since it is higher than mine. It is my understanding that i will receive 100% of his. Is this figured on his gross or his net? If figured on his net, his medicare is taken out and then mine also. I received a statement and it I am not receiving 100% of his. I appreciate any help you can give me.
I have called social security to apply for the burial payment and then asked question about my benefits and the lady told me my time was up and hung up on me.
I am very upset and appreciate any advise you can give me.
Terry Says
You should receive 100% of his benefit — minus YOUR deductions for Medicare. You can find out exactly what he was getting (the base monthly amount) on his account at Medicare.gov (if it is still an open account after his death) — OR by looking over last year’s tax return you filed including the Medicare gross amount on the form they sent him. (That’s assuming he died last year.) Or the previous year, if he passed mid-year. Then divide by 12 to get the monthly amount before deductions. That’s what you should be receiving.
And this year, you should get a bit more because of the 5.9% inflation COLA.
While the people who answer questions online at SS are often dumb and rude, the software typically gets it exactly right. So if your first payment on his account doesn’t seem correct, please write back.
