You actually have more options than you did before.

And how to avoid them.

To prepare for what happens to Social Security benefits when you die, it’s a good idea to know about the following: The ...

Social Security's one-time death benefit is just $255, frozen since the 1950s and never indexed to inflation, shocking grieving spouses who expected real help. Delaying the higher-earning spouse's ...

Losing a spouse is devastating, and navigating Social Security in the aftermathcan be confusing, overwhelming, and full of decisions that can't be undone. Here's the problem: millions of widows and ...

You need to understand how the death of a spouse affects your Social Security check.

If a Social Security recipient passes away, their close relatives may qualify for benefits. Eligible survivors include a spouse, ex-spouses, minor children, disabled adult children, and dependent ...

Many surviving same-sex spouses wrongly assume ineligibility, but the SSA recognizes all same-sex marriages nationwide and requires only a 9-month marriage before death. Surviving spouses already at ...

With much of a person's Social Security benefit depending on their earnings record, spousal benefits allow people with shorter or spotty work histories to still reap some benefits from the program. By ...

Only 34% of participants knew how spousal benefits are calculated. Only 27% of participants knew the eligibility criteria for spouses' benefits. Those knowledge gaps could lead to costly financial ...

Your Social Security benefits won't cover all your expenses in retirement, but understanding how the program works and what levers you have to influence your checks can help you stretch your savings ...