Plan out your Social Security survivor benefits

It’s might not be a pleasant topic, but it’s important to discuss Social Security benefits with your spouse in the event that one of you dies. When one of the spouses dies, the widow or widower is entitled to up to 100% of the deceased’s Social Security retirement benefits, if their own benefits are lower than the deceased’s.

Therefore, it’s logical for the spouse with the higher earnings to retire later than the spouse with the lower earnings. This way, when two Social Security checks become only one, the surviving spouse could benefit from the highest amount possible. Find out more about this option and more in our post: 7 Key Social Security Benefits You Might Be Unaware Of.