Social Security is separate from his work pension, but it’s also a mess of rules. If you’ve been married for at least 10 years, you can claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled). But here’s the kicker: if you remarry before age 60, you lose the benefit entirely.
So, if your husband dies and you’re 55, you have to choose: stay single and collect his money, or marry that charming retiree from the pickleball court and kiss the checks goodbye. Welcome to retirement romance, where love costs you about $1,500 a month.
Also, if you’ve been divorced but he dies, you might still get his Social Security—as long as you didn’t remarry before age 60. Yes, the government is that nosy about your love life.
