Dear Liz: My husband passed away 10 months ago. I applied for widow benefits.
The Social Security Administration sent me a letter that said they cannot pay because my Social Security benefit would equal two-thirds of the amount of my pension. Please help me with this.
Answer: This is known as the government pension offset, and it applies to people who receive a pension from a job that didn’t pay into Social Security. Any survivor or spousal benefits you might receive are reduced by two-thirds of the pension amount. In your case, your entire benefit was offset.
People are understandably upset to learn they don’t qualify for survivor or spousal benefits through Social Security. But since your pension is large enough to offset any benefit, you’re financially better off with the pension than without it.
For more information, see the government pension offset pamphlet, available online at SSA.gov/pubs or by calling the Social Security Administration toll-free at (800) 772-1213.
My wife and I have no kids or relatives to take care of us when we get old or get dementia. What other sources could we turn to administer our finances and long term care when we can’t
This column might help: https://asklizweston.com/qa-care-planning-for-solo-agers/