APPLY FOR SURVIVORS BENEFITS
A surviving spouse at least 60 years old can collect a percentage of a deceased spouse’s benefit. By waiting until full retirement age, the surviving spouse would receive a higher benefit — up to 100 percent of the deceased’s benefit, depending how old the deceased was when Social Security payments started. Survivor benefits are available even if the deceased was not yet receiving checks from the Social Security Administration. If both spouses are retired and collecting Social Security, the higher benefit is the one that endures regardless which half of the couple lives longest.