Ask Rusty – Will My Friend’s Fiancée be Entitled to a Survivor Benefit?
Dear Rusty: I have a very good friend who has cancer and will begin chemotherapy this week. He is 71 years old and is currently receiving Social Security benefits. He has been living with his fiancée for a little more than 2 years, but they have been a couple for about 15 years and will be married in the next few weeks. She is 60 years old.
I am naturally concerned about his, and her, future so my questions are: What, if anything, should he and his wife do to ensure that she gets his Social Security benefits?
What benefits will she be entitled to, and how soon will she be able to begin receiving them after his death?
Signed: A Friend with Questions