Can a Widow Receive Both Her Own Social Security Benefit and Her Deceased Husband's?

Had a client inquire on behalf of a neighbor who recently lost her husband to COVID. The surviving spouse was told by SS that she in entitled to receive her SS benefit AND his because he died from COVID and they have been paying her both benefits since April.  My bet is that someone at SS made a mistake, and that SS will come calling for a repayment of benefits. I can’t imagine cause of death being COVID would change what a surviving spouse is entitled to receive. Am I right?

You are correct in your assessment that there is no special exception in Social Security regulations for receiving both one's own benefit and a deceased spouse's full benefit due to a COVID-related death. Generally, a surviving spouse is entitled to receive the higher of the two benefits, either her own or the deceased spouse's benefit. However, what may be happening in this case is that the surviving spouse is receiving her own Social Security benefit and an additional amount from her deceased husband’s record, which together equals the full widow's benefit.

This is not the same as receiving both full benefits separately; rather, the surviving spouse is being brought up to the level of her late husband's benefit if it is higher than her own. If the total benefit she is receiving exceeds what she is entitled to, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will likely catch the mistake and request repayment of the overpaid amount. Therefore, it is essential to clarify the situation with SSA to ensure that there is no misunderstanding or potential overpayment that could result in a future financial liability.

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