Regarding the Social Security retirement benefit, according to their website the maximum that a recipient can get in 2017 at 62 years of age is $2,153. At full retirement age the 2017 max is $2,687.
When both husband and wife are drawing SS retirement money and one or the other dies, the deceased's SS benefit ends.
Depending on how much the deceased spouse's SS was, the loss of it could be a fairly substantial hit on total household income for the surviving spouse. While the surviving spouse does have the option of drawing the larger of the two SS retirement benefits, it still could mean a significant loss of total income.
As I understand, too, usually defined employer pensions are reduced if the employee chooses to include their spouse as a recipient upon their death. Some defined employer pensions may have limitations on how long they continue paying retirement benefits to a surviving spouse.
Last edited by joken2; 12/08/17.
