Can a widow receive social security death benefits and her own retirement benefits at the same time?

Assumes that death benefits begin when husband would have been 62, and that widow's retirement benefits would begin when she reaches 62, and assumes that family maximum is not exceeded by either benefit stream, and that there are no dependants.

Public Comments

1. When my daddy died, my mother started receiving his death benefits, but they took away her social security.
2. No
3. Yes, but I believe the SS death benefit is a whole $255. So the widow can get the $255 and still be able to get her own retirement benfites.
4. If you're talking about collecting social security both on your own record and on that of your deceased husband's, no, you just get whichever is larger. If you're talking about the one-time "death benefit" of a couple hundred dollars, then yes.