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Originally Posted by Bill14564
Right, it's not simple.
I believe if a spouse has worked they can choose to collect their benefits or the spouse benefits, whichever is higher, but they don't get to collect both.
Did your cousin receive four checks with her name on them or were three of those made out to her husband?
The three checks might not be inconsistent. Military benefits could be handled completely and totally separate from SS benefits. The Federal govt has had two retirement plans recently. One of those plans did not require paying into SS while the current plan does. WEP and GPO applied to the earlier, non-SS plan only. With the new plan, the retiree will receive both a pension check and a SS check with survivor benefits applying to both.
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When my cousin's husband died, she was eligible for 3 checks in her name, a SS check, a military survivor check, and a civilian Government pension survivor check. While he was alive, there were 4 checks, but only one was in her name, the SS spouse check.
But, the most absurd situation is that military people can retire after 20 years, and then immediately return as a GS-15 or SES civilian employee and earn another full pension. They have an inside track with military preference, and sometimes they return in one day to the same desk.