topic can I claim survivor benefits as I am receiving ex-husbands pension payments due to being survived by him in Retirement tax questions

can I claim survivor benefits as I am receiving ex-husbands pension payments due to being survived by him

tonimc22 — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:30:53 GMT

i live in ohio

Re: can I claim survivor benefits as I am receiving ex-husbands pension payments due to being sur...

DaveF1006 — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 19:42:55 GMT

It depends. it sounds like you are already receiving survivor benefits if you are receiving your ex-husband's pension. Typically you may receive benefits if you were married to your ex-husband for a long enough period (typically 10 years or more).

You may wish to contact the plan administrator for further details if unsure of your eligibility in receiving these payments.

Re: can I claim survivor benefits as I am receiving ex-husbands pension payments due to being survived by him

Opus 17 — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 21:35:55 GMT

There is nothing to claim on your income tax return for being a spouse survivor. You owe income tax on whatever your income happens to be. If your income includes a survivor's pension, that's part of your taxable income. If you think there is a state exemption to tax on the pension, you have to check with your state.

If you are providing care in your home for a qualifying person, usually a child dependent, you can use the filing status of "surviving spouse" (used to be called qualifying widow/widower). This provides some of the advantages of married filing jointly instead of single, but it only applies if you are caring for a dependent.