To better understand their potential benefits and financial risks in retirement, both spouses should be aware of some benefits planning realities.

In many instances, spouses execute what is referred to as reciprocal wills. What this means is that each spouse designates the other as the entire beneficiary or the primary beneficiary of their ...

Losing a spouse is emotionally shattering, and the financial fallout can quietly compound that grief for years. I focus here on five specific money mistakes that can devastate a surviving spouse, ...

When a spouse dies, the emotional shock often collides with an immediate financial question: what happens to the Social Security income that helped pay the bills. Survivor rules are technical, but ...

Losing a spouse brings immense emotional weight and, often, unexpected financial decisions. For many surviving spouses, one of the most complicated and confusing tasks is deciding what to do with the ...

It's of course very difficult to lose your spouse — and some survivors may also have to deal with the shock of higher taxes after their wife or husband dies. Stream Los Angeles News for free, 24/7, ...

Despite an intention to add a spouse or domestic partner to their Will, at times a decedent may neglect to do so prior to his/her death. Under such circumstances, however, a surviving spouse or ...

Debt collectors may pressure surviving spouses to pay debts they are not legally responsible for. It is important to understand which debts transfer to a surviving spouse, as laws vary by state.