8/31/09

we're taking a little time off


We're taking a short break (wish it was on the tropical island in that photo).

Look for our next post next week, on Wednesday, September 9.

Until then, please check out our past posts for tips and support.

Take care.

Laurie and Ruth

8/14/09

we're on opentohope.com this sunday


Since discovering an excellent bereavement website and blog by another mother/daughter team of psychotherapist/authors (who knew?), we’ve become contributing writers to their site.

This coming Sunday, August 16, “Too Much, Too Little; How to Balance Your Need for Support” will be the Feature Article of the Day on http://www.opentohope.com/.

The Open to Hope Foundation and it’s network site, The Grief Blog.com, cover a variety of types of range of losses, from the death of a family member to the loss of a pet. Drs. Gloria and Heidi Horsley also host a popular syndicated radio talk show, Healing the Grieving Heart.

We’re excited to be a part of these sites and hope you’ll take a look at what they have to offer.

If you have any ideas for what topics you’d like us to cover on our own blog, please let us know.

8/7/09

how working affects young widowed survivor benefits



We came across SocialSecurityHop.com, a useful site that addresses some common questions about survivor benefits.

A question from a young woman who had been widowed and had to support young children was of particular interest:

My husband passed last year and I am collecting Social Security benefits for myself and my small children. Can I go to work part-time without losing these benefits? I am no where near retirement age but I am the caretaker of the my children. If I can, HOW MUCH am I allowed to make????????

According to SocialSecurityHop, you can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. But, if you are younger than full retirement age and earn more than certain amounts, your benefits will be reduced. The specifics vary from case to case, but in one instance, if you are younger than full retirement age during all of 2009, Social Security will deduct $1 from your benefits for each $2 you earned above $14,160.