The gummint wants all the money it can get ... look at all the ways they cheat us OUT of our money.
When My first wife died in June 2004, the following election (Nov 2004) she had disappeared from the voting books of the small town we live in.
I did nothing to notify anyone about anything and I was told there is an ongoing search of obits and stuff that they find out who, and cross them off.
Besides ... when I die, my second wife gets my SS anyway.
So I'm dead (the SS name on the role) but my wife gets the check ... knarf still gets a check.
I think the article is intentionally misleading.
Your wife may be entitled to Social Security benefits, which are based upon yours, but she is not going to be using your account. Social Security will set up her own account, at that time - and she has to “qualify” for it to happen.
Survivors Planner: If You Are The Survivor
http://www.ssa.gov/survivorplan/ifyou.htm
Just as you plan for your family’s protection if you die, you should consider the Social Security benefits that may be available if you are the survivor—that is, the spouse or child—of a worker who dies. That person must have worked long enough under Social Security to qualify for benefits.
How Your Spouse Earns Social Security Survivors Benefits
A worker can earn up to four credits each year. In 2013, for example, your spouse can earn one credit for each $1,160 of wages or self-employment income. When your spouse has earned $4,640, he or she has earned his or her four credits for the year.
The number of credits needed to provide benefits for survivors depends on the worker’s age when he or she dies. The younger a person is, the fewer credits he or she must have for family members to receive survivors benefits. But no one needs more than 40 credits (10 years of work) to be eligible for any Social Security benefit.
However, benefits can be paid to the worker’s children and the surviving spouse who is caring for the children even if the worker doesn’t have the required number of credits. They can get benefits if the worker has credit for one and one-half years of work (6 credits) in the three years just before his or her death.
My mother is receiving my father’s SS benefit, but she has to fill out a form every year stating that she has not re-married. You would think they would require something similar from everyone - a notarized form proving you are not dead & still eligible for benefits. ;-)