For the whole 34yrs. that I have been part of my husband’s family, his parents have been divorced. They have had a very friendly, caring relationship over the years, sharing many family life-cycle events together. Sadly, my Father-in-law passed away almost two years ago. While processing everything that goes along with someone passing, no one paid attention to the positive economic effect that resulted for my Mother-in-law.
Because they had a long term marriage and she never re-married, when he passed she automatically received an increase in her Social Security benefit as a Surviving Spouse. While this may seem like a distasteful benefit, she is a woman in her 80’s in failing health; anything extra has been a god-send.
You never know what type of legacy you leave, or to whom.

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