Answer four questions. We'll show you exactly what happens financially when one spouse dies — the income drop, the legal exposure, and the documents you'll need in the first 72 hours.
Step 1 of 4
Where do you live?
Step 2 of 4
How old are you and your spouse?
Step 3 of 4
What's your combined household income?
Enter your total monthly household income. We’ll format it for you automatically.
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Step 4 of 4
Where does most of your income come from?
Building Your Survival Report
Personalized for Margaret · Florida
Modeling Social Security survivor benefit...
Calculating household income impact...
Loading Florida property and title laws...
Checking Medicaid exposure for surviving spouse...
Compiling your 72-hour action checklist...
Generating personalized PDF report...
The Widow's Playbook — Surviving Spouse Financial Survival Report
Prepared for Margaret
State of Florida · Age 67 · Spouse Age 71 · Primary Income: Social Security
If your spouse dies, your household income drops immediately.
$5,400
Both Alive
$3,240
Surviving Spouse
↓
–$2,160/month40% income reduction · $25,920 less per year
Social Security Survivor Benefit Analysis
How Your Benefits Change at Death
Today: Both Spouses Receiving Benefits
Your benefit: $1,800/mo + Spouse's benefit: $2,640/mo
After Spouse's Death: Smaller Check Eliminated
SSA pays one-time $255 lump sum death benefit. Spouse's check stops. You keep the higher of the two — $2,640/mo as your survivor benefit.
Net Monthly Loss
Your original $1,800 benefit is replaced by $0. You keep one check, not two. –$1,800/mo gone permanently.
!
The "Two Checks to One" Trap
Most couples don't realize that Social Security survivor benefits replace the lower check entirely — not supplement it. At $2,160/month less in total household income (including other sources), your fixed expenses remain the same: mortgage, insurance, utilities, property tax. The income gap compounds immediately.
i
Delaying Could Have Increased This Number
If the higher-earning spouse had delayed claiming until age 70, the survivor benefit would have been approximately 76% higher than the age-62 amount. This decision is locked once benefits begin — but understanding the math now helps plan around the gap.
What Happens to Your Home (Florida)
Homestead Exemption
Unlimited
Florida offers unlimited value homestead protection from unsecured creditors (Art. X, §4, FL Constitution). Your $340,000 home is fully protected while you live in it.
Title Transfer at Death
Life Estate
Under FL intestacy, the surviving spouse receives a life estate in the homestead with remainder to descendants — not full ownership. If your children are from a prior marriage, this creates a "divided interest" situation.
Lady Bird Deed Available
Yes ✓
Florida is one of only 5 states allowing Enhanced Life Estate (Lady Bird) Deeds. This bypasses probate AND shields the home from Medicaid estate recovery. Recording cost: typically under $50.
Probate Required?
Likely
FL small estate threshold is $75,000. Your home value of $340,000 will likely trigger formal probate administration (FL Title XLII) unless a trust or Lady Bird Deed is in place.
⚠
Florida Homestead Descent Restriction
Florida's constitution restricts how a married homeowner can dispose of the homestead at death. If you have children from a prior marriage, the surviving spouse cannot inherit the home outright — only a life estate. This means you can live there but cannot sell it, refinance it, or use the equity without court involvement. This catches Florida couples off guard constantly.
Medicaid Exposure as Surviving Spouse
Individual Asset Limit
$2,000
Once your spouse dies, CSRA spousal protections no longer apply. If you later need nursing home care, your countable assets must be at or below $2,000 to qualify for Medicaid.
Income Cap (Florida)
$2,982/mo
Florida is an "income cap" state. If your survivor income of $2,640/mo is your only source, you are currently below the cap. Any additional income (pension, part-time work) could push you over — requiring a Miller Trust.
Home Equity Limit
$752,000
Your home equity of $340,000 is below the 2026 minimum cap. Your residence would be exempt from Medicaid asset counting while you live in it.
Look-Back Period
60 Months
Florida enforces a full 5-year look-back on asset transfers. If you give away assets now and need Medicaid within 5 years, those transfers create a penalty period of ineligibility.
!
Medicaid Estate Recovery (MERP) Risk
If you receive Medicaid-funded long-term care as a surviving single individual, Florida can pursue estate recovery against probate assets after your death. Without a Lady Bird Deed or trust, your $340,000 home is the primary recovery target. Average Florida nursing home cost: $9,338/month. One year of care = $112,000 in potential MERP claims against your estate.
✓
Lady Bird Deed Is Your Best Defense
Because Florida follows "probate-only" estate recovery, a Lady Bird Deed keeps the home out of probate at death — effectively shielding it from MERP. This is a $50 recording fee that can protect $340,000 in equity.
The First 72 Hours: What the Surviving Spouse Must Do
Hours 0–24: Immediate Actions
Within the first day
Obtain 10–15 certified death certificatesEvery bank, insurer, and government agency requires an original. Funeral home can order these. Expect to need more than you think — ordering extra now saves weeks of reordering later.
Do NOT deposit, cash, or spend any joint account funds yetBanks may freeze joint accounts upon notification of death. Depositing a Social Security check after date of death creates a clawback liability.
Secure the home and all physical propertyChange exterior codes if applicable. Locate the will, trust documents, safe deposit box keys, and insurance policies. Photograph contents of any shared safe deposit box before touching anything.
Do NOT publish detailed obituary information yet"Ghosting" identity theft — fraudsters mine obituaries for personal details to open credit in the deceased's name. Place a deceased alert with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion first.
Hours 24–48: Financial Notifications
Day two
Notify Social Security at 1-800-772-1213SSA must be notified immediately. Any benefits deposited after date of death will be clawed back — often causing overdraft fees on joint accounts with active auto-payments.
File for the $255 lump-sum death benefitThis must be filed within 2 years of death. It's small, but it's yours. File during the notification call.
Contact all life insurance companies$7.4 billion in life insurance remains unclaimed nationally. If you're unsure of all policies, use the NAIC Life Insurance Policy Locator at locator.naic.org — it has recovered over $6 billion since 2016.
Cancel all recurring subscriptions and auto-paymentsStreaming services, gym memberships, and utilities can drain hundreds from the estate in the first 90 days if left running on the deceased's accounts.
Hours 48–72: Legal & Estate
Day three
Locate the will and/or trust documentsFlorida requires the original will to be filed with the circuit court within 10 days of learning of the death (FL Stat. §732.901). Copies may not be accepted.
Contact an estate planning attorney in FloridaMany initial consultations are free. You need to understand whether formal probate is required, whether a Lady Bird Deed is already in place, and what your rights are under Florida's homestead laws.
Review all beneficiary designations on IRAs, 401(k)s, and annuitiesThese pass outside the will — they override everything. If your spouse named an ex-spouse or deceased parent as beneficiary and never updated it, the money goes there, not to you.
Check your state's unclaimed property databaseAmericans are owed $70 billion in unclaimed funds. Average successful claim: $2,080. Check FloridaTreasureHunt.gov for FL. Free and takes five minutes.
Deadlines You Cannot Miss
Inherited IRA Depletion
10 Years
Non-spouse beneficiaries (your children) must fully empty inherited IRAs within 10 years. If your spouse had started RMDs, annual withdrawals in years 1–9 are also mandatory. Missing a year = 25% penalty on the undistributed amount.
Qualified Disclaimer
9 Months
If you or an heir wants to refuse an inheritance (to redirect it or reduce estate tax exposure), it must be done within 9 months of death. No extensions. No exceptions. After that, refusal = taxable gift.
Federal Estate Tax Return
9 Months
Due 9 months after death if the estate exceeds $13.99M (2026). Even if below, filing to "port" your spouse's unused exemption to you requires this return.
FL Will Filing
10 Days
Florida law requires the original will to be deposited with the clerk of the circuit court within 10 days of learning of the decedent's death.
Your Next Step, Margaret
This report identified 3 active vulnerabilities in your surviving spouse scenario.
A 15-minute clarity call with a licensed specialist can tell you which one to address first — and whether a single document (a Lady Bird Deed, a beneficiary update, or a Miller Trust) could close the gap entirely.