Published June 18, 2026 — GH2 Benefits
Companion to: LIMRA, A Widow’s Walk to Financial Confidence, by Suzanne Norman, Fellow, LIMRA Retirement Income Institute (©2026). Source paper: Norman’s paper does something most industry writing skips: it names the Widow’s Penalty out loud. On page 8 — “surviving spouses also lose joint tax filing status and may have higher Medicare surcharges (IRMAA), often referred to as the Widow’s Penalty.” It shows the income drop at a spouse’s death, and it gives advisors a sound checklist for the year that follows. What the paper does not do — what no general guidance can — is tell a specific…