I went through this exact calculation with my mom when my dad passed in 2019. She was born in 1957 so her survivor FRA was 66 and 6 months. What really helped us was creating a spreadsheet to compare the monthly benefit amounts at different claiming ages. Don't forget that once you start receiving survivor benefits, you'll also get annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), so starting a bit earlier might make sense depending on your financial situation. Also, survivor benefits aren't subject to the earnings test once you reach your survivor FRA, which is different from regular retirement benefits. The SSA representatives can run benefit estimates for you at different ages if you call with your husband's Social Security number and death certificate information.

I work at a local SSA field office and deal with survivor benefit calculations daily. Yes, SSA absolutely prorates survivor benefits by month - there's no waiting until the next age milestone. However, I want to clarify something important that might be confusing you. The percentages you mentioned (91.86% at 65, 95.93% at 66) seem to be from a general chart, but your actual calculation depends on YOUR specific Full Retirement Age for survivor benefits based on your birth year. If you were born in 1958, your survivor FRA is 66 and 8 months, which means at 66 and 6 months you'd actually get about 99.125% of your husband's benefit (only a 0.875% reduction for being 2 months early). I'd recommend calling SSA with your husband's information to get your exact benefit estimate at different claiming ages - they can run scenarios for you. The difference between using the wrong FRA assumption versus your actual FRA could be significant over time.

Update: I finally got through to SSA this morning after trying for days! They confirmed that yes, my February payment (for January) WILL include the 2025 COLA. The representative explained that what I'm seeing online is my base amount before the COLA adjustment. She said the online portal won't display the updated amount until my claim is fully processed in January. Mystery solved! Thanks everyone for your help.

That's fantastic that you got confirmation directly from SSA! This is such a common source of confusion for new retirees. Your experience really highlights why it's worth the effort to call and get official confirmation rather than relying on the online estimates during the transition period. Hopefully your post helps other people in similar situations understand that the COLA will automatically be included in their 2025 payments, even if they're just starting benefits. Enjoy your retirement!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my mom (she's 65). Her husband passed away last month and we're trying to figure out her survivor benefits too. One thing I learned from the SSA office is that they sometimes quote percentages differently than we expect. When they told my mom she'd get "90% of his benefit," what they actually meant was 90% of what he was receiving at the time of death, but since he had delayed retirement credits from waiting until 70, that 90% was still more than his full retirement age amount would have been. Also, make sure your sister-in-law understands that if she switches to survivor benefits, she gives up her own retirement benefit. It's not additive - it's whichever is higher. The SSA rep should have explained this to her, but sometimes they assume people already know. Has she received her first survivor benefit payment yet, or is she just going off what the SSA rep told her during the application? Sometimes there's a difference between the initial estimate and the actual payment amount.

I work for a nonprofit that helps seniors navigate Social Security benefits, and this type of confusion comes up frequently. The 94% figure your sister-in-law mentioned is almost certainly not her actual reduction percentage for claiming survivor benefits early. Here's what likely happened: Since her husband waited until age 70 to claim, his benefit included delayed retirement credits that boosted it to about 132% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). When she claims survivor benefits at 63 and 2 months, she gets roughly 82% of his PIA due to the early claiming reduction. But 82% of his PIA might equal around 94% of what he was actually receiving monthly (since his actual benefit was inflated by delayed credits). So she's probably getting about $2,665 per month (82% of his PIA), which happens to be roughly 94% of his $3,250 monthly payment. The percentage she quoted refers to his actual payment, not the standard survivor benefit calculation. She should definitely review her MySocialSecurity account or award letter to see the exact calculation. Also confirm she understands that switching to survivor benefits means giving up her $1,100 retirement benefit - it's not both benefits combined.

my condolenses. i just want to add that when my mom was trying to get my dads benefits the funeral home actually helped her with some of the paperwork. they dealt with ss stuff all the time so maybe ask them if they have any advice?

I'm so sorry for your loss, Anastasia. Losing someone suddenly is incredibly difficult, and having to navigate bureaucracy during grief makes it even harder. Based on what others have shared, I'd strongly recommend calling SSA as soon as possible to schedule an appointment, even without the death certificate in hand. The wait times can be significant, so getting on their calendar now while you're waiting for the death certificate makes sense. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - you might want to contact your local SSA office directly in addition to the 1-800 number. Sometimes local offices have different availability or can provide more personalized guidance about their specific procedures and current wait times. Also, consider asking a trusted friend or family member to help you organize all the documents and maybe even accompany you to the appointment if possible. Having emotional support during this process can be invaluable, and an extra set of eyes can help ensure nothing gets missed. Take care of yourself during this difficult time. The financial aspects will get sorted out, but your wellbeing matters most right now.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to: 1. Gather documentation about when my vacation time was earned 2. Fill out that SSA-131 form to report it as a special payment 3. Try using Claimyr to actually reach someone at SSA (thanks for that tip!) 4. Continue tracking my monthly earnings carefully for the rest of 2025 It's such a relief to know the vacation pay likely won't count against me. This community has been more helpful than hours of reading the SSA website!

Great plan, Aaliyah! You're taking all the right steps. Just wanted to add one more tip - when you do connect with SSA, ask them to make a note in your file about the vacation pay discussion so there's a record of it. That way if any questions come up later, they'll have documentation of the conversation. Also, don't be discouraged if the first person you talk to isn't sure about the special payment rules - sometimes it takes speaking with a supervisor or someone more experienced with earnings test issues. The key is that you're being proactive about reporting everything correctly. You've got this! It sounds like you're handling a complicated situation really well.