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Quick follow-up on my earlier response: when you go back to SSA, ask specifically about the "restricted application" for survivor benefits. This is the technical term for what you want to do - restricting your application to ONLY the survivor benefit while letting your own retirement benefit grow. Also, you should know that survivor benefits taken before your Full Retirement Age are reduced for early claiming (unlike switching to your own benefit at 70, which doesn't get penalized). Since you're turning 65 and your FRA is 66 and 10 months, that $1,850 figure already includes the early claiming reduction. If you waited until your FRA to claim the survivor benefit, it would be slightly higher, but that's rarely the optimal financial strategy when your own benefit will exceed the survivor benefit eventually.
This is incredibly helpful information! I'll definitely use the term "restricted application" when I go back. Do you happen to know if I need to bring any special documentation with me when I apply for the survivor benefit? I have my husband's death certificate and our marriage certificate already.
Those documents are the main ones you'll need. Also bring your own ID, birth certificate if you have it (though they may already have this on file), and your Social Security card. If you've been married before for 10+ years, bring documentation about those marriages too, as you might qualify for benefits on those records as well. And definitely bring a notepad to write down the name of who you speak with and summary of advice given.
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Quick update on my experience - after my waiver was approved for that 1981 overpayment, I asked the SSA rep what caused these ancient claims to suddenly appear. She explained that SSA has been digitizing old paper records, and sometimes these conversions flag previously undetected issues in their automated systems. So it's not that they've been sitting on this for 47 years - their system likely just identified it during some database modernization. Still frustrating, but at least explains the bizarre timing.
OF COURSE this is happening because of computers! They care more about their automated systems than actual HUMANS. So typical of government agencies these days. No common sense at all!!!
UPDATE: I filed both the waiver and reconsideration forms yesterday. The SSA office actually had a helpful person who explained they're seeing several of these old student benefit cases right now due to a system modernization project (just like @RetirementPlanner mentioned). She seemed to think the waiver had a good chance of approval given the time passage and that I was a dependent student. I'll update again when I hear the final decision. Thanks everyone for your advice - I feel much more confident about handling this now instead of just paying it out of frustration!
Glad to hear you're making progress! One more tip: make sure to keep copies of everything you submit and get a receipt or confirmation number for your waiver and reconsideration requests. These things have been known to get lost in their system, especially during transitions like the digitization project they're working on.
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Wait i'm confused...I thought the spousal benefit reduction was only based on when YOU file...but I thought the survivor benefit reduction was based on when the DECEASED person filed??? Is that not right?? Can someone clarify??
There are two separate reductions that can apply to survivor benefits: 1. If the deceased spouse took reduced retirement benefits, the survivor benefit maximum is limited (with some exceptions). 2. If the surviving spouse claims survivor benefits before their own FRA, the survivor benefit is reduced based on the survivor's age. In the original poster's case, since her husband already took reduced benefits at 62, her eventual survivor benefit maximum is already affected by that decision. If she also takes her spousal benefit early, and later converts to survivor benefits, that early filing reduction would not carry over to the survivor benefit - that's a common misconception.
After reading through this discussion, I think there's an important distinction that needs clarification: The reduction from claiming spousal benefits early does NOT carry over to survivor benefits. These are completely separate calculations. For survivor benefits: 1. If you claim survivor benefits before your FRA, they are reduced based on YOUR age at the time you claim THOSE benefits. 2. Survivor benefits can be affected by whether your deceased spouse claimed early, but NOT by whether YOU claimed spousal benefits early. This is a common area of confusion. You can claim reduced spousal benefits early, and later still receive unreduced survivor benefits if you wait until your FRA to claim them (assuming your spouse didn't take reduced benefits, which in this case he did at 62).
Thank you for this important clarification! So my husband's decision to take benefits at 62 already impacted any future survivor benefits I might receive, but my decision about when to take spousal benefits won't further reduce those survivor benefits? That's very helpful information.
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One more thing I think is important to mention: If your ex has remarried but you haven't, you can still claim on their record. Their current marriage has no impact on your eligibility. Also, you can claim even if your ex hasn't filed for their own benefits yet, but they must be eligible for benefits (at least 62) and you must have been divorced for at least two years. Lastly, taking ex-spouse benefits doesn't create any notification or paperwork for your ex, and they'll never see any reduction in their own benefits. The SSA handles everything independently.
Thank you! He has remarried so I'm glad that doesn't affect anything. He's 64 now so that requirement is met too. I really appreciate all this information - it makes the decision much less intimidating.
Javier Mendoza
wait im confused now... so if her husband takes survivor benefits at 60 but keeps working until 62, would he lose some of those payments? and does the survivor benefit amount depend on when she dies or is it always the same?
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Let me clarify both points: 1. Yes, if he claims survivor benefits before his FRA while still working, the earnings test would apply. For 2025, he can earn approximately $22,320 before benefits are affected. Above that, $1 in benefits is withheld for every $2 earned. So if he's earning substantially more than that limit, some or all of his survivor benefits could be temporarily withheld. 2. The survivor benefit amount is based on several factors: - If the deceased was already receiving benefits, the survivor benefit is generally based on that amount - If the deceased wasn't receiving benefits, it's based on what they would have received at their FRA - The survivor's age when they claim affects the percentage they receive (reduced if claiming before their own FRA) In the original poster's case, since she's already receiving SSDI, her husband's survivor benefit would be based on her current benefit amount (potentially with adjustments), then reduced if he claims before his FRA.
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Oliver Wagner
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! Based on your responses, it sounds like our plan makes sense. My husband will probably wait until he actually retires at 62 to claim any survivor benefits (if I pass away before then) to avoid the earnings test issues. Then he can still switch to his own benefit at 70. Can anyone recommend the best way to get this strategy confirmed officially with SSA? Should we make an appointment at our local office or is there a specific department we should call?
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Malik Davis
•For complex claiming strategies like this, I'd recommend scheduling an in-person appointment at your local SSA office. Bring documentation showing both your current SSDI benefit amount and your husband's latest Social Security statement showing his projected benefits at different ages. When you make the appointment, specifically request to speak with a "Technical Expert" rather than a regular Claims Representative. Technical Experts have more specialized training on complex benefits scenarios. You might also want to print relevant sections from SSA's Program Operations Manual System (POMS) about survivor benefits and switching between benefit types. This is the internal rulebook SSA employees use, and having the exact references can help ensure you get accurate information. The relevant sections are DI 10115 for SSDI conversion to survivor benefits and RS 00615 for switching between different benefit types. Finally, get any advice in writing if possible, or take detailed notes including the name of the SSA representative you speak with.
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