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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?
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.
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?
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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Thank you all SO much for these detailed explanations. This makes much more sense now. I'm going to call SSA again and specifically request a comparison between my survivor benefit at FRA and my own benefit projected to age 70. I'll make sure to ask for someone in the survivor benefits department too. It sounds like my best approach is to: 1. Take survivor benefits at my FRA (Feb 2025) 2. Let my own benefit grow until 70 3. Switch to my own benefit at 70 *only if* it exceeds the survivor benefit I feel so much more confident now! I'll update when I get the actual numbers from SSA.
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Has anyone mentioned yet that you should check if you're eligible for the lump-sum death benefit? It's only $255 but hey, money is money! Though after 12 years they might say it's too late for that particular benefit.
Unfortunately, the $255 death payment must be applied for within two years of death in most cases, so that's likely not available anymore. But definitely worth asking about when speaking with SSA just in case there are exceptions!
Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! I'm going to try to contact SSA directly to discuss my specific situation. Sounds like I should probably wait until I'm either closer to 60 or possibly even until my full retirement age given my current income. I appreciate all the information about the different options and considerations - this is way more complicated than I thought it would be!
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my mom got confused about this too ended up leaving like $20k on the table over the yrs cause nobody explaind it right
OK, now I think I understand all this correctly. To summarize: 1. I'll get my own benefit ($1,400) plus a top-off to reach half of my husband's FRA benefit ($1,600 total). 2. The $1,911 figure is irrelevant to my situation. 3. My husband must file for his benefits before I can claim any spousal benefits. 4. If I claim before my FRA, both parts of my benefit get reduced. 5. The spousal benefit is based on my husband's FRA amount, not his actual payment if he delays. Did I get all this right? I feel so much more prepared for my SSA appointment now!
You've got it exactly right! Print out this summary and take it to your appointment. One last tip: when you do apply, specifically mention that you're applying for "all benefits you're eligible for" including retirement and spousal benefits. Sometimes if you don't explicitly mention both, they might not process the spousal portion right away, which can delay your full payment.
Tate Jensen
One additional consideration for your planning: While your husband's spousal benefit would be reduced if he files early, his survivor benefit (if you were to pass away) would NOT be affected by his decision to take his own benefit early. As a survivor, he could receive up to 100% of whatever benefit amount you were receiving at death (including your delayed retirement credits to age 70). This is an important distinction because it might influence your decision-making. If maximizing his potential survivor benefit is important, your plan to delay until 70 is excellent because it maximizes that potential survivor benefit, regardless of when he takes his own retirement benefit.
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Collins Angel
•That's a really important point I hadn't considered. So my decision to delay to 70 protects him in case I pass away first. That definitely makes me feel better about my decision to wait. Thank you for pointing that out!
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Gabriel Ruiz
One more thing to think about - how long can you guys go without him filing? If money's tight and you NEED the income at 64, sometmes you just gotta take what you can get. No point suffering for years just to get a bit more later. Gotta balance the math with real life needs.
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Collins Angel
•That's very true. We're fortunate that I have a decent pension that covers our basic expenses, but we're hoping to do some traveling while we're still healthy enough to enjoy it. We might need to reassess our budget and see if we can manage with him waiting until his FRA. It's all about trade-offs!
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