Oh, I stand corrected! Thanks for explaining that. I wish someone had told me about the limited widow's benefit when my wife passed. The SSA rep never mentioned it.

Thank you for this discussion! I had no idea the calculation could be so complicated. It sounds like we really need to talk with a knowledgeable SSA representative to understand exactly what amount Dad would receive under different scenarios.

I'm so confused...I went to SSA office yesterday and the person told me they aren't processing these yet and to come back in April. But you all are saying you've gotten calls? Are different offices handling this differently?

This is why I tell EVERYONE to file as early as possible when new benefits become available! My mother-in-law waited 3 months after the POMS update for GPO and now she's at the back of the line. The early bird gets the worm with SSA. Always file right away and let them sort it out.

one more thing - if ur gonna do this make sure ur actually eligible for a top up first. if ur own benefit is already kinda high (like $1,850 is decent!) u might not get anything extra anyway. my ex made waaaaay more than me during our 22yr marriage so for me its a big difference. but some of my friends found out they get nothing extra cuz their own benefit was already higher than half their exs benefit.

ugh i got so confused by all these rules when i was applying! the thing that helped me most was actually going to my local office in person with all my documents. they were able to look everything up right there and tell me exactly what i qualified for. so much easier than trying to figure it out online or over the phone.

One thing no one has mentioned yet - there's a HUGE advantage to the higher-earning spouse delaying benefits until 70 if possible. Each year you delay past FRA increases your benefit by 8%, so waiting from 67 to 70 gives you a 24% higher benefit FOR LIFE. And if that higher-earning spouse dies first, that higher amount becomes the survivor benefit (assuming it's higher than the surviving spouse's own benefit). So in your case, since your benefit is higher than his, you might want to strongly consider waiting until 70 to claim, especially if you have longevity in your family.

Im still confused about something... if the husband takes SS at 62 but then keeps working, doesnt his benefit amount go up? And then wouldnt that mean the survivor benefit goes up too?

if your husbands abusive why wait til december? the 2 year mark only matters for certain benefits but not worth staying in danger

It's complicated. Without income of my own and with my health issues, I don't have many options. I'm trying to understand what benefits I might qualify for if I leave versus what I might lose by leaving before certain time thresholds. It's literally about survival at this point.