when my grandpa died my grandma got his SS instead of hers because his was higher. its called something like maximum benefit rule? might be different with the pension thing tho

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses. I spoke with my friend today and explained what I've learned here. He's going to apply for the survivor benefits anyway, just to make sure he doesn't miss out on anything he might be entitled to, even if it's just the $255 death benefit. I'll help him use the Claimyr service to get through to SSA without spending hours on hold. It's disappointing that the GPO will likely eliminate any monthly survivor benefit, especially since his wife contributed to Social Security her entire working life. But at least now he understands how the system works and what to expect. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences during this difficult time.

One more thing to consider: if you do apply for retirement while waiting for SSDI, make sure to tell SSA that you want the disability onset date preserved. This technical detail ensures you get the maximum possible retroactive benefits if your disability claim is approved. There's a specific way they need to note this in your file. Also, since you mentioned being an amputee, your condition might qualify under the Compassionate Allowance program, which could speed up your disability decision significantly. Did your disability examiner mention this possibility to you?

They should evaluate your case for Compassionate Allowance automatically based on your medical records, but it never hurts to specifically mention it. Certain amputations do qualify, though it depends on the specifics of your condition. When you speak with SSA, just ask if your case is being considered under the Compassionate Allowance program. If it is, that could reduce your wait time from months to weeks. Regarding preserving your onset date while receiving retirement - this is something you should explicitly request when applying for retirement benefits. Just tell them: "I want to file for retirement while my disability application is pending, but I want to preserve my disability onset date." They'll know what to do, but having it noted properly in your file can make a big difference in potential back payments.

One more important thing: when your father-in-law goes to his appointment, he should bring his and your mother-in-law's: - Birth certificates - Marriage certificate - Her death certificate - Most recent tax return - His Social Security card Also, he should be prepared to provide information about any previous marriages either of them had, including dates and documentation if available. And absolutely have him use the exact phrase "I want to file a restricted application for survivor benefits only while delaying my retirement benefit until age 70." Being very specific with this language helps ensure he gets the correct outcome.

my uncle did this i think. he got my aunts benifits after she died but then swtiched to his own later when he turned 70. he said it was confusing but worked out good in the end. hope your father in law gets what he deserves!!

when my husband died last year i got a one time death payment of only $255 dollars?????? like what is that supposed to cover? not even one month's rent. the whole system needs to be fixed its ridiculous.

Let me clarify the sequence for you since there's some confusion in this thread: 1. YES, you can claim reduced spousal benefits now at age 66 (roughly 35% reduction from what you'd get at your FRA) 2. When your husband passes, you CAN switch to survivor benefits. These will also be reduced because you're claiming before FRA (reduction of about 15-18% depending on exact age) 3. At age 70, you CAN switch to your own retirement benefit if it would be higher than your survivor benefit The key calculation: Your FRA benefit of $2,700 with delayed retirement credits to age 70 would be approximately $3,350-$3,400. Compare this to the reduced survivor benefit (about 82-85% of your husband's $3,150, so around $2,600). In this case, switching to your own at 70 makes mathematical sense. This strategy is completely permitted under current Social Security rules. The "deemed filing" restrictions from the 2015 law specifically exempted survivor benefits.

wait do we need to print it? cant we just save the pdf? my printer is always out of ink lol

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I printed out my full statement (all 5 pages) and found one year where my earnings seemed lower than I remembered. Going to dig up my W-2 from that year to compare. So glad I asked this question before applying!