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Confused about Social Security widow benefits at 65 vs. letting my own benefits reach FRA - conflicting advice from SSA
I'm trying to figure out the best strategy for claiming Social Security after losing my wife to lung cancer in 2022. She was receiving SSDI for about 9 months before she passed at age 59. I'm turning 65 next month and haven't claimed any benefits yet. I've heard I might be able to claim survivor benefits now and then switch to my own retirement benefits when I reach my full retirement age (which is 66 and 8 months I think). But when I went to the Social Security office last week, I got completely contradictory information from two different representatives! The first person told me I should claim my own benefits now and I can't switch later. The second person said I could claim survivor benefits now (at a reduced rate) and then switch to my own at FRA for the maximum amount. I'm completely confused about whether I'd get more by: 1. Taking reduced survivor benefits now, then switching to my own at FRA 2. Taking my own reduced retirement now 3. Waiting until FRA for either benefit Has anyone successfully navigated this situation? My wife's benefit would have been around $2,250/month if she had reached FRA. Mine is estimated at $2,800 at my FRA. Any guidance would be so appreciated!
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Unexpected large Social Security survivor benefits deposit after ex-husband's death - what is this?
I'm completely confused and slightly panicked. My ex-husband passed away in late 2023 (we've been divorced for over 12 years), and I applied for survivor benefits about 3 weeks ago. I just got approved last week, which was faster than I expected. But this morning, I woke up to a MASSIVE deposit in my bank account from the SSA - way more than I thought the monthly payment would be. Is this normal? Did they make a mistake? Could this be back pay, and if so, for how long? I'm afraid to spend any of it in case they want it back! Has anyone else experienced this with survivor benefits after a divorce?
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so what are you going to do with the money??? i'd be on vacation somewhere warm lol
I will be out of the country on vacation for the next 6 months!!!🤪🤪 Just kidding, wish I could! Actually, I'm going to pay off some debt and put the rest in savings. After the initial shock, I'm just grateful for the financial breathing room.
one thing nobody mentioned is that back in my day you couldn't get benefits from an ex... the rules keep changing so make sure your actually entitled to it
The rule about survivor benefits from ex-spouses has actually been consistent for decades. If you were married for at least 10 years before divorcing and haven't remarried before age 60, you can claim survivor benefits on your ex-spouse's record. This is different from spousal benefits during life, which have different requirements. The SSA wouldn't approve and pay benefits unless eligibility was verified.
Social Security confusion: 8% delay credits, self-employment earnings, and spousal benefits after FRA
I'm trying to understand several aspects of Social Security before making my claiming decision. I'll be hitting my Full Retirement Age (FRA) of 66 and 10 months next year, and I have several questions: 1. Is it definitely 8% more per year that I'll receive if I wait past my FRA to claim benefits? 2. Since I'm self-employed and plan to keep working, are there any earnings limits after reaching FRA? Can I earn unlimited amounts? 3. If I delay until 70, will I still receive all the COLA increases that occurred during those delay years? 4. My wife is considering starting her benefits early. Would her early claiming affect my benefits in any way? 5. If I delay until 70 to maximize my benefit and then pass away before my wife, will she be able to switch from her smaller benefit to my larger survivor benefit? I've been reading so many conflicting things online, and the SSA website is confusing me more. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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my brother said something about file and suspend but i think they got rid of that????? anyone know
Yes, the "file and suspend" strategy was eliminated by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. It's no longer available for anyone who wasn't already grandfathered in at that time. Some restricted application strategies were also eliminated for people born after January 1, 1954. The Social Security claiming rules have changed significantly over the past decade, which is why many online articles can be outdated or confusing.
Thank you all for the helpful information! I think I understand my options much better now. Just to summarize what I've learned: 1. The 8% delayed retirement credit is real, and it's simple interest (not compound) 2. After FRA, I can earn unlimited income from self-employment without benefit reductions 3. I'll get all COLA increases even while delaying 4. My wife's claiming decision doesn't affect my benefits 5. If I die first, my wife can switch to my higher benefit as a survivor, but she must APPLY for it (not automatic) 6. I need to consider taxation if I work while collecting I think I'm leaning toward delaying to 70 now, especially since it provides that "insurance policy" of a higher survivor benefit for my wife if I die first. I'll use that Claimyr service to get through to SSA and confirm these details for my specific situation. Really appreciate everyone's input!
Social Security earnings limit before FRA - turning 65 soon but worried about excess earnings
I'm turning 65 in July and planning to start my Social Security retirement benefits at the beginning of August. I've been working full-time but want to make sure I don't lose any benefits due to the earnings test. How much can I earn from January through July before I hit the annual limit? My company is offering a bonus in June and I'm not sure if I should take it or ask them to delay it until after I start collecting. I've heard different numbers thrown around and I'm completely confused about how the earnings test works in the year you start benefits. Can someone explain this in simple terms?
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BE CAREFUL!!!! My brother-in-law got hit with a HUGE overpayment bill because he misunderstood how this works! Make sure you report your earnings to SSA right away when you start benefits. They don't find out about your earnings until tax time the NEXT YEAR and by then you could owe thousands back if you went over the limit!!
This is a valid concern. To avoid potential overpayments, you should proactively report to SSA if you expect to exceed the monthly earnings limit in any month. You can do this through your my Social Security account online, by calling, or visiting an office. It's always better to report changes in advance than to deal with an overpayment later.
Just to add - when you do hit the earnings limit, they don't take away your entire benefit. They withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above the limit. So if you go over by $1,000 in a month, they'd withhold $500 in benefits.
That's less harsh than I thought! So I could potentially work a bit more and just accept a reduced benefit. That gives me more flexibility.
Should I delay taking SS retirement at FRA until December for higher benefits while on survivor benefits?
I'm trying to decide the best timing for switching from survivor benefits to my own Social Security. I currently receive $2027/month in survivor benefits from my late spouse. My Full Retirement Age is November 2025, and I've been reviewing the benefit estimates from SSA. At my FRA, I'd get $2861/month on my own record - that's a solid increase of $834 monthly ($10,008 yearly). But if I wait just one more month to December 2025, the estimate jumps to $2974/month, which means an extra $947 monthly ($11,372 yearly) compared to my current survivor benefits. That additional $1,364 per year would completely cover my annual property tax bill! I retired at 63 and have been using my savings to cover homeowner's insurance, flood insurance, auto insurance, and property taxes. I have a decent amount left in savings plus a good 401(k). Is it worth waiting that extra month beyond FRA for the higher amount? The difference seems significant enough to consider, but I'm not sure if there are other factors I should be weighing. Any advice on this decision?
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congrats on having a good 401k! thats amazing these days
Thank you! I was fortunate to work for a company with a good matching program and started contributing early. It definitely provides peace of mind now.
One additional factor to consider: If you wait until December 2025, you'll also be positioned better for any Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) that takes effect in January 2026. The COLA will apply to your higher base amount, further increasing the long-term advantage of waiting that extra month. With inflation patterns the way they've been, even a modest 2-3% COLA would add meaningful additional benefits over time.
That's an excellent point I hadn't considered! Getting the COLA on the higher amount would definitely amplify the benefit of waiting. Thank you for that insight!
Freya Andersen
Just want to point out that SSDI conversion to survivor benefits is also important here. When a person is receiving SSDI and passes away, the survivor benefit calculation is a bit different than standard survivor benefits. The benefit is based on the SSDI payment amount, but there can be adjustments for the deceased's early claiming. Make sure the SSA rep understands your wife was on SSDI when calculating your survivor amount.
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Oliver Becker
AuthorThat's a really good point that I hadn't considered. I know she had only been receiving SSDI for about 9 months before she passed. Does that affect the calculation compared to if she had been on SSDI for years?
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Freya Andersen
The length of time she received SSDI doesn't matter for the calculation. What matters is that SSA will calculate your survivor benefit based on 100% of her Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the amount she would have received at her full retirement age. Since she was receiving SSDI, that's essentially what she was already getting (SSDI pays at the FRA rate regardless of age). Then that amount would be reduced based on YOUR age when YOU claim survivor benefits.
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Malik Jackson
IMPORTANT!!!! Did either of those SSA reps actually RUN THE NUMBERS for your specific situation???? Or were they just telling you general rules? Because without running your actual earnings record through their system, they might be GUESSING about which strategy is better for you!!!
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Oliver Becker
AuthorYou know what, they didn't! They were speaking in generalities. Should I specifically ask them to run calculations for both scenarios when I go back? Is that something they can do?
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LunarLegend
Yes, absolutely ask them to run the numbers for your specific case. A good Claims Specialist can show you the exact dollar amount you would receive under different claiming scenarios. Make sure they show you: 1. Survivor benefit amount if claimed now at 65 2. Your own retirement benefit if claimed now at 65 3. Your own retirement benefit at your FRA (66+8mo) Seeing these specific numbers will make the best strategy clear and give you documentation to refer to.
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