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Social Security survivor benefits from ex-spouse - 71yo already getting my own SS benefits
I just lost my ex-husband last month (he was 70) and someone at church mentioned I might be eligible for survivor benefits even though we've been divorced for 23 years. I'm 71 and already getting my own Social Security retirement (about $2,150/month). I think he was getting around $3,000/month when he passed. Is it worth applying? Do I have to give up my own benefit? I called my local SS office last Friday morning and left my info for a callback but haven't heard anything yet. Is this normal wait time these days? Should I just go to the office in person instead? It's about an hour drive each way so I'd rather not if the phone callback will actually happen.
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WEP/GPO repeal impact on Social Security ex-spousal benefits with federal pension
I'm trying to understand how the WEP/GPO repeal affects my sister's situation. She's 70 years old with a federal pension (worked 28 years for the postal service) and never paid into Social Security. She was married for 16 years before divorcing in 2002 and never remarried. Her ex-husband is also 70 and currently receiving his Social Security retirement benefits (about $2,800/month). When she applied for ex-spousal benefits last year, she was denied because of the Government Pension Offset (GPO). Her federal pension is around $4,300 monthly. With the recent WEP/GPO repeal, would she now qualify for ex-spousal benefits? I'm confused about the implementation timeline and whether she needs to reapply or if SSA will automatically review her case. Has anyone gone through something similar? (And yes, I know this is about ex-spousal benefits while he's still alive, not survivor benefits!
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I think its great that the GPO is finally going away. My mom lost out on so many benefits because of that unfair rule. She worked for the school system for 35 years and got almost nothing from dads SS when he passed away, even though he worked and paid in his whole life!
That's exactly why this change was needed! So many public servants were effectively penalized twice - once with often lower government pensions compared to private sector, and then again by being denied Social Security benefits their spouses earned. My sister feels like she's been waiting forever for this fix.
Can I switch from my own Social Security to survivor benefits after ex-husband passes away with terminal illness?
My older sister (67 this year) is in a complicated situation with Social Security and I'm trying to help her plan ahead. Her ex-husband started collecting his Social Security at 62 (about 6 years ago). They were married for over 40 years before divorcing. She just found out he's been diagnosed with advanced colon cancer and his prognosis isn't good. She hasn't started collecting any SS benefits yet but is planning to file for her own benefits this year, though it will be a few months before her Full Retirement Age (FRA). She's wondering about her options if her ex-husband passes away. Specifically, could she temporarily stop her own benefits after reaching FRA, switch to survivor benefits based on his record, and then let her own benefit continue growing until 70? The age timing is making this confusing for us. If she starts her own benefits slightly before FRA, then he passes away after she reaches FRA, what options does she have? Can she pause her benefit, collect survivors, then switch back? Any help understanding this would be greatly appreciated.
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I don't think this is correct advice. Your sister can't just "pause" her benefits whenever she wants. Once you start collecting, you're locked in. At least that's what happened with my brother-in-law. He tried to pause his at 67 and they told him it was impossible.
There's actually a specific process called "voluntary suspension" that is available, but ONLY if you've already reached your Full Retirement Age (FRA). You can suspend retirement benefits after FRA and restart them later (they'll grow by 8% annually until age 70). Your brother-in-law might have been trying to suspend before reaching his FRA, which isn't allowed. Or perhaps the SSA representative he spoke with was misinformed (unfortunately this happens). The relevant section of SSA's POMS manual is GN 02409.100 if anyone needs to reference it when speaking with an agent.
Oh wow, I had no idea! My brother-in-law should definitely call them back then because he was definitely past his FRA. Thanks for clarifying and even providing the manual reference. This system is so complicated.
I just wanted to thank everyone for their helpful responses. My sister and I talked it over, and based on your advice, she's decided to wait the extra 4 months until she reaches her FRA before filing for her own benefits. That way, she'll have maximum flexibility if her ex-husband passes away. I'm also going to help her document everything (their marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.) so she has it ready if she needs to file for survivor benefits. This whole situation is emotionally difficult, but having a clear financial plan helps reduce some of the stress.
That's a wise decision. Waiting those 4 months until FRA gives her much more flexibility. Another tip: when she eventually contacts SSA about this, she should specifically ask about the "voluntary suspension" option and the switch to survivor benefits. Sometimes the frontline representatives aren't familiar with these strategies, so she might need to ask to speak with a technical expert if she encounters resistance. Wishing your sister and family all the best during this difficult time.
Smart plan! And yes get ALL the paperwork together now. When I had to deal with survivior benefits they wanted marriage certificate, death certificate, proof of age, and tax returns. Having it all ready saved me so much hassle. Social Security can be confusing but they actually have lots of good options for survivior situations.
When should I claim Social Security at 63 - invest it now or wait until FRA for higher benefit?
Hi all, I need some advice about Social Security timing that's keeping me up at night. My situation: I'm 63 and my husband is 72. He's still working full-time and plans to continue until our twins finish college in May 2027. He started his SS benefits at 67 after we had a consultation at the SSA office. The rep showed us that his break-even point would be age 82 if he had delayed longer. I'm really torn about when to claim MY benefits. We're still actively contributing to our retirement accounts, and I'm considering two options: 1) Start my SS now at a reduced rate (about $1,950/month) and immediately invest all of it into our IRAs to boost our retirement savings 2) Wait until my FRA at 67 to get the full benefit (approximately $2,700/month) Our financial advisor seems to think option 1 makes sense given our family situation, but I'm worried about leaving money on the table long-term. Has anyone been in a similar situation or have insights about which approach might be better? Our health is good and longevity runs in both families if that matters.
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Has anyone mentioned the COLA adjustments? If you wait until FRA you get 4 more years of COLA increases built into your base benefit. With inflation these days that's not nothing!
You're absolutely right about the COLA adjustments. The past few years have seen substantial COLA increases (5.9% in 2022, 8.7% in 2023, 3.2% in 2024). These adjustments compound over time when built into your base benefit amount. It's another factor that typically favors waiting if you can afford to do so.
Another perspective: Once you file for your own retirement benefit, you're generally locked into that choice (minus the one-time do-over option within 12 months if you repay all benefits). Have you considered taking just a portion of your retirement accounts now to bridge the gap until FRA? This would preserve your Social Security benefit amount while still giving you some additional money to work with.
That's an interesting alternative I hadn't considered. We do have some funds we could tap without penalties. I'll add this option to our list to evaluate - might be a good middle ground approach.
When to tell Social Security about switching from retirement to survivor benefits at FRA?
I'm turning 65 next month (January) and trying to figure out this two-step strategy with Social Security. My plan is to claim my own retirement benefits now, then switch to my late husband's survivor benefits when I reach my full retirement age of 66 years and 8 months since his benefit would be about $825 more per month than mine. My questions: 1. When I apply for my own retirement benefits, do I need to tell SSA upfront that I plan to switch to survivor benefits at my FRA? Or do I just apply for retirement now and then file a separate application for survivor benefits when I reach FRA? 2. Is it better to apply online or make an in-person appointment? I've heard horror stories about both. 3. When would I actually receive my first payment? Would it be in February since I turn 65 in January? 4. Does it make any difference if I apply now versus waiting until right before my birthday in January? I've read so many conflicting things online and just want to make sure I don't mess this up. Thanks for any help!
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I went through something similar last year when I was deciding between my own benefits and my late husband's. I found that applying at least 3 months before you want benefits to start gives SSA enough time to process everything. I applied in March for a June start date, and everything went smoothly. One thing to consider: when you switch to survivor benefits, you'll need to provide your marriage certificate and your spouse's death certificate if you haven't already done so for any prior SSA business. Having these documents ready ahead of time will make the process much smoother when you reach your FRA. In my case, I found applying online for my retirement benefits was straightforward, but I had to call for the survivor benefits part. Hope this helps!
Thank you for sharing your experience! I do have all those documents ready. Did you end up switching from one benefit to another like I'm planning to do? If so, was there any gap in payments during the transition?
Yes, I switched from my own to survivor's when it made sense financially. There was no gap in payments, but there was about a 6-week processing time for the survivor application. The key was applying for the survivor benefits about 3-4 weeks before I wanted the switch to happen. The SSA representative told me they'd automatically stop my retirement benefit when the survivor benefit began. Just make sure you follow up if you don't see the change after a couple of months.
Thank you all so much for this helpful information! I feel much better about my plan now. I think I'll apply online for my retirement benefits this week (aiming for a January start date) and then set a reminder in my calendar for 3 months before my FRA to start the survivor benefits application process. It's reassuring to know I don't need to mention my future plans during this initial application. And I'll make sure to have all my documents ready when it's time to apply for survivor benefits. If anyone has additional advice about the actual application process or things I should watch out for, I'd still love to hear it. Thanks again to everyone who responded!
LunarLegend
My sister lost her ex last year too. She got about $450 extra a month by switching to his benefit. The way they calculate it is weird though... something about your FRA and his FRA and when you both started collecting. My sister was already 73 when she applied so it was pretty simple but I think there's reductions if you're under FRA.
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StardustSeeker
Thank you all for the helpful replies. I used the Claimyr service this morning and it worked - got through to an agent in about 15 minutes! The agent told me based on our benefit amounts I'm likely eligible for about $820 additional per month. I have an in-person appointment next Tuesday to bring in my documents and finalize everything. They also confirmed they use the application date for benefits, not the date of death, so I'm glad I didn't wait longer!
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Oliver Becker
That's excellent news! $820 extra per month is significant - that's nearly $10,000 per year. Make sure to bring original documents if possible, or certified copies. Regular photocopies usually aren't accepted for this type of application. Good luck with your appointment!
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LunarLegend
congrats! happy it worked out for you
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