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Thank you all for the helpful information! I've scheduled an appointment at my local SSA office for next week. I'm bringing all the documents suggested (marriage certificate, his death certificate, birth certificate, etc.). Based on everyone's advice, I think I'll apply for survivor benefits now even though some might be withheld due to my earnings. I'm really grateful to learn about the strategy of taking survivor benefits now and switching to my own retirement benefit later. That was never on my radar!If anyone has recommendations about specific questions I should ask during my appointment, I'd appreciate the advice. I want to make sure I don't miss anything important.
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Remember that any changes to the WEP formula would be based on your years of substantial earnings under Social Security. If you have 30+ years of substantial earnings, WEP doesn't apply at all. If you have 21-29 years, the WEP reduction is lessened. Might be worth checking if you're close to one of those thresholds. You can request your earnings record from SSA to verify your years of coverage.
anybody know what the fairness act actually says? will it be retroactive? my mom already retired 2 years ago and got screwed by wep
From what I understand, the most recent version would phase out WEP/GPO over 5 years and would apply to both current and future beneficiaries. But honestly, it's been introduced so many times without passing that I'm not holding my breath.
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Update: I went with my mother-in-law to the funeral home today and got 10 copies of the death certificate. We've scheduled an appointment with SSA for next week. They told us she should bring her ID, both their Social Security cards, marriage certificate, death certificate, and a recent bank statement. I'm going to go with her to make sure everything gets handled correctly. Thank you all for your advice - it's been incredibly helpful during this difficult time.
Smart to go with her! When I went with my mom, the SSA person almost forgot to mention the lump sum death benefit. It's only $255 but every bit helps. Sounds like you're on top of things!
my friend said when her mom died the dad got a letter automatic like 2 weeks later and didnt have to do nothing. is that different for husbands vs wives or something?
No, gender doesn't matter for survivor benefits, but the process can vary depending on individual circumstances. If SSA already knows about the death (usually reported by the funeral home), they sometimes automatically process certain changes. However, survivor benefits typically require an application, especially when switching from your own benefit to a survivor benefit. Relying on automatic processing is risky - always better to be proactive and contact SSA directly.
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I remember reading somewhere that if you take a lump sum instead of monthly pension payments, the SSA has to calculate what your monthly payment would have been and then apply GPO to that amount. Might be worth asking your pension administrator if there's any way to structure the lump sum that minimizes this impact. Also, make sure to get everything documented really well before you contact SSA.
That's very helpful - I didn't realize they would calculate a theoretical monthly amount from the lump sum. I'll definitely talk to my pension administrator about structuring options before finalizing anything. Thank you!
wait why are u taking survivors benefits if ur working? doesn't that mean ur husband passed? sorry if thats too personal just confused
Yes, my spouse passed away three years ago. I've been working at my government job since before that happened, but now I'm finally retiring and trying to figure out how best to coordinate my pension with the survivor benefits I'm entitled to from my late spouse's Social Security record.
oh that makes sense sorry for your loss. good luck with everything!
Evelyn Xu
She asked her accountant for a recommendation. Be careful though - make sure they're a fiduciary (legally obligated to act in your best interest) and not just someone selling retirement products!
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Jordan Walker
One more thing to consider - if you're still working, you might want to delay claiming until you fully retire or reach your FRA. Benefits claimed at 62 are reduced by about 30% permanently compared to claiming at 67 (your FRA). However, if you wait until 70, you get an 8% increase for each year after FRA. That's a potential range from 70% of your full benefit (claiming at 62) to 124% (claiming at 70). This is why getting a personalized analysis is so important. For some people, claiming early makes sense; for others, waiting is better. It depends on your health, longevity in your family, other income sources, and immediate financial needs.
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Emily Sanjay
•Thank you, this is really helpful! I need to think about this carefully - my mom lived to 92 but I don't have much saved up, so I'm torn between taking it early or trying to maximize. Looks like I need to create that account and see the actual numbers first.
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