Calculating survivor benefits when both spouses are on SSDI - will I get any increase?
I need some advice about survivor benefits for SSDI recipients. My husband and I have both been on Social Security Disability for about 5 years now. I'm receiving $2350 monthly and he gets $3260. We're both 64 years old and have been married for 16 years. With his health declining rapidly, I'm trying to prepare myself financially for what's ahead. If he passes away, would I be eligible for any survivor benefits? Would I get to keep my SSDI payment plus something additional, or would I just get whichever is higher? I've tried calling SSA multiple times but keep getting disconnected after waiting forever. Any insights would be so appreciated.
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PixelWarrior
As a widow, you would receive the higher of either your own benefit or your husband's benefit, but not both. Since your husband's SSDI payment is higher than yours, you would receive an amount equal to his current benefit ($3260) instead of your current $2350. This is assuming you're at full retirement age when you claim survivors benefits. If you claim before your FRA, there would be a reduction. Since you're only 64, you might want to consider waiting until your FRA to apply for the survivor benefit to get the full amount, if possible.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•Thank you for explaining that. So I'd basically get an extra $910 a month compared to what I get now if I wait until my FRA. Do you know if I'd need to apply for that or would SSA automatically switch me over when they're notified of his passing?
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Amara Adebayo
I went through this last year when my wife passed. You'll have to apply for the survivor benefits - they DON'T automatically switch you over!! Make sure you contact them within a month of his passing. And bring his death certificate when you go to the office.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your experience - that's really helpful to know I'll need to apply. Was it difficult to get an appointment? I've heard horror stories about waiting months.
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Giovanni Rossi
u can call the SSA at 800-772-1213 to report death and setup survior appt. but the phone wait is CRAZY LONG sometimes 3+ hours and they disconnect you alot!!! when my dad died we called for 2 weeks straight couldnt get thru!! sssooo frustrating!
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Fatima Al-Mansour
•I had the same issue trying to reach SSA about my disability review. After multiple disconnects, I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which gets you through to a Social Security agent without the long wait. It worked perfectly and saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - definitely worth considering when you need to make that survivor benefits call. Being prepared helps make a difficult time a little less stressful.
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Dylan Evans
Just want to add something important that others haven't mentioned yet. There's also a one-time death benefit payment of $255 that you can claim as a surviving spouse. It's not much compared to the monthly benefits, but it's something that can help with immediate expenses. You'll need to apply for this separately when the time comes.
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Sofia Gomez
•They still only give $255 for the death benefit?? That's ridiculous! Barely covers anything these days. My grandma got that same amount when my grandpa died in 1980! The government should really update that amount for inflation.
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StormChaser
I'm not sure the previous answers are completely correct. When my husband died last year, I was already on my own SSDI. The SSA representative told me that since I was disabled, I could receive my disability PLUS a partial survivor benefit that made up the difference between my benefit and his. But maybe the rules have changed? Has anyone else heard of this??
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PixelWarrior
•I believe you're thinking of a different situation. What you're describing sounds like an Auxiliary or Dependent benefit, which applies in some specific circumstances, but generally not with SSDI and Survivor benefits. The standard rule is that you receive the higher of the two benefits, not both. However, Social Security rules are extremely complex, so there might have been something unique about your situation that allowed for what you described. I'd recommend that the original poster speak directly with SSA for their specific case.
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Liam Fitzgerald
Thank you all for your helpful responses. I'm trying to write everything down so I'm prepared. So to summarize: I'll get his higher benefit amount instead of mine, I need to apply for it (it's not automatic), there's a small death benefit of $255, and I should probably wait until my FRA to avoid reduction if possible. Is there anything else I should know or prepare for?
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Amara Adebayo
•Yes - gather these documents now so you're not scrambling later: your marriage certificate, both your SSN cards, birth certificates, his death certificate (when the time comes), maybe tax returns showing you lived together. Also, they'll stop his last month's payment, so plan for that financial gap. You might go a month or two without the increased amount while they process everything. Sorry you're going through this.
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Sofia Gomez
My moms friend had a HUGE issue when her husband died because they were married in Mexico and SSA didn't accept their marriage license!!! She had to get all kinds of extra documents and it took like 6 months to get approved. Make sure you have OFFICIAL versions of all your documents!!!
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PixelWarrior
One more important point: If your husband is a veteran, check with the VA as well. There may be additional survivor benefits available through them that are separate from Social Security. Also, once you're on survivor benefits, you'll still get the annual Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) that Social Security provides. And if you're not already enrolled in Medicare, that's something else to consider as you approach 65.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•He's not a veteran, but the Medicare reminder is helpful. I'm enrolled in Part A but haven't done B yet since it comes out of our SSDI. I should look into that too. Thank you all again for your advice during this difficult time. It's given me some peace of mind to understand what to expect.
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