Can I claim Social Security survivor benefits at 70 when husband died 16 years ago?

You should definitely look into this right away! Survivor benefits can actually be claimed as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled), but that doesn't mean you've completely missed out. If your husband's benefit amount would be higher than what you're currently receiving on your own record, you might be eligible for the difference. The good news is that at 70, you've already maximized your own retirement benefit with delayed retirement credits, so now it's just a matter of seeing if your survivor benefit would be higher. Call the SSA immediately to request an appointment specifically about survivor benefits. Make sure to have your husband's death certificate and your marriage certificate ready.

my mom went through something similar!! the ssa people nevr told her she could get my dads benefits when he died. she found out 3 yrs later from a friend!!! its crazy how they dont tell u this stuff

I'm going through something similar but I'm 67 and my husband died two years ago. I've spent HOURS on the phone trying to get answers about survivor benefits vs. my own retirement benefits. It's absolutely MADDENING how difficult they make this process!! Every time I call, I get disconnected or told different information. I've been trying for months to get this sorted out. The worst part is that some agent told me I might have been receiving the wrong amount for the past year, but then I got disconnected and couldn't get back through. The whole system is designed to make you give up!!

To answer your specific question: No, it's not too late to apply for survivor benefits, but you won't get retroactive benefits for all those years unfortunately. SSA generally only provides up to 6 months of retroactive benefits for survivors, and that's only if you would have been eligible during those 6 months. Here's what you need to know: 1. At your current age (70), you're entitled to 100% of your late husband's benefit if his primary insurance amount (PIA) is higher than your current benefit. 2. Since you're already collecting your own retirement benefit (which has been maximized with delayed retirement credits to age 70), you won't get both benefits combined - just the higher of the two. 3. You'll need to schedule an appointment with SSA specifically for survivor benefits. Bring your marriage certificate, his death certificate, both your Social Security numbers, and your recent tax return. 4. Even if you've missed out on years of potentially higher payments, it's still worth applying now if his benefit amount was higher than what you're currently receiving.

dont feel bad alot of ppl miss this. my aunt didnt know about surviver benefits till she was almost 80! better late than never tho so def apply now if husbands benefit is more than yours

Just to clarify some misunderstandings I'm seeing in this thread: For survivor benefits, the rules are different than for regular retirement benefits. While it's true you can apply as early as 60, the benefit reduction formula is different. Also, if you remarry after age 60, you can still collect survivor benefits from your previous spouse. As for the original poster's situation, at age 70, you would receive 100% of your deceased husband's benefit amount IF it's higher than your current retirement benefit. You should request an appointment specifically for survivor benefits and ask them to do a complete benefits calculation to determine the best option for you. One more tip: if your husband had delayed retirement credits (meaning he worked past his full retirement age), those would be factored into your survivor benefit as well.

Yes, that's correct about remarriage after 60 for survivor benefits! It's different from spousal benefits (where remarriage at any age ends eligibility). For survivors, if you remarry after 60, you can still claim on your deceased spouse's record. Confusing, I know!