Can I delay SS survivor benefits until FRA if I'm collecting spousal excess benefits before my husband passes?

You absolutely CAN delay survivor benefits until your FRA even if you're currently receiving spousal excess benefits. These are treated as completely separate entitlements under Social Security rules. If your husband passes away before your FRA, you'll have three options: 1. Continue with your own reduced retirement benefit plus any spousal excess 2. Switch immediately to survivor benefits (which would be reduced for early claiming) 3. Wait until your FRA to switch to unreduced survivor benefits SSA should allow you to choose option #3 if that makes the most financial sense for your situation. At FRA, you'd receive 100% of your husband's benefit amount.

my mom went through this EXACT situation last yr!! she was getting a small spousal excess (like $180/month) on top of her own ss check. when my dad died she was 64 and ssa tried to automatically switch her to survivors but she refused and kept her own benefit until FRA. its confusing because some ssa employees said she couldnt do that but supervisor confirmed she could!!! stand your ground if they try to tell you different!

I work with a financial planner who specializes in Social Security and she told me that the survivor benefit rules are completely separate from spousal benefits. So you're fine! But make sure you get this in writing from SSA because some reps don't know all the rules. My sister-in-law had to file an appeal because they automatically switched her to survivors when her husband died.

I'm so confused by all this!!! My husband is 5 years older than me and we're trying to figure out our claiming strategy. If I'm understanding right, if I take my own benefit early and then he dies, I can CHOOSE whether to switch to survivors right away (with a reduction) or wait till FRA? Is that what everyone is saying?? The SSA website makes it sound like everything is automatic!

anyone else notice how they NEVER explain these options clearly at the ss office??? my neighbor got switched to survivors automatically when her husband died and they never told her she could wait. she lost like $400/month for the rest of her life because of that!!!! :

To summarize what everyone's saying and to directly answer your question - YES, you can delay survivor benefits until FRA even if you're receiving spousal excess benefits currently. Here's the technical explanation: The deemed filing rules that might force certain benefit applications don't apply to survivor benefits. So receiving spousal benefits (or spousal excess benefits) doesn't force you to take survivor benefits early if your husband passes away. When you speak with SSA during your upcoming appointment, you might want to specifically ask them to note in your file that you understand this rule and intend to delay survivor benefits until FRA if necessary. That documentation could help if there's confusion later.

guys I just remmebered another thing from my moms situation - when my dad died the local office actually FILED FOR SURVIVORS for her without asking!!! she had to call and have them undo it. they said it was "automatic" but that wasn't true. so be super careful and check your myssa account if this happens to make sure they dont switch you without permission!!!

I went through something similar with my late husband's benefits. One thing I learned that might help you - when you have your SSA phone appointment, ask them to send you a written summary of what you discussed via mail or secure message in your mySSA account. This creates a paper trail if there are any disputes later. Also, since your husband's PIA is significantly higher than yours ($3,600 vs $2,100), you'll likely be eligible for a decent spousal excess benefit now. But more importantly, if he passes away, your survivor benefit at FRA would be based on his full $3,600 amount - that's a substantial increase from your current reduced benefit. The peace of mind knowing you can delay survivor benefits until 67 is worth protecting. Don't let anyone pressure you into making immediate decisions if that unfortunate situation arises.

I'm in a somewhat similar situation and have been researching this extensively. What I've learned from speaking with multiple SSA representatives and reading the actual regulations is that you have complete flexibility with survivor benefits regardless of your current benefit status. The key point that hasn't been mentioned yet is that when your husband passes (hopefully many years from now), you'll actually want to do a careful calculation. At that time, you'll need to compare: 1. Your current reduced retirement benefit plus any spousal excess 2. The survivor benefit amount (reduced if taken before FRA, full if taken at FRA) Sometimes it's actually better to keep your own benefit even past FRA if the survivor benefit isn't significantly higher. Since your husband's PIA is $3,600 and yours is $2,100, the survivor benefit will likely be much better, but it's still worth running the numbers. Also, one practical tip - if you do end up in this situation, you can actually file a "protective filing" for survivor benefits to preserve your right to back benefits while you decide on timing. This gives you some breathing room to make the best financial decision without losing potential money.