Can I get 6 months retroactive Social Security survivor benefits before my FRA?

Yes, survivor benefits do have different retroactive rules than retirement benefits! You can receive up to 6 months of retroactive benefits when filing for survivor benefits, even before your FRA. However, remember that any months of retroactive benefits paid before your FRA will be at the reduced rate. So if your FRA is 66 and 10 months and you apply at 66, those retroactive payments would be at a reduced rate since they'd be for months before your FRA. You should explicitly mention on your application that you want to receive retroactive benefits - it's not always automatic. The SSA rep should ask you, but sometimes they forget.

i got survior benefits last year and yes they gave me 6 months back pay but u have to ASK FOR IT!!! the ssa person never mentioned it and i almost missed out, my neighbor told me about it. defintely say u want the backpay when u apply!!

My condolences on losing your husband. I went through the same thing 3 years ago. The 6-month retroactive payment was really helpful for me during that difficult time.

There's a lot of confusion around retroactive benefits, so let me clarify. For survivor benefits, SSA can pay up to 6 months retroactively regardless of whether you've reached FRA. This is different from retirement benefits which only allow 6 months retroactive payments if you're past FRA. The reduction for filing early is approximately 0.396% per month before your FRA. So if your FRA is 66 and 10 months, and you file at exactly 66, that's 10 months early, resulting in roughly a 3.96% permanent reduction. The retroactive months would be at this same reduced rate. Importantly, you MUST specifically request retroactive benefits when you apply. It's not automatically granted. And keep in mind that taking reduced survivor benefits doesn't affect retirement benefits on your own record if you choose to switch later.

When my sister applied for survivors last year they told her the 6 month lookback was ONLY if you're already at full retirement age. I think some of these comments are WRONG. She applied at 64 and they wouldn't give her any retroactive benefits!!! Call SSA directly and ask!!!

Getting through to SSA on the phone can be really frustrating. When I needed to apply for my survivor benefits, I was getting disconnected constantly after waiting on hold for hours. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in under 2 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU It made a huge difference because I was able to directly ask about the retroactive benefits and specifically request them during my application. The agent explained everything clearly and made sure I got the retroactive payments I was entitled to.

Is anyone here worried about the early filing reduction being PERMANENT?? That's what scares me. My husband passed in January and I'm trying to decide whether to take survivors benefits now at 63 with the reduction or wait until my FRA. I didn't even know about this 6 month retroactive option! But if I take it early and get this reduction, am I stuck with the lower amount FOREVER??

wait i'm confused now...if she already turned 66 can she still get the full amount for survivor benefits? i thought FRA for survivors was 66? or is it different for different years you were born?

I called SSA this morning and spoke with a representative who confirmed most of what you all have said. The 6-month retroactive benefit IS available for survivor benefits even before FRA, but you DO need to specifically request it during application. She calculated that my reduction would be about 4% for claiming 10 months early, which seems worth it to me to get those extra months of benefits. I'm going to proceed with filing in August when I turn 66 and will definitely request the retroactive benefits. Thank you all for your help!

That's wonderful that you were able to get direct confirmation from SSA! Your decision sounds very reasonable - a 4% reduction to get 10 months of benefits plus the 6 months retroactive payments is definitely worth considering. Just a friendly reminder to document everything when you apply in August - maybe even ask the representative to note in your file that you're specifically requesting the 6-month retroactive benefits. Sometimes having it in writing helps ensure nothing gets missed in the process. Best of luck with your application!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Alberto. I went through a similar situation a few years back and the retroactive survivor benefits really helped during that difficult transition period. One thing I'd add to the great advice you've already received - when you do apply in August, consider asking the SSA representative to walk you through exactly how they calculated your benefit amount, including the reduction percentage. I found it helpful to understand the math behind it, and it gave me confidence that everything was being processed correctly. Also, keep copies of all your paperwork and any correspondence - it can take a few months for the retroactive payments to come through, so having documentation helps if you need to follow up. You're making a smart decision by getting all this information upfront rather than rushing into it blindly.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Alberto. This is such a difficult time to be navigating these complex decisions. I went through something similar when my spouse passed away two years ago. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple timeline before my SSA appointment - listing my birth date, spouse's death date, my FRA date, and the potential application date. It made it much easier to discuss the retroactive benefit window with the representative. Also, don't hesitate to ask for a supervisor if the first person you speak with seems unclear about the survivor benefit retroactive rules - I found that some representatives are more knowledgeable about these specific situations than others. The 6-month lookback combined with getting benefits 10 months early sounds like a reasonable strategy given your circumstances. Wishing you strength as you work through this process.

I'm really sorry for your loss, Alberto. Losing a spouse is incredibly difficult, and having to navigate these complex benefit decisions during grief makes it even harder. I want to echo what others have said about the importance of explicitly requesting those retroactive benefits - I made the mistake of assuming SSA would automatically check for eligibility when I applied for survivor benefits last year, and nearly missed out on several months of back payments until a friend told me to call back and specifically ask. One additional tip that helped me: when you do apply in August, consider bringing a trusted friend or family member with you if possible. Having someone there to help listen and take notes can be invaluable when you're dealing with so much information while grieving. The emotional weight of these appointments can make it hard to absorb everything, and having a second set of ears really helped me feel more confident about my decisions. You're being so smart to research all this ahead of time and ask these important questions. That 4% reduction for 10 months of additional benefits plus the 6-month retroactive period sounds like a very reasonable approach given your situation.

Alberto, I'm so sorry for your loss. I've been reading through this thread and wanted to add one more perspective that might be helpful. I work as a benefits counselor and see situations like yours frequently. You've gotten excellent advice here, especially about explicitly requesting the retroactive benefits and understanding that the reduction is permanent for survivor benefits. One thing I'd emphasize is that when you apply in August, make sure to ask the SSA representative to explain your "deemed filing" options. Since you'll be eligible for both survivor benefits and potentially your own retirement benefit, understanding how these interact is crucial for long-term planning. Some people find it beneficial to take reduced survivor benefits now and then switch to their own retirement benefit at 70 when it reaches maximum value - but this strategy depends on your specific work history and benefit amounts. The fact that you're taking time to research and ask questions shows you're approaching this thoughtfully during what I know is an incredibly difficult time.

Alberto, I'm so sorry for the loss of your husband. Having gone through the survivor benefits process myself, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help when you apply in August. First, bring multiple forms of ID and any death certificates - they usually need certified copies. Second, if possible, try to schedule your appointment for first thing in the morning when the staff is fresh and less rushed. I found the representatives were more thorough and patient early in the day. Also, write down the name of whoever helps you and get a receipt showing you've applied - this creates a paper trail in case there are any processing delays with your retroactive benefits. One last thing: they may ask if you want direct deposit set up immediately, which I'd recommend since it gets your payments to you faster than waiting for checks in the mail. The combination of getting 10 months of early benefits plus the 6-month retroactive period sounds like a solid financial decision given your circumstances. You're being so wise to get all this information upfront rather than going in blind.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Alberto. Reading through this thread has been incredibly informative - I'm in a similar situation and didn't know about the 6-month retroactive option for survivor benefits either. It's heartbreaking that we have to navigate these complex decisions while grieving, but I'm grateful for communities like this where people share their real experiences. The advice about bringing someone with you to the appointment really resonates with me - grief brain is so real and having support during important meetings makes such a difference. Thank you for asking this question and to everyone who shared their knowledge. It's helping more people than you probably realize. Wishing you strength as you move forward with your application in August.

Alberto, my heart goes out to you during this difficult time. I lost my spouse three years ago and remember how overwhelming all these benefit decisions felt while grieving. You've received such wonderful advice in this thread, and I wanted to add one small but important detail that helped me: when you go to your August appointment, consider asking the SSA representative to give you a written estimate of your monthly benefit amount both with and without the early filing reduction. Having those numbers side by side really helped me visualize the long-term impact of my decision. Also, don't be afraid to ask them to repeat information or explain things multiple times - they're used to working with people during difficult circumstances and should be patient with your questions. The 6-month retroactive benefit combined with starting at 66 sounds like a smart approach given your situation. You're doing everything right by researching thoroughly and asking all the right questions. Wishing you peace as you navigate this process.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Alberto. This thread has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about the 6-month retroactive option for survivor benefits! As someone who may face this decision in the future, I'm saving all this information. The advice about explicitly requesting the retroactive benefits when you apply seems crucial since it's not automatic. It's also reassuring to know that taking reduced survivor benefits doesn't permanently affect your own retirement benefits if you decide to switch later. Thank you for asking such an important question and creating this helpful discussion. The community's responses show just how valuable it is to have people share their real experiences with these complex Social Security rules. Best wishes for your appointment in August - you're clearly going in well-prepared!