Can I get Social Security survivor benefit estimates before turning 62 for retirement planning?

I was in a similar situation at 55 after my wife passed. The in-person appointment might actually be worth it - the field office specialists sometimes have access to tools the phone reps don't. Bring your husband's death certificate, your marriage certificate, and his Social Security statement if you have it. They CAN run estimates for you, despite what the phone rep said. They just don't advertise it because they're overwhelmed with current beneficiaries. Be super nice but firm about needing this for financial planning. Good luck!

they told me same thing when i was 53 but then later somebody told me u can make account on ssa.gov and see ur own estimates there but not sure if it shows survivor stuff or just retirement

Unfortunately, the SSA rep was mostly correct. While they can potentially provide SOME information, they won't give you the exact matrix you're looking for because your survivor benefit amount depends on several factors that can change between now and when you're eligible to claim: 1. If you're working, your own earnings record continues to change 2. COLA adjustments happen annually 3. The exact benefit calculation depends on what your husband was receiving (or would have received) 4. Whether you'll take reduced benefits at 60 or wait until your FRA What you CAN do is ask them to provide an estimate based on current information with the understanding it's not guaranteed. Also ask about the Retirement Insurance Benefit (RIB-LIM) provision that might affect your amounts. Be specific that you need this for planning purposes. The in-person appointment is definitely worth keeping!

my sister got widowed at 51 and they told her same thing so your not alone they just dont want to do the work because the numbers might change

I faced this exact situation after losing my husband when I was 51. The phone representatives were indeed useless, but I got much better help at my in-person appointment. Here's what worked for me: 1. I brought all my husband's financial information - his last Social Security statement, our tax returns, his death certificate, and our marriage certificate 2. I specifically asked them to calculate what my survivor benefit would be at age 60, at my FRA (which is 67 in my case), and if I waited until 70 3. I also asked them to calculate my own retirement benefit at different ages The field office rep was able to give me printouts showing these different scenarios. It wasn't perfect because COLAs will change things, but it gave me enough information to make reasonable plans. Don't cancel your appointment - just go in very prepared with exactly what you need to know. And if the first person isn't helpful, politely ask to speak with a technical expert or supervisor who has more experience with survivor calculations.

The whole system is RIDICULOUS! You absolutely SHOULD be able to get this information for planning. I spent THREE HOURS trying to get through on the phone last month and kept getting disconnected. Then when I finally reached someone, they gave me completely wrong information about my disability application. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person at SSA in 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Might be worth trying if you need to call again after your appointment. The local offices are sometimes better than the national call center people who seem to know almost nothing.

Social Security retirement planner here. While it's true that SSA won't provide official benefit amounts until you're closer to eligibility age, you can get a reasonable estimate on your own with some information. For survivor benefits, the basic calculation is: - If you claim at your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you receive 100% of your deceased husband's benefit amount - If you claim at age 60 (earliest eligibility), you receive 71.5% of that amount - Each month you wait between 60 and your FRA increases the percentage slightly To estimate the base amount, look at your husband's most recent Social Security statement. If he was already receiving benefits, it would be approximately that amount adjusted for any COLAs since his passing. Keep your appointment, but also know that you can request a 'What-If' scenario from an experienced SSA representative. They should be able to at least give you ballpark figures that will help with your planning.

your not wasting time i think u should go to appointment because the people in person are nicer then the phone people

One additional thing to keep in mind - and something that confused me greatly during my own widow planning - is that you'll eventually need to decide between your own retirement benefit and your survivor benefit. You can take one first and switch to the other later if it's higher. This can be a complex but beneficial strategy. For example: 1. Take reduced survivor benefits at 60 2. Switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 (if it's higher by then) OR 1. Take your own retirement benefit at 62 2. Switch to survivors at your FRA for the maximum survivor amount This is exactly why you need those estimates now - to figure out which strategy works best for your situation. Make sure to specifically ask about these switching strategies during your appointment.