Can I get ex-spouse survivor benefits while on SSDI at 63, or must I wait until FRA?

You can receive ex-spouse survivor benefits before your full retirement age if you're disabled, but there are some important details to understand. As a divorced spouse, you're eligible for survivor benefits if your marriage lasted at least 10 years (which yours did at 22 years). Since you're already on SSDI, you wouldn't face the same early filing reduction that applies to retirement benefits. However, you would receive the higher of either your SSDI benefit or the survivor benefit - not both added together. In your specific case, if your ex-husband passes away and his benefit would provide you with $2,800 while your SSDI is $1,890, you could switch to the higher survivor benefit immediately. You don't need to wait until your FRA. The SSA will automatically pay you the higher benefit amount.

Thank you so much for clarifying! So I wouldn't need to wait until 67 to get the full survivor amount? That's a huge relief. One more question - would I need to submit a new application for survivor benefits if this happens, or would SSA automatically switch me over?

My brother was in kinda the same boat last year. He got his ex wife's SS when she died even though he was only 61. They told him something about disability freezing your age requirements? idk exactly how it worked but he def got more $ right away

The disability doesn't exactly \

I went through this EXACT situation last year when my ex passed. I was 62, on SSDI, and we were married 15 years. The local office was HORRIBLE about explaining everything!!! They kept telling me different things each time I called. I waited on hold for 2+ hours multiple times only to get someone who clearly didn't understand disabled survivor benefits for divorced spouses.I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to someone senior at SSA who actually knew what they were talking about. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It was SUCH a relief to finally talk to someone who knew the rules.To answer your question: Yes, you can collect your ex's full survivor benefit even before FRA if you're on SSDI. They'll pay whichever is higher - your SSDI or the survivor benefit. In my case I got an extra $570/month. But you MUST apply for it - it is NOT automatic!

Oh wow, thank you for sharing your experience! It's so frustrating when you can't get consistent information. I'll definitely check out that service if I need to call SSA. And thanks for the heads-up about needing to apply - I would have assumed they'd just switch me over automatically.

Be REALLY careful with all this survivor benefit stuff!!! My mom thought she was doing everything right when my dad died and SSA STILL messed up her payments! She had to fight for almost 8 months to get the correct amount, and they kept giving her the runaround about some obscure rule with the family maximum limit or something. I don't trust ANYTHING they say anymore. Get EVERYTHING in writing!

The family maximum typically doesn't apply to divorced spouse survivor benefits the same way it does for current spouses with children receiving benefits. However, your mom's situation highlights why it's important to keep careful records of all communications with SSA. For the original poster: Since you're already in the SSA system with your SSDI, the transition should be smoother, but always document who you speak with (name and ID if possible), when, and what they tell you. Follow up any phone conversations with a written summary through your my Social Security account message center.

i was on ssdi when my husband died and got his benefit right away, no waiting til fra. but my sister had to wait cause she wasnt disabled. so i think your disability status is what matters not your age

That makes sense. I'm glad to hear you were able to get the benefits right away. Did you have to do a lot of paperwork to make the switch?

Actually, there's an important distinction here. When you're receiving disability benefits and you become eligible for survivor benefits, you're considered to be at

Thank you for the detailed explanation! I think I was confusing the 50% spousal benefit (while ex is alive) with the 100% survivor benefit. So to be clear, if my ex passes and his benefit was $2,800, I could potentially get the full $2,800 as a survivor benefit since we were married more than 10 years? That would be a significant increase from my current SSDI.

u need his death certificate when u apply btw. my cousin forgot that part and had to go back

To clarify a few points in this discussion:1. As a disabled divorced spouse, you can receive survivor benefits at any age if your ex-spouse dies and you meet the marriage duration requirement (10 years, which you do).2. Since you're on SSDI, you're already receiving a benefit calculated based on your own work record. If your ex-spouse passes away, you would be eligible for the higher of either your current SSDI benefit ($1,890) or the survivor benefit based on his record (potentially $2,800).3. You would need to apply for the survivor benefits - this is not automatic. Bring his death certificate, your marriage certificate, divorce decree, and your current benefit information.4. There is no reduction for age since you're already deemed disabled - you would receive the full survivor benefit amount if it's higher than your current SSDI.5. After switching to survivor benefits, you would still be subject to SSA medical reviews if your disability is not considered permanent.6. If you're receiving Medicare through your SSDI eligibility, that would continue even if you switch to survivor benefits.

Thank you for such a comprehensive answer! This makes everything much clearer. One last question - if I start receiving survivor benefits based on my ex's record, does that impact any benefits his current wife might receive if he remarried?

No, your receipt of survivor benefits as a divorced spouse does not reduce or affect any benefits that your ex-husband's current wife would receive. The SSA calculates divorced spouse benefits separately from current spouse benefits. Both of you could receive the maximum you're entitled to without affecting each other's benefits.This is different from the family maximum limit that applies when multiple people (like children) are drawing benefits on the same worker's record. For divorced spouses who were married at least 10 years, this limitation doesn't apply in the same way.

That's great to know! I wouldn't want his current family to be affected by my claim. Thank you all for the helpful information. I feel much more prepared now if this situation does arise.

Just want to add something that might be helpful - when you do apply for survivor benefits, consider scheduling an appointment at your local SSA office rather than doing it over the phone. I've found that in-person visits tend to result in fewer miscommunications and you can walk away with copies of everything you submit. Also, if your ex-husband's benefit amount changes between now and when you might need to claim (due to cost of living adjustments or if he continues working), your potential survivor benefit would be based on his benefit amount at the time of his death, not what it is currently. So that $2,800 estimate could actually be higher by the time you'd need to claim it. Keep all your divorce paperwork in an easily accessible place - you'll need the divorce decree that shows the marriage duration when you apply.

I wanted to add one more important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you do end up receiving survivor benefits based on your ex-husband's record, you should be aware that these benefits could potentially be subject to income taxes depending on your total income. Since survivor benefits are generally treated the same as retirement benefits for tax purposes, if your combined income (including any other sources) exceeds certain thresholds, a portion of your Social Security benefits may become taxable. This is something to keep in mind for tax planning purposes. Also, if you're currently receiving any state benefits or assistance programs, switching from SSDI to survivor benefits might affect your eligibility for those programs, so it's worth checking with those agencies as well. The good news is that survivor benefits are generally more stable than SSDI since they don't require ongoing disability reviews in the same way.