Can I switch from my own Social Security to survivor benefits after ex-husband passes away with terminal illness?
My older sister (67 this year) is in a complicated situation with Social Security and I'm trying to help her plan ahead. Her ex-husband started collecting his Social Security at 62 (about 6 years ago). They were married for over 40 years before divorcing. She just found out he's been diagnosed with advanced colon cancer and his prognosis isn't good. She hasn't started collecting any SS benefits yet but is planning to file for her own benefits this year, though it will be a few months before her Full Retirement Age (FRA). She's wondering about her options if her ex-husband passes away. Specifically, could she temporarily stop her own benefits after reaching FRA, switch to survivor benefits based on his record, and then let her own benefit continue growing until 70? The age timing is making this confusing for us. If she starts her own benefits slightly before FRA, then he passes away after she reaches FRA, what options does she have? Can she pause her benefit, collect survivors, then switch back? Any help understanding this would be greatly appreciated.
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Haley Bennett
Yes, your sister can do exactly what you're describing, but the timing matters. If she files for her retirement benefit before FRA (even by just a month), she'll be deemed to have filed for any spousal benefits she might be eligible for at that time (due to deemed filing rules). However, this doesn't affect survivor benefits. If her ex-husband passes away after she reaches her FRA, she absolutely can: 1. Suspend her own retirement benefit (allowing it to grow with delayed retirement credits) 2. Apply for survivor benefits based on her ex-husband's record 3. Switch back to her own increased benefit at age 70 This strategy works because survivor benefits are treated separately from retirement benefits. She should contact SSA as soon as possible after her ex passes to explore this option.
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Rami Samuels
•Thank you so much for explaining this! So it sounds like she should go ahead with her original plan to file for her own benefits before FRA, and then she'll still have the option to switch to survivor benefits if/when he passes away? The timing of everything is causing us a lot of stress.
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Douglas Foster
My condolences about your brother-in-law's diagnosis. I went thru something similar with my ex. Just want to point out that if she's planning to file before FRA, she'll get a permanently reduced benefit on her own record. Make sure she understands this! If possible, waiting until exactly FRA would give her more options. Also, survivior benefits from an ex are different than from a current spouse, so make sure SSA knows they were married 40+ years when the time comes.
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Rami Samuels
•Thank you for the kind words. I hadn't considered the permanent reduction aspect. She's only about 4 months away from her FRA, so maybe waiting those few extra months would be worth it. I'll definitely talk to her about this.
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Nina Chan
Your sister's situation is fairly common, and she's smart to plan ahead. Here's the optimal strategy based on what you've shared: 1. If possible, she should wait until exactly her FRA to file for her own retirement benefits. Filing even one month early causes a permanent reduction. 2. Once her ex-husband passes away (I'm sorry about his diagnosis), she should immediately contact SSA to evaluate her survivor benefit amount. 3. If the survivor benefit would be higher than her current retirement benefit, she should request to suspend her retirement benefit and switch to the survivor benefit. 4. At age 70, she can switch back to her own retirement benefit, which will have grown by 8% per year since her FRA. This approach maximizes her lifetime benefits. The key point: she can only voluntary suspend her own benefit after reaching her FRA. But survivor benefits work differently from spousal benefits - she can switch between her own and survivor benefits at any point after FRA.
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Ruby Knight
•I thought once you file for ANY Social Security you can't switch?? My financial advisor told me you get locked in to whatever you choose first. Is that wrong??
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Nina Chan
•That's a common misunderstanding. The "deemed filing" rule does prevent switching between retirement and spousal benefits for those born after 1/1/1954. However, survivor benefits operate under different rules. You can absolutely switch between your own retirement benefit and survivor benefits at FRA or later, even if you've already started receiving one type. This is one of the few remaining strategic claiming options in the Social Security system.
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Diego Castillo
I tried calling SSA 8 times last month to ask similar questions for my situation and could never get through!! The hold times were over 2 hours each time and twice I got disconnected after waiting that long. So frustrating!!!
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Logan Stewart
•I had the same nightmare scenario trying to reach SSA about survivor benefits after my husband passed. After three disconnected calls and hours on hold, I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to a real SSA agent in under 10 minutes. They basically wait on hold for you and call you when an agent is on the line. Saved me so much frustration! I watched their demo video first (https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU) and then used their website claimyr.com to schedule the call. Way better than wasting entire mornings on hold.
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Diego Castillo
•Omg THANK YOU!! I'll check this out right now. I've wasted entire days trying to get through!!
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Mikayla Brown
I don't think this is correct advice. Your sister can't just "pause" her benefits whenever she wants. Once you start collecting, you're locked in. At least that's what happened with my brother-in-law. He tried to pause his at 67 and they told him it was impossible.
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Haley Bennett
•There's actually a specific process called "voluntary suspension" that is available, but ONLY if you've already reached your Full Retirement Age (FRA). You can suspend retirement benefits after FRA and restart them later (they'll grow by 8% annually until age 70). Your brother-in-law might have been trying to suspend before reaching his FRA, which isn't allowed. Or perhaps the SSA representative he spoke with was misinformed (unfortunately this happens). The relevant section of SSA's POMS manual is GN 02409.100 if anyone needs to reference it when speaking with an agent.
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Mikayla Brown
•Oh wow, I had no idea! My brother-in-law should definitely call them back then because he was definitely past his FRA. Thanks for clarifying and even providing the manual reference. This system is so complicated.
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Rami Samuels
I just wanted to thank everyone for their helpful responses. My sister and I talked it over, and based on your advice, she's decided to wait the extra 4 months until she reaches her FRA before filing for her own benefits. That way, she'll have maximum flexibility if her ex-husband passes away. I'm also going to help her document everything (their marriage certificate, divorce decree, etc.) so she has it ready if she needs to file for survivor benefits. This whole situation is emotionally difficult, but having a clear financial plan helps reduce some of the stress.
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Nina Chan
•That's a wise decision. Waiting those 4 months until FRA gives her much more flexibility. Another tip: when she eventually contacts SSA about this, she should specifically ask about the "voluntary suspension" option and the switch to survivor benefits. Sometimes the frontline representatives aren't familiar with these strategies, so she might need to ask to speak with a technical expert if she encounters resistance. Wishing your sister and family all the best during this difficult time.
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Douglas Foster
•Smart plan! And yes get ALL the paperwork together now. When I had to deal with survivior benefits they wanted marriage certificate, death certificate, proof of age, and tax returns. Having it all ready saved me so much hassle. Social Security can be confusing but they actually have lots of good options for survivior situations.
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