Can I switch to my deceased husband's higher Social Security benefit instead of keeping mine?

Yes, you're entitled to survivor benefits, which would give you the higher of either your benefit or your late husband's benefit (not both). You don't automatically get switched - you need to report the death to Social Security and apply for survivor benefits. You should do this as soon as possible because SSA generally only pays benefits from when you apply, not from the date of death. You'll need to provide his death certificate when you apply. I'm sorry for your loss.

This EXACT situation happened to me 2 years ago. The SSA does NOT automatically switch you over - they didn't even tell me I was eligible for my husband's higher amount until I specifically asked!!! I ended up missing out on 2 months of the higher payment because I waited too long to apply. CALL THEM IMMEDIATELY and be prepared to wait FOREVER on hold. And make sure you have his death certificate ready.

have u checked the my social security website? theres a form there for reporting a death i think. my mom did everything online when my dad passed

To clarify what others have said, what you're eligible for are called widow's benefits. As the widow of a worker who was receiving retirement benefits, you can receive up to 100% of what your husband was receiving if you're at full retirement age (which you are at 73). It's important to understand this is a switch - you'll give up your own retirement benefit to receive the higher survivor benefit. You don't get both. You need to contact SSA within 30 days of his passing for the best processing of your claim. Bring or have ready: your ID, your husband's death certificate, your marriage certificate, your husband's and your Social Security numbers, and information about any other benefits you might be receiving.

I tried calling SSA about something similar last year and spent TWO HOURS on hold before giving up!! Try using Claimyr.com instead - it holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me so much time and frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

My condolences on your loss. One thing to consider - if you were receiving Medicare and it was being deducted from your husband's Social Security payment, make sure to tell SSA you want to continue those deductions from your new survivor benefit. Sometimes this detail gets missed during the transition and people end up with Medicare premium bills they weren't expecting.

Just went through this process for my mom a few months ago. Here's exactly what happens: you'll report the death to SSA (call or go in person), then formally apply for survivor benefits. They'll stop your current benefit and switch you to the survivor benefit amount. It takes about 2-3 weeks for everything to process, and then you'll get a letter in the mail confirming the new amount. My mom's first increased check came about 6 weeks after we initially reported my dad's death.