Can my 49-year-old neighbor get Social Security survivor benefits after husband died at 68?

She can't get survivor benefits until age 60, except in special cases. The $255 is sadly correct for now. But yes, when she reaches retirement age, she can choose between her own benefit or a survivor benefit based on his record (whichever is higher).

There ARE exceptions to the age 60 rule! If she has a disability that started before or within 7 years of his death, she could qualify for disabled widow benefits. Also, if she's caring for his child who is under 16 or disabled, she could get benefits at any age. Does either situation apply to her?

Tell her to check with SSA again! When I lost my husband at 52, they told me the same thing, but it turned out I qualified for reduced survivor benefits at 50 because I had a minor disability. Sometimes the first person you talk to doesn't know all the rules. She should specifically ask about "disabled widow benefits" and any other exceptions.

Social Security survivor benefit rules can be confusing. The basics are: 1. The $255 lump-sum death benefit is standard. 2. Widow(er)s can typically receive survivor benefits starting at age 60 (or age 50 if disabled). 3. The benefit amount depends on multiple factors including the deceased's PIA, when they started benefits, and when the survivor claims. 4. At her full retirement age (probably 67), she would receive 100% of what he was receiving. 5. If she claims at 60, she would receive about 71.5% of his benefit. 6. When she reaches retirement age, she can indeed switch between her own retirement benefit or the survivor benefit, whichever is higher. She should definitely request a detailed explanation of her options and get everything in writing from SSA.

The SSA is terrable with expaining benifits! My sister was in almost the same situation and they didnt tell her ANYTHING about what she could get later. She thought she was just getting the $255 and that was it forever! Nobody mentioned she could claim survivors benifits at 60. Make sure your neighbor WRITES DOWN her husbands SSN and keeps his death certificate safe because she'll need them later!

Has she considered trying to reach a different SSA representative? Sometimes getting accurate information depends on who you speak with. When my mom was in a similar situation, she kept getting disconnected or given incomplete information until she finally reached someone helpful. I recently discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual person at SSA without the endless hold times. There's a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Might be worth looking into so she can get a second opinion from a different representative who might be more knowledgeable about all her options.

IMPORTANT: Has anyone mentioned the EARNINGS LIMIT if she claims at 60? If she's still working (which at 49 she probably will be at 60), she'll be subject to the earnings limit until her FRA. In 2025, if you claim benefits before FRA, SSA deducts $1 for every $2 earned above $22,320. This could significantly reduce or eliminate her survivor benefit if she has decent income. Also, tell her to check if her husband worked for any employer where he didn't pay into Social Security (like some government jobs). That could affect benefits through WEP/GPO provisions.

Why doesn't the SSA tell people this stuff automatically??? It's like they WANT us to miss out on benefits we deserve! My friend waited 3 extra years to claim survivors because nobody told her she was eligible and she lost out on thousands of dollars that she'll never get back! The system is designed to confuse people!!

One more thing your neighbor should do - create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if she doesn't already have one. She can use this to: 1. Review her own work history and projected benefits 2. Ensure all her earnings have been properly recorded 3. Get estimates of what her retirement benefits might be 4. Compare that with what her survivor benefits would be at different claiming ages This will help her make informed decisions as she approaches age 60. She should also consider consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning to maximize her benefits.

oopssss i was wrong in my first comment! i just double-checked and widows can actually file as early as age 50 if they're disabled (not 55 like i said). edited my comment. sorry for the confusion!