Can my friend get SS survivor benefits with a non-SS pension after wife's death?

I'm very sorry for your friend's loss. Yes, he can likely receive survivor benefits based on his wife's Social Security record, but the Government Pension Offset (GPO) will probably reduce the amount. Since he receives a pension from work not covered by Social Security, the GPO typically reduces survivor benefits by 2/3 of his non-SS pension amount. So if his city pension is $1,800/month, GPO would reduce potential survivor benefits by $1,200. If the full survivor benefit would be $1,200 (same as his wife's benefit), then he'd only receive $0 after the offset. If his pension is smaller, he might get a partial survivor benefit. He should contact SSA quickly - there's only a 6-month window to claim benefits that include the month of death.

MY HUSBAND WENT THROUGH THIS LAST YEAR. The GPO is a TERRIBLE rule that hurts public servants!!!! Your friend should apply anyway and FIGHT for his rights!!! Sometimes they make mistakes in your favor. His wife paid into the system and he deserves those benefits!!!

Sorry about your friends wife. My aunt had a similar situation when my uncle died. She got alot less than expected because of that government pension thing. its really complicated and the SSA people explain it different every time you talk to them.

I dealt with this exact situation when my father passed. Your friend needs to apply for the survivor benefits regardless of the pension offset. There are sometimes additional benefits they qualify for, like the one-time death payment of $255. The frustrating part is getting through to the SSA by phone. The lines are constantly busy and you can wait for hours. I'd recommend having your friend try using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it helped me get through to an agent in about 15 minutes instead of spending all day calling. They even have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Even with the GPO, it's worth making sure he gets everything he's entitled to during this difficult time.

sorry about your friends wife. my mom had non ss pension and she still got some of my dads ss when he died, but it was way less than his full amount. the gpo thing stinks but thats how it is for state workers.

One more important point - your friend should contact SSA right away. Survivor benefits can be paid retroactively for up to six months, but if he waits too long, he might miss out on payments he could have received for the month his wife passed away. Even with the GPO reduction, he should still officially apply so the determination is made properly. Also, since we're in 2023, it's worth noting that the GPO calculations will be based on his current pension amount. If his pension has cost-of-living increases that Social Security doesn't, the GPO impact could change over time.

when my grandpa died my grandma got his SS instead of hers because his was higher. its called something like maximum benefit rule? might be different with the pension thing tho

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses. I spoke with my friend today and explained what I've learned here. He's going to apply for the survivor benefits anyway, just to make sure he doesn't miss out on anything he might be entitled to, even if it's just the $255 death benefit. I'll help him use the Claimyr service to get through to SSA without spending hours on hold. It's disappointing that the GPO will likely eliminate any monthly survivor benefit, especially since his wife contributed to Social Security her entire working life. But at least now he understands how the system works and what to expect. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences during this difficult time.