Can my sister get Social Security survivor benefits at 59 or must she wait until 60?
My sister just lost her husband about 6 months ago and she's completely devastated. On top of her grief, she's also worried about finances since he was the primary earner. She's currently 59 years old (turns 60 next December) and someone told her she might be eligible for Social Security survivor benefits, but someone else said she has to be exactly 60 before she can apply. I'm trying to help her figure this out but getting conflicting information. Can she apply now at 59 or does she absolutely have to wait until she turns 60? Is there any exception for widows who are close to 60? She worked part-time for most of her marriage so she doesn't have much in Social Security credits herself. Any help would be so appreciated!
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Amara Okafor
Generally, survivor benefits for a widow/widower start at age 60, but there are important exceptions your sister should know about. If she's caring for her husband's child who is under 16 OR disabled, she could get benefits at any age. Also, if she herself is disabled, she might qualify for survivor benefits as early as age 50. If none of these exceptions apply, she'll need to wait until she turns 60. But she should consider that taking benefits at exactly 60 means she'll receive a reduced amount - about 71.5% of what she'd get if she waited until her full retirement age. Each month she waits after 60 increases the benefit amount slightly.
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Liam Murphy
•Thank you so much for this information. She doesn't have any children under 16 and isn't disabled, so it sounds like she'll need to wait until she turns 60 after all. I'll let her know about the reduced benefit amount too - that's really important to consider. Do you know if she can submit the application a little before she turns 60 so the benefits can start right away when she reaches that age? Or does she have to wait until her actual birthday?
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CaptainAwesome
my mom got ss survivors at 57 dont listen to these ppl they dont know what there talking about!!! the ssa lets u get it earlier if u really need it just go in person and explain ur situation
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Amara Okafor
•That's not accurate information. The earliest a widow/widower can receive survivor benefits is age 60 unless they're disabled (then it's 50) or caring for the deceased's child who is under 16 or disabled. Your mother might have qualified under one of these exceptions, or perhaps she received a different type of benefit. It's important not to give incorrect information that could lead someone to waste time applying for benefits they're not eligible for.
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Yuki Tanaka
I just went through this EXACT situation last year when my husband passed!!! The SSA is VERY strict about the age 60 requirement for widow benefits. I tried applying 2 months before I turned 60 and they made me come back ON my birthday to file!!!! The system is so frustrating and nobody answers the phones. I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone to explain things to me. It was a nightmare on top of already dealing with grief.
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Esmeralda Gómez
•I had the same problem trying to reach someone at SSA! What finally worked for me was using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They get you through to a live agent without the endless waiting. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Saved me hours of frustration when I was dealing with my mom's survivor benefits. The SSA phone system is terrible but this actually works.
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Klaus Schmidt
Sorry about your sister's loss. Let me add that while she does need to wait until age 60 for survivor benefits, she should apply 3-4 months BEFORE her 60th birthday. SSA will process the application so benefits can start the month she turns 60. Also, if her husband was receiving higher benefits than she would get on her own record, she should definitely consider survivor benefits. At full retirement age (probably 67 for her), she would receive 100% of what he was getting. One more thing: taking survivor benefits at 60 doesn't prevent her from switching to her own retirement benefit later if that would be higher. This strategy can sometimes maximize total benefits.
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Aisha Patel
•Thats not true i tried to apply 3 months early and they said no they wont accept early apps anymore something changed with there policy last year
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Klaus Schmidt
•You're right that policies can change, but as of 2025, SSA still accepts applications up to 4 months before benefit eligibility. However, local offices may have different practices. The safest approach is to call the national number or check the SSA website for the most current information. Regardless, it's always better to contact them a bit early rather than waiting until the last minute.
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LilMama23
I'm a financial planner who works with many widowed clients, and there's some important information your sister should consider: 1. She must wait until age 60 for survivor benefits (unless she's disabled or caring for young/disabled children as mentioned) 2. If she works while receiving survivor benefits before her Full Retirement Age, she'll be subject to the earnings test ($23,400/year in 2025 - she loses $1 in benefits for every $2 earned above this limit) 3. Taking benefits at 60 means a permanent reduction to 71.5% of her husband's full benefit 4. If she has her own work record, she might consider taking ONLY survivor benefits at 60 and switching to her own retirement benefit at 70 (or vice versa, depending on which is higher) This is a complex decision that can have lifetime financial impacts. She should consider consulting with an SSA claims specialist about her specific situation.
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Liam Murphy
•This is incredibly helpful information, thank you! I hadn't even thought about the earnings test. She does work part-time making about $19,000 per year, so she might be under that limit. And the strategy of taking one benefit first and switching later sounds smart. I'll definitely encourage her to talk with an SSA claims specialist about her specific situation. Is there a direct way to schedule an appointment with them?
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Yuki Tanaka
Did anyone mention the lump sum death benefit?? Your sister should be eligible for the $255 death benefit payment regardless of her age. I know it's not much but every bit helps when you're grieving and dealing with expenses. She needs to apply for this within 2 years of her husband's death.
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Liam Murphy
•Thank you for mentioning this! She did receive that payment shortly after his passing. You're right that it's not much, but it did help with some immediate expenses. I appreciate you bringing it up though - someone else reading might not be aware of it.
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CaptainAwesome
why is everyone ignoring that shes so close to 60??? its only a few months away just wait its not worth the hassle trying to get exceptions trust me
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Klaus Schmidt
Another consideration for your sister: if she's struggling financially while waiting to turn 60, she might want to look into whether she qualifies for any state-level widow assistance programs. These vary by state but can sometimes provide temporary support. Also, if her husband had a pension, life insurance, or other retirement accounts, make sure she's explored all those potential income sources while waiting for Social Security eligibility.
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Liam Murphy
•That's a great suggestion! I'll help her look into state-level programs. She did receive his life insurance, but it wasn't a huge policy. I think he had a small 401k too that we need to follow up on. These are good reminders to explore everything available to her.
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