Confused about widow benefits from Social Security - missed 6 months of payments after husband's death

I'm so sorry for your loss. To answer your questions based on my experience: 1. Unfortunately, Social Security typically only provides 6 months of retroactive benefits from the date you apply. So while you can't get all 20 months back, you might be able to get 6 months of back payments if you formally apply right away. 2. Yes, that advice about waiting until 70 for your own benefit is generally sound. You can take the survivor benefit now and switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 when it reaches its maximum amount. This is one of the few remaining "claim now, claim more later" strategies still available. 3. No, you can't receive both benefits simultaneously at their full amounts. You'll receive the higher of the two benefits. However, the strategy in point #2 allows you to receive survivor benefits now and then switch to your own (presumably higher) retirement benefit later.

OMG the exact same thing happened to my sister!!! She lost out on like 8 months of payments because nobody told her she could apply right away after her husband died. The whole system is DESIGNED to keep us from getting what we deserve. They should be REQUIRED to notify eligible widows automatically instead of making us figure it out ourselves!!!!!

I was in a similar situation a few years ago, and here's what I learned through the process: 1. Request for retroactive benefits: You can get up to 6 months of retroactive benefits from your application date, but not the full 20 months. File immediately to minimize further losses. 2. Maximizing benefits strategy: The agent gave you good advice. This approach is called "restricted application" in SSA terminology. By taking the survivor benefit now and switching to your own retirement benefit at 70, you'll maximize your lifetime benefits. Your own benefit grows by 8% per year between FRA and age 70. 3. Dual entitlement: While you can't receive full amounts of both benefits simultaneously, you might receive a combination that equals the higher of the two benefits. It's called "deemed filing" - essentially you'll get the higher of the two. Be sure to ask specifically about the "restricted application for survivor benefits" when you talk to SSA. Not all representatives understand these strategies fully.

sorry about your husband passing. when my wife died i had so much trouble trying to get ahold of someone at social security to help me figure out the survivor stuff. kept getting busy signals and disconnected. my neighbor told me about a service called claimyr.com that got me through to a real person at SSA in like 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours. they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU really helped me get things sorted out. wish I'd known about it sooner.

Just to add some clarity on your questions: 1. Retroactive benefits: As others mentioned, SSA limits retroactive payments to 6 months for survivor benefits. File Form SSA-1724-F8 (Application for Survivor Benefits) ASAP. Bring your marriage certificate, spouse's death certificate, and both Social Security numbers. 2. Waiting strategy: YES, this is correct. Survivor benefits can be taken as early as age 60 (reduced) or at your FRA (full amount). Your own retirement benefit increases until age 70. Taking survivor benefits now doesn't affect your own benefit's growth. 3. Combined benefits: You'll receive an amount equal to the higher of the two benefits, not both combined. However, if your survivor benefit is higher than your retirement benefit at FRA but lower than your age 70 benefit, the optimal strategy is exactly what was suggested - take survivor now, switch to your own at 70. One more important note: If you're still working, be aware of the earnings limit. In 2025, if you're under FRA and earn more than $22,750, your survivor benefits will be reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit.

My dad worked at social security for 30 years and he always said they don't tell people about benefits on purpose to save money. you gotta fight for what your owed.

I dealt with this exact situation when my husband passed in 2022. What helped me most was keeping detailed notes during every call with SSA. They told me different things each time until I started saying "on my last call on [date] with representative [name], I was told XYZ." Suddenly they became much more consistent. Also, I'd recommend applying for the 6-month retroactive benefits in person at your local office if possible. Bring ALL documentation (marriage certificate, death certificate, tax returns, your ID, etc). I got much better results face-to-face than over the phone.

I want to clarify something important about survivor benefits that hasn't been mentioned yet. If your husband had already started receiving his Social Security retirement benefits before passing, your survivor benefit would be based on what he was receiving. If he hadn't started benefits yet, your survivor benefit would be based on what he would have received at his full retirement age. This can make a significant difference in your benefit amount. Do you know if your husband had already started his Social Security benefits before he passed?

When my husband died last year I was told I couldn't apply for widow benefits until 60 too! Then my daughter who works in elder law told me that's only for reduced benefits and I could get them earlier since we had a disabled child. Sounds like maybe you had a similar situation? The whole system is so confusing. I had to fight for my back pay but eventually got 4 months. They said they couldn't go back further because of some rule. The lady at my local office was super helpful though once I got an appointment. Better than trying to call!!

Just to add one more important consideration - taxes. Survivor benefits are potentially taxable depending on your other income. If your provisional income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + 1/2 of Social Security benefits) exceeds certain thresholds, up to 85% of your benefits may be taxable. With your strategy of claiming survivor benefits now and switching to your own at 70, consider how your income might change over time and whether it makes sense to have additional tax withholding from your benefit payments. Form W-4V allows you to request voluntary withholding from Social Security.