Finally got approved for Social Security survivor benefits after 3 calls - your advice made all the difference!
Just finished my third phone appointment with SSA for my survivor benefits claim and I'm so relieved it's finally approved! Lost my husband 4 months ago and navigating this process has been overwhelming. Everyone in this group who posted about what documents to have ready and which questions to anticipate during the interview - you literally saved me from breaking down during the calls. The first two appointments were frustrating (got disconnected once, and the second agent seemed confused about my work history affecting the benefit amount). Today's agent finally explained that I'm eligible for approximately $2,650/month based on my husband's earnings record, even though I'm still working part-time. Without all your advice about the 'deemed filing' rules and how survivor benefits work differently from retirement benefits, I would have been completely lost. Just wanted to express my gratitude during what's been the hardest time of my life. ❤️
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Sydney Torres
So sorry for your loss. I went through the same thing last year and it's brutal. Did they tell you when your first payment will arrive? Mine took almost 2 months after approval which nobody warned me about!
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Alfredo Lugo
•Thank you. They said 30-45 days for processing, but warned it could be longer because of 'system updates' whatever that means. Did you have to call them again to check on your payment or did it just show up?
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
Congratulations on getting through the process. It's important to note that since you're receiving survivor benefits before your Full Retirement Age (FRA) and still working, you'll need to watch out for the earnings test. For 2025, you can earn up to $22,750 without reduction, but they'll withhold $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit. This doesn't apply once you reach your FRA. Also, keep in mind that survivor benefits can be claimed as early as age 60 (50 if disabled), unlike retirement benefits which start at 62.
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Alfredo Lugo
•Oh wow, thank you for mentioning the earnings limit. The agent did say something about that but I was so emotional I didn't fully process it. I'm 58 so I'll need to calculate if my part-time income will affect my benefits. Do they count gross income or net after taxes?
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•They count gross wages before any deductions. For self-employment, it's net earnings. Since you're receiving benefits before your FRA, the agent should have explained how your work might affect your payments. If your 2025 earnings will exceed the limit, SSA can withhold benefits upfront to avoid an overpayment. You can report your estimated earnings through your MySocialSecurity account or by calling them.
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Caleb Bell
im so sorry abot your husband. the ssa is THE WORST to deal with when youre grieving!!! i had to call them 12 times before i got my survivers benefits. they kept losing my marriage certificate even tho i brought it to the office in person twice!!
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Alfredo Lugo
•That sounds awful! They also asked for my marriage certificate twice, even though I'd already uploaded it to my account. Did you eventually get backpay for the months they delayed your claim?
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Caleb Bell
•yeah i got backpay but only after threatening to call my congressman! the squeaky weel gets the greese with social security
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Danielle Campbell
I'm glad you got approved! When my wife passed last year, I called for three weeks straight and couldn't get through to anyone at Social Security. I eventually tried a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Saved me hours of frustration when I was already dealing with grief. Just sharing in case anyone else is struggling to reach SSA by phone.
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Rhett Bowman
•Does that service actually work? I've been trying to reach someone about my disability application for weeks!
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Alfredo Lugo
•Thank you for sharing this. I wish I'd known about it earlier - my first two calls took over 2 hours of hold time each, and that's after trying for days to get through.
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Abigail Patel
It's wonderful to hear success stories like yours. One thing to be aware of: if you're planning to claim your own retirement benefits in the future, you might be able to switch from survivor benefits to your own retirement benefits at FRA or later if your own benefit would be higher. Many people don't realize they can actually claim survivor benefits first and then switch to their own retirement benefits later (or vice versa) if it results in a higher monthly amount. This strategy is still available even after the 2015 law changes that eliminated other claiming strategies.
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Caleb Bell
•wait what?? i didnt no that! im already getting survivers benefits but im only 61. ur saying when i turn 67 i could switch to my own ss if its higher??
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Alfredo Lugo
•That's incredibly helpful information. My own work history is pretty solid but my husband earned more, so I'll need to compare what my retirement benefit would be. When I go to the SS website, is there a specific calculator for this comparison?
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Daniel White
I don't know if anyone else had this issue, but after my husband died and I got approved for survivors benefits, they MASSIVELY underpaid me for the first 3 months!!! When I finally got through to someone they said they had to recalculate because of some "special case" with his work history. Then they sent me a huge backpay check with no explanation. Make sure you check every payment they send you!!!!
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Alfredo Lugo
•Oh no, that's concerning. Did they at least explain the error when you called? I'll definitely monitor my payments closely when they start coming in.
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Daniel White
•They gave me some complicated explanation about my husband's "computation years" and how they initially used the wrong earnings record or something. The whole system is SO COMPLICATED and they expect us to understand it all while we're grieving! Just keep all your approval letters and check the amounts against what actually hits your bank account.
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Rhett Bowman
This group has been a lifesaver for me too. I've been lurking for months but everyone is so helpful. I'm filing for spousal benefits next month and taking notes from posts like yours!
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•Just a heads up that spousal benefits work differently from survivor benefits. If you're filing for spousal benefits on a living spouse's record, you generally can no longer file for just spousal benefits and then switch to your own later (unless you were born before January 2, 1954). The deemed filing rule means you'll be applying for both your own retirement and spousal benefits simultaneously, and you'll receive the higher of the two amounts.
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Sydney Torres
Did they tell u about taxes? I had NO idea survivors benefits could be taxable and got hit with a huge tax bill my first year. Up to 85% can be taxable depending on your other income. Just a warning so u can prepare...
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Alfredo Lugo
•They mentioned something about taxes but didn't go into detail. With my part-time job, I might need to have taxes withheld from my SS payments. I'll look into this more - thanks for the warning!
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Caleb Bell
my sister tried to get surviver benefits but they denied her because she was married for only 9 years not 10 years! so unfair!!!
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Kaitlyn Jenkins
•The 10-year marriage duration requirement applies to divorced spouse benefits, not to widow(er)'s benefits for a current marriage. For survivor benefits after the death of a spouse, you generally only need to have been married for 9 months (with some exceptions like accidental death). Your sister should appeal if she was denied survivor benefits from a current marriage that lasted at least 9 months.
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