How to determine if my mom is on her own Social Security benefits or my dad's survivor benefits?

The easiest way to find out is to have your mom check her MySocialSecurity account online. When she logs in, it will show which type of benefit she's receiving under the "Benefits & Payments" section. If it says "Widow's Benefits" or "Survivor Benefits," she's getting payments based on your dad's record. If it says "Retirement Benefits," it's based on her own work record. If she can't access her online account, you can also look at her SSA-1099 tax form from last year. The description box sometimes indicates the benefit type. If all else fails, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach SSA when I needed to sort out my aunt's benefits. They got me through to a real person at SSA in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Super helpful when you need to speak with someone directly.

my mom had same ishue. Turn out she was getting her OWN benefit even tho my dad made way more $$$ for 40 years!!! The SSA never told her she could switch to survivors and get MORE money. she lost out on like $400 more per month for 3 YEARS before i found out and helped her change it. Call them ASAP!!

There's an important distinction to understand here. If your mother was already at her Full Retirement Age when your father passed away, she would have been automatically evaluated for both benefits (her own retirement and survivor benefits) and given the higher amount. The SSA is supposed to do this comparison automatically. However, if she was under FRA when he passed, or if she started her own benefits before he died, then the comparison isn't automatic. In those cases, she would need to specifically apply for survivor benefits. I'd recommend having your mother request an official Benefits Verification Letter through her MySocialSecurity account or by calling SSA. This document will clearly state which benefit type she's receiving and the exact amount. Also, keep in mind that if she's under her FRA and working, different earnings limits apply to survivor benefits versus retirement benefits, which could affect her optimal strategy.

The system is SO CONFUSING! I spent TWO YEARS trying to sort out my mom's benefits after my dad died. Called SSA at least 15 times and got different answers EVERY TIME. Finally had to go to our local office in person and wait 4+ hours to speak to someone who actually knew what they were doing. Found out mom was getting her own benefit which was almost $600 LESS per month than what she should have been getting on dad's record!!! They fixed it but would only backpay 6 months even though their own employees gave wrong info! THE WORST PART? Mom's dementia got worse during those two years, so by the time we got it fixed, she didn't even understand what had happened or why her checks suddenly increased. THANKS SSA!!! 😡

when my husband died i just went to the social security office with his death certificate and they switched me to survivors benefits right away. they told me i get 100% of what he would have gotten if i wait till my full retirement age. but if you take it early you get less, like maybe 70%. does your mom have her own mysocialsecurity account? it should say what kind of benefit she gets on there.

This is a common issue many families face! If you have her permission, you can become her Authorized Representative by completing form SSA-1696. This allows you to speak to SSA on her behalf and get detailed information about her benefits. One quick way to tell: check the deposit amount. Survivor benefits are typically 100% of what your father would have received if your mom is at full retirement age or older. If the amount seems too low based on your dad's career earnings, that's a red flag she might be on her own smaller benefit. And yes, as others mentioned, the SSA doesn't always automatically switch people to the higher benefit - you often need to specifically request it, which many people don't realize!

A few technical details that might help you: 1) Benefit types are coded differently in the SSA system. Retirement Insurance Benefits (RIB) are based on one's own record. Widow(er)'s Insurance Benefits (WIB) are survivor benefits based on a deceased spouse's record. 2) The maximum survivor benefit is 100% of what your father was receiving or would have received at his full retirement age. If your mother started survivor benefits before her full retirement age, she would receive a reduced percentage. 3) SSA is supposed to perform a AERO (Automatic Earnings Recomputation Operation) each year to determine if your parent is eligible for a higher benefit, but this system isn't perfect, especially with survivor benefit comparisons. 4) If your mother was receiving her own retirement benefit when your father passed away, she would have needed to apply for survivor benefits separately - this isn't automatic. 5) Unlike retirement benefits, survivor benefits can be taken as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled), though at a reduced rate.

anyone else notice how ss office workers seem to no nothing about there own rules?? my grandma went in 3 times and got told 3 different things about surviver benefits. finaly the 4th person knew what they were talking about!

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to check your mom's MySocialSecurity account? Curious what you found out and if she was getting the right benefit amount.

This is such an important thread - thank you for bringing this up! I work with seniors on benefit optimization and unfortunately see this situation ALL the time. The automatic switching between benefit types that's supposed to happen often doesn't, especially when people were already collecting their own retirement before their spouse passed. A few additional tips for your SSA appointment: - Ask specifically to see a "benefit comparison" showing both your mom's current benefit and what she would receive on survivor benefits - Request they calculate any potential backpay period (usually up to 6 months, but sometimes 12 months in certain circumstances) - Get everything in writing - don't just accept verbal promises - If the first person you speak with seems unsure, politely ask to speak with a supervisor or someone who specializes in survivor benefits The fact that your dad was an engineer for 40+ years while your mom worked part-time strongly suggests she should be getting significantly more on survivor benefits. Keep us posted on how the appointment goes - these success stories help other families realize they might be in similar situations!

I'm dealing with a similar situation with my elderly father right now. After reading through all these responses, I'm realizing there might be a pattern here where SSA doesn't automatically optimize benefits like they're supposed to. For anyone else in this situation, I'd recommend documenting everything when you contact SSA. I started keeping a log with dates, times, and names of who I spoke with because I was getting different answers each time I called. It's been really helpful when following up. Also, if your parent has any cognitive issues or gets easily confused (like many elderly people do when dealing with bureaucracy), consider going to the appointment WITH them rather than just sending them alone. I learned this the hard way when my dad came back from his first SSA visit with more questions than answers because he got overwhelmed. Good luck with your appointment next week! Really hoping your mom gets the higher survivor benefit she deserves.

I'm so glad you started this thread! As someone who works in elder care advocacy, I see this exact scenario constantly. The reality is that SSA's systems are not designed to proactively notify people when they could be getting higher benefits, especially with survivor benefits. Here's what I tell families in your situation: 1) Print out your mom's current benefit statement from her MySocialSecurity account before the appointment - having the exact monthly amount will help the SSA worker do the comparison 2) If possible, try to find any old Social Security statements your dad received that showed his estimated benefits. These usually arrive annually and would give you a ballpark of what your mom should be getting as a survivor 3) Don't let them brush you off if the first calculation seems wrong. I've seen cases where the initial comparison was incorrect due to data entry errors or not accounting for delayed retirement credits your dad may have earned 4) Ask about "protective filing" - if there's any delay in processing the switch, this can help preserve some retroactive benefits The unfortunate truth is that thousands of widows and widowers are likely receiving suboptimal benefits simply because they were never informed they could switch. Your persistence in figuring this out could save your mom hundreds of dollars every month for the rest of her life. Please keep us updated - these stories help other families realize they need to double-check their benefits too!