Missed survivor benefits? Should my mother have automatically received my deceased father's higher Social Security payment?

Survivor benefits are NOT automatic - she needed to apply for them after your father passed away. SSA doesn't automatically switch benefits, even when they know someone has died. Your mother should contact Social Security immediately to apply for survivor benefits. She may be able to receive up to 100% of your father's benefit amount. The good news is there might be some retroactive benefits available, though probably not for the full three years. Generally, SSA can pay up to 6 months of retroactive survivor benefits, but given the circumstances, it's worth asking. Have your mother call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 or visit her local field office with: - Her ID - Your father's death certificate - Their marriage certificate - Both Social Security numbers - A recent bank statement They'll help determine what she's eligible for going forward and any potential back payments.

same thing happened to my sister after her husband died. nobody tells you ANYTHING, you're just supposed to magically know all these rules. she missed out on almost 2 yrs of higher payments before someone at her church mentioned it!

THIS IS WHY THE SSA MAKES ME SO ANGRY!!!! They KNOW when someone dies (they get death certificates) and they KNOW who the spouse is, but they DELIBERATELY don't tell people about survivor benefits so they can SAVE MONEY!!!! I'm convinced this is intentional to reduce how much they pay out. The government counts on people not knowing their rights. Your poor mother has been ROBBED of benefits she EARNED through your father's work history!!! It makes my blood BOIL!!!!!

I'm a former SSA claims specialist, and I want to clarify a few things: 1. Your mother should definitely apply for survivor benefits ASAP. As a widow, she's eligible for 100% of your father's benefit amount. 2. Regarding retroactivity: The standard is 6 months of retroactive payments for survivor benefits. However, there's an exception that might help. If she can demonstrate "good cause" for the late filing (such as incorrect information from an SSA employee, language barriers, or mental/physical limitations), she might be eligible for additional retroactive benefits. 3. Even if she can only get 6 months back, securing the higher monthly amount going forward is crucial. 4. When she applies, have her explicitly request an "Administrative Good Cause determination" for filing late, explaining that she was never informed of the requirement to apply separately for survivor benefits. While I can't promise she'll get the full three years back, documenting the reasons for the delayed filing might help extend beyond the standard 6-month retroactive period.

I went through the exact same situation last year after discovering my mom had been receiving her own smaller benefit for 5 years after my dad died! When I called SSA, I couldn't get through for days. Busy signals, disconnections, hold times of 2+ hours, then suddenly disconnected. Absolute nightmare. I finally tried a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA agent in 20 minutes instead of hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once we finally spoke with someone, we explained the situation and they were actually helpful. Mom got 6 months of retroactive payments and now receives about $950 more each month. The representative explained that while death information is shared with SSA, they don't automatically convert benefits because they need to determine eligibility and have the survivor formally choose which benefit to receive.

My mom just went through this last yr. One thing noone mentioned is that your mother needs to SPECIFICALLY say she is filing for "SURVIVOR BENEFITS" when she calls or visits. My mom just said she wanted to "get my husbands benefits" and the SSA person thought she was asking about a lump sum death payment (which is only $255) and told her there was nothing else. We had to go back a second time before she got the right help. Be specific with the words you use!

happened to my grandma too! she found out 2 years after grandpa died and the social security person said its super common. they told her they cant automatically switch ppl over because sometimes the surviving spouse's own benefit is actually higher. but seems like they could at least send a letter explaining options!

One more important point: When your mother applies for survivor benefits, she should bring documentation of your father's death to the SSA office. While the SSA often receives death information through state reporting systems, bringing the death certificate ensures there's no question about her eligibility. Also, if your mother continues to struggle financially, ask about SSI (Supplemental Security Income) when you're at the office. This is a separate program with strict income and resource limits, but it provides additional monthly payments to those who qualify. Finally, she should check if her Medicare Part B premiums might decrease with her new income situation. Sometimes survivors qualify for Medicare Savings Programs through their state that can pay their Medicare premiums.

Just a quick update suggestion - when you visit the SSA office, try to go early in the morning (before they open if possible) and bring something to read/do. Wait times can be several hours, especially now with the recent COLA announcements bringing in more visitors. Also, many SSA offices now require appointments for all but the most urgent matters, so I'd recommend calling ahead or checking online to see if you need to schedule a visit. Most survivor benefits applications can be started online at ssa.gov, which might save some time before an in-person visit.

Thank you everyone for all this helpful information. I just checked mom's bank statements, and sure enough, there was never an increase after dad passed. She's been receiving the same amount this whole time. I've scheduled an appointment at our local SSA office next Tuesday. I'll make sure to: - Specifically ask for "survivor benefits" - Request an "Administrative Good Cause determination" - Bring all the documentation (death certificate, marriage certificate, IDs, etc.) - Inquire about Medicare premium reduction possibilities I'll update this thread after our appointment to let you know how it goes, in case it helps anyone else in a similar situation. Hopefully we can at least get some retroactive payments and the increased benefit going forward.