Social Security filing strategy with sick spouse - take reduced benefits now or wait for survivor benefits?

I'm really sorry about your husband's diagnosis. For your Social Security options, here's what you should understand: If you take your own benefits early (reduced) and then your husband passes away, you can switch to survivor benefits IF his benefit amount is higher than what you're receiving. Since your husband is already collecting $2,850/month, and your reduced benefit would be $1,650, you would be able to step up to a survivor benefit. However, it's important to know that if you claim survivor benefits before your FRA, those will also be reduced permanently. If you wait until your FRA to claim survivor benefits, you'd get 100% of what your husband was receiving. Option 2 (waiting, then claiming survivor benefits when he passes, then switching to your own at 70) would likely maximize your lifetime benefits, especially if you have longevity in your family.

go with option 1!! take the money now, my sister was in same boat and waited for "maximum benefit" then died at 69 never enjoying ANY of it. governments already taken enough of our $$ dont give them more by waiting

I work with retirees in financial planning, and your situation is actually one where the coordination of benefits is crucial. Here's what the SSA allows in your situation: If you take your own reduced retirement benefit now, then when your husband passes, you CAN switch to the higher survivor benefit. You would receive the higher of either: your current benefit OR up to 100% of what your husband was receiving, potentially reduced if you haven't reached your FRA when you apply for survivor benefits. Option 2 is more complex but potentially more lucrative if you have average or better longevity. You could: - Wait without filing for your own benefits - When your husband passes, file for survivor benefits (ideally waiting until your FRA to get 100% of his benefit) - At age 70, switch to your own retirement benefit which would have grown to approximately 124% of your FRA amount through delayed retirement credits This strategy works because survivor benefits and your own retirement benefits are treated as separate buckets, allowing you to switch between them to maximize lifetime income.

i totally get where ur coming from with the worry about congress changing retirement age!! been thinking the same thing myself. better to lock in what we can get now rather than wait for them to change the rules on us AGAIN

I was in a similar situation with my wife's cancer diagnosis in 2021. I chose to take my benefits at 64 because we needed the income for medical expenses. After she passed, I was able to switch to survivor benefits which were higher than my reduced retirement. One thing NO ONE told me - there's a time limit for applying for survivor benefits! You have to apply within 2 years of your spouse's death. Also, be prepared for the NIGHTMARE of trying to reach someone at SSA to process survivor benefits. I spent WEEKS trying to get through on the phone.

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses. I think I'm leaning toward taking my own benefits in January given my current financial situation. The idea of waiting until 70 sounds great mathematically, but practically speaking, I don't know if I can stretch my savings that long. If I understand correctly, I can: 1. Take my reduced benefit now ($1,650) 2. If my husband passes, apply for survivor benefits 3. At that point, I'd get the higher of my reduced benefit OR his benefit (possibly reduced if I haven't reached FRA) I wish there was a calculator that could show exactly what the survivor benefit would be at different ages. The SSA website is confusing me.

The SSA really makes this overly complicated! I spent HOURS researching when my spouse passed. What frustrates me is they don't proactively tell you your options - YOU have to know what to ask for! One important thing nobody mentioned: When your spouse passes, you get a one-time death benefit of $255. Yes, that's right - a whopping $255 for funeral expenses in 2025! It's insulting and hasn't been increased since the 1950s! Also, when you apply for survivor benefits, bring EVERYTHING with you - marriage certificate, death certificate (several certified copies), birth certificates, Social Security cards, tax returns. They'll find any reason to delay processing if you're missing anything.

My neighbor said you can get 6 months of retroactive benefits when you file. So maybe wait till july then file and ask for back pay to january?? That way you get money for jan-july all at once!!

Before making your final decision, I'd recommend calling SSA and requesting an appointment with a claims specialist who can run personalized calculations for your specific situation. They can show you exactly what your benefit would be under different scenarios. One more important factor to consider: taxation. If you're drawing both your retirement and eventually survivor benefits, and have other income sources, up to 85% of your Social Security benefits could be taxable. This sometimes affects the math on which strategy is optimal.

When I needed specific benefit information about survivor benefits last year, I tried for 3 weeks to get through to SSA on the phone with no luck. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The agent was able to calculate my potential survivor benefit in different scenarios, which really helped me make an informed decision.

I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult situation with your husband's illness. As someone who went through a similar experience with my late spouse, I want to share a few practical considerations that might help with your decision. Given your immediate financial need and depleted savings, option 1 (taking reduced benefits now) makes sense in your circumstances. You're right that having guaranteed income starting in January, plus Medicare in June, will provide crucial financial stability during this challenging time. One thing to keep in mind: when you do eventually apply for survivor benefits, you'll want to time it strategically. If your husband passes before you reach FRA (67), you could choose to delay applying for survivor benefits until your FRA to get the full $2,850 instead of a reduced amount. During that gap, you'd continue receiving your $1,650 retirement benefit. Also, don't underestimate the peace of mind that comes with having a steady income during a health crisis. The stress of financial uncertainty can be overwhelming when you're also dealing with caregiving responsibilities and medical decisions. Whatever you decide, make sure to keep detailed records of all your Social Security communications and decisions. The system can be confusing, but having documentation helps tremendously when you need to make changes later.

I'm really sorry about your husband's diagnosis - pancreatic cancer is incredibly tough, and I can only imagine how overwhelming this must be while also trying to navigate these complex Social Security decisions. From everything I've read here and my own experience helping my parents with their benefits, it sounds like option 1 makes the most practical sense for your situation. You need income now, and the mental relief of having guaranteed monthly payments plus Medicare starting in June will be huge during this stressful time. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you do eventually need to apply for survivor benefits, you might want to consider working with a local SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) counselor. They're free volunteers who help with Medicare and Social Security questions, and they often have more time to walk through scenarios than the overwhelmed SSA staff. You can find your local SHIP office through your state's aging department. Also, while you're dealing with your husband's care, don't forget to take care of yourself too. The caregiver stress is real, and having that financial security from your early retirement benefits will hopefully give you one less thing to worry about during this difficult time. Wishing you and your husband strength during this challenging period.