Social Security payment dates with survivor benefits - Will my payment date change when switching from retirement to survivor benefits?

i think it stays with ur birth date no matter what but im not 100% sure. my mom got widows benefits and i think she still got paid on her original day but its been a few years so i could be wrong

This is actually a common question with a straightforward answer: When you switch from your own retirement benefit to a survivor benefit, your payment date will change to reflect the payment schedule of survivor benefits, which is different from retirement benefits. Social Security retirement benefits are paid based on your birth date: - 1st-10th: Second Wednesday - 11th-20th: Third Wednesday - 21st-31st: Fourth Wednesday However, survivor benefits follow a different schedule and are paid on the 3rd of each month (or the previous business day if the 3rd falls on a weekend or holiday), regardless of your birth date or your deceased spouse's birth date. So when you switch from retirement to survivor benefits at your FRA, your payment date will change from the third Wednesday (for birth date on the 13th) to the 3rd of each month.

WRONG INFORMATION ABOVE!!!! Survivor benefits are NOT all paid on the 3rd!!! That's only for people who started receiving benefits before May 1997 or who get both SSI and SS benefits. Please don't spread misinformation!!! The current payment schedule for survivor benefits follows the same Wednesday schedule based on birth date. Your payment date will stay based on YOUR birth date (13th = third Wednesday) even when you switch to survivor benefits. I went through this EXACT situation when I switched from my retirement to my husband's survivor benefit last year. My payment date never changed!!!

I had such a headache dealing with this when I switched to survivor benefits! The SSA website can be so confusing about payment dates. When I called to confirm, I waited on hold for 2.5 hours only to get disconnected. So frustrating!! I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real SS agent in about 20 minutes instead of hours on hold. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed that my payment date would stay the same after switching to survivor benefits since I started receiving benefits after 1997. Worth the call to get official confirmation for your specific situation!

Yes, it connects you to the regular SS number, just without the terrible wait time. The agent can access your specific record and confirm your payment schedule. Much better than getting conflicting information online!

hey not to hijack the thread but does anyone know if this payment date thing applies to disability too? i get SSDI payments and wondering if the schedule ever changes

One more thing about switching from retirement to survivor benefits - make sure you time it right! If your survivor benefit will be higher than your retirement, it makes sense to switch at FRA. But also double-check the amounts before switching because sometimes your own retirement benefit can be higher depending on your work history and how long you wait. SSA won't always tell you which is better!

my hushands been gone 12 years and i still get confused by ss rules somtimes...good your planning ahead. when i started widows benefits they just kept paying me on my regular day. Don't think it ever changed

To provide a definitive answer: Your payment date will remain tied to YOUR birth date (the 13th = third Wednesday of each month) even after you switch from retirement to survivor benefits. This is because the payment schedule is based on the beneficiary's date of birth, not the type of benefit received or the record it's based on. The only exceptions are: 1. If you were receiving benefits before May 1997 (not applicable in your case) 2. If you receive both SSI and Social Security benefits 3. If you receive benefits as a representative payee for someone else in addition to your own benefits Since none of these exceptions apply to your situation, your payment date will remain on the third Wednesday of each month when you switch to survivor benefits at your FRA.

Just wanted to add that if you're ever unsure about your specific situation, you can also check your my Social Security account online at ssa.gov. It shows your projected payment amounts and dates for different scenarios. I found it really helpful when I was planning my transition from work to retirement benefits. The online tools have gotten much better over the years and can give you personalized information without having to wait on hold!

I went through this exact situation two years ago when I switched from my retirement to survivor benefits at my FRA. Can confirm that your payment date will stay on the third Wednesday since your birth date is the 13th. The payment schedule follows YOUR birth date, not your husband's or the type of benefit. One thing I wish someone had told me - make sure to keep records of your benefit amounts before and after the switch. SSA sent me a letter confirming the change, but it took about 2 months for everything to process smoothly. During that transition period, I got a little worried because the amounts looked different on my online account, but it all worked out correctly. The $650 difference you mentioned is significant - definitely worth making the switch at your FRA! Just be prepared for a bit of paperwork and patience during the transition process.

This thread has been so helpful! I'm in a similar situation - my husband passed away 8 months ago and I'm trying to understand all the Social Security rules. I won't be eligible for survivor benefits until I turn 60, but I'm already 58 so it's not too far away. Reading everyone's responses, it sounds like the payment date stays with your birth date regardless of which benefit you're receiving. That's one less thing to worry about during what's already a complicated time. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps to hear from people who have actually been through this process rather than just trying to decipher the SSA website!

I'm dealing with a similar situation but from a different angle - my mom is 64 and planning to switch from survivor benefits to her own retirement benefits next year when she reaches her FRA. She's been getting survivor benefits since my dad passed 3 years ago and her payment comes on the second Wednesday (her birth date is the 6th). From what I'm reading here, it sounds like her payment date should stay the same even when she switches to her own retirement benefit since it's based on her birth date, not the type of benefit. Can anyone confirm this works the same way in reverse? She's worried about having to change all her automatic bill payments again. This thread has been really informative - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences with these transitions!

This has been such an informative discussion! I'm actually in my early 50s and just starting to think about all these Social Security decisions for the future. My husband is 8 years older than me, so I'm trying to understand how survivor benefits might work if something happens to him before I retire. From reading all your responses, it sounds like the key takeaway is that payment dates stay tied to YOUR birth date regardless of what type of benefit you're receiving. That's actually really helpful to know for planning purposes. One question I have after reading through everything - if someone is receiving survivor benefits and then becomes eligible for their own retirement benefits later, how do you know which one will pay more? Is there an easy way to compare them, or do you have to call SSA to get those numbers? Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences here. It's so much more helpful than trying to figure this out from the government websites alone!

I just wanted to thank everyone who contributed to this thread - it's been incredibly helpful! I'm in a somewhat similar situation (planning for the future) and this discussion cleared up so much confusion I had about Social Security payment schedules. The key takeaway that payment dates stay tied to your birth date regardless of benefit type is really important information that I couldn't find clearly explained anywhere else. It's also reassuring to see people sharing their actual experiences rather than just speculation. For anyone else reading this thread later, it seems like the main points are: - Payment date is based on YOUR birth date, not the type of benefit - When switching between retirement and survivor benefits, your payment schedule stays the same - The only exceptions are for people who started benefits before 1997 or have certain other circumstances - It's worth calling SSA (or using that callback service) to confirm your specific situation Thanks again to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences. This community is such a valuable resource!

I'm relatively new to understanding Social Security benefits, but this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm currently 45 and my wife is 42, so we're still years away from needing to make these decisions, but reading everyone's experiences here has really opened my eyes to how important it is to understand these rules ahead of time. The consistent theme I'm seeing is that payment dates are tied to your birth date regardless of which type of benefit you're receiving. That seems like such a simple concept, but I never would have known that without reading all of your real-world experiences. I'm curious - for those of you who have navigated these transitions, do you wish you had known anything else earlier that would have made the process smoother? I'm trying to learn as much as I can now so my wife and I can make informed decisions when the time comes. Any other "wish I had known that sooner" advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks to everyone who has shared their knowledge and experiences in this thread. This community seems like such a valuable resource for understanding these complex Social Security rules.