Social Security survivor benefit reduced to 82% - told it's due to husband claiming early + child benefits?

Unfortunately this does make sense - there's a provision called the RIB-LIM rule (Retirement Insurance Benefit Limitation) that can reduce survivor benefits when the deceased claimed early AND had dependents drawing benefits. The formula is complicated but basically combines both factors to create a maximum family benefit. I went through something similar when my wife passed - initially thought I'd get her full FRA amount but ended up with about 85% of what I expected. The SSA reps often struggle to explain it because it's one of those obscure calculations that their system handles automatically.

This sounds fishy to me. I thought widows always got 100% of deceased spouse's benefit if they wait till their own FRA to claim it. The SSA makes up rules all the time. Did u get this in WRITING?? They told me something similar but when I demanded paperwork it magically changed!

What you're describing is definitely the RIB-LIM rule in action. It's designed to limit survivor benefits when the deceased worker filed early AND had other family members receive benefits on their record. The calculation is quite complex but 82% sounds in the right ballpark based on what you described. The formula essentially creates a maximum family benefit that takes into account: 1. The reduction for your husband claiming 3 years early 2. The benefits your child received The frustrating part is that most SSA representatives don't fully understand how to explain this calculation because it's done automatically by their system. If you want a detailed explanation, you could request a "Technical Explanation" from SSA which should show the math behind your benefit amount. You don't need to file an appeal - just ask for this documentation.

im so sory for your loss! i ran into a similar situation with survivor benifits this year. The explination I got was that the reduction depends on how many years early your husband claimed AND how long benefits were paid to children. its super confusing and when i tried calling SSA back to ask followup questions i got stuck on hold for HOURS and then disconnected TWICE!!!

Try Claimyr - it's a service that helps you get through to a real person at the SSA without the endless waiting. I used it after spending days trying to get answers about my widow's benefits. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU and sign up at claimyr.com. Saved me hours of frustration when I needed to understand my survivor benefit calculation after my husband passed.

Social Security retirement expert here. The others are correct that you're encountering the RIB-LIM rule (Retirement Insurance Benefit Limitation). This provision specifically affects survivor benefits when the deceased worker claimed reduced benefits before FRA AND had other family members receiving benefits on their record. The calculation is quite complex, but the 82% figure is consistent with your description. Essentially, SSA is applying a formula that considers: 1. The fact your husband claimed 3 years early (which normally would have reduced his benefit by about 20%) 2. The family maximum limit affected by your child receiving benefits on his record While it would be unusual to file an appeal just to get an explanation (appeals are typically for disagreeing with a decision), you can request a detailed benefit calculation from SSA. This should show exactly how they arrived at your benefit amount. If you're planning to switch to your own retirement benefit at age 70, make sure that amount will exceed your survivor benefit. If your own benefit at 70 will be lower, you should stay on the survivor benefit permanently.

My condolances on ur loss. Ive been thru this exact thing. The 82% doesnt sound wrong to me. My husband claimed early too and they did something similar to my survivors benfit. Its super annoying they cant just tell u how they did the math tho!

To add to my previous comment, you may find it helpful to know that the RIB-LIM calculation includes several technical steps: 1. They calculate what's called the PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) for your husband 2. They determine what's called the RIB (Retirement Insurance Benefit) - this is what he actually received after reduction for early claiming 3. They calculate the maximum family benefit (MFB) which is affected by your child having received benefits 4. They apply a formula that essentially says you can't receive more than the higher of: - What your husband actually received adjusted for certain factors - 82.5% of his PIA in some cases The 82% figure you mentioned suggests your benefit amount is being governed by this maximum family benefit limitation. If you want to verify this calculation, I recommend requesting what's called a "TXVI Technical Explanation" from SSA. This document will show the exact formula they used.

The SSA is ALWAYS trying to short-change us!! My friend was told she'd get one amount then ended up with hundreds less per month. She fought it for months and finally got what she deserved. DONT give up!!