Social Security survivor benefits after husband on SSDI passed away - will I get his higher payments?

I'm so sorry for your loss. You should be eligible for survivor benefits, but they don't happen automatically - you need to apply. As the widow, you should be eligible to receive the higher of either your current benefit or what your husband was receiving. Since his SSDI payment was significantly higher, you'd likely receive an amount equal to his benefit.You'll need to contact SSA directly - but you can't apply for survivor benefits online. You need to either call their number (800-772-1213) or visit your local office. Bring your husband's death certificate, your marriage certificate, both your Social Security numbers, and your banking information for direct deposit.

Thank you so much for this information. I didn't realize I had to apply - I thought maybe it would switch automatically. I'll gather those documents. Do you know if there's a deadline for applying? I'm still dealing with funeral arrangements and feeling pretty overwhelmed.

my mom went thru this last year when my dad passed. she got his full amount but they didn't backdate it - she had to wait 2 months after she applied to get his benefit!!! make sure u apply ASAP!!

Oh no, I didn't realize there would be a delay. That's really concerning. Did your mom have to manage on her lower amount during those months? I'm worried about paying bills if I have to wait that long.

I AM SO SORRY ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND!! The SSA system is THE WORST especially when you're grieving!!! When my husband died I had to call TWENTY SEVEN times before I got through to anyone!!! They kept disconnecting me after making me wait forever!!!! It's CRUEL how they treat widows!!!And when I finally got through they told me I needed an APPOINTMENT just to APPLY for survivors benefits!!! The first available was 6 WEEKS away!!!!! I was literally sobbing on the phone.

That sounds absolutely terrible! I'm dreading going through this process. Did you eventually get everything sorted out? How long did it take before you started receiving the survivor benefits?

YES but it took FOUR MONTHS total from when he passed until I got the first correct payment!! They also messed up my payment amount TWICE and I had to call again each time to get it fixed!!! It was a NIGHTMARE during the worst time of my life!!!!

I had a similar situation when my husband passed at 68 last year. I was getting about $1,600 and he was getting $2,400 from disability. I struggled to get through to SSA for weeks. I finally used a service called Claimyr that got me through to a rep in about 15 minutes. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU and their website is claimyr.com. Saved me so much frustration and I was able to start the survivor benefit process right away instead of waiting forever. Given what you're going through right now, it might be worth it to avoid more stress.

never heard of this before! does it actually work? i might need this for my own ss question I've been trying to ask them for weeks

It definitely worked for me. The SSA rep I spoke with was helpful once I actually got through to them. I was able to schedule my application appointment much sooner than I expected.

Let me clarify a few important points about survivor benefits that others haven't mentioned:1. You have up to 12 months to apply and receive retroactive benefits, so while you should apply soon, don't panic about an immediate deadline.2. Since you're over your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you're entitled to 100% of your husband's benefit amount (including any delayed retirement credits he earned).3. If your husband received his last SSDI payment for the month he died, you won't receive a survivor benefit for that month. Survivor benefits begin the month after death.4. You may be eligible for a one-time death benefit of $255 - make sure to ask about this.5. The SSA will completely replace your benefit with the survivor benefit - you don't receive both.Based on what you've shared, your monthly income should increase by about $750 once the survivor benefits begin.

Thank you for this detailed explanation. The retroactive benefit information is especially helpful - that takes some pressure off while I'm dealing with everything else. And I appreciate knowing about the $255 death benefit - every bit helps right now.

wait i thought disability payments end at full retirement age? OP said husband was 70, so wouldn't he have been getting retirement not disability by then?

You're technically correct. When someone on SSDI reaches their full retirement age, the benefit automatically converts to retirement benefits. However, the payment amount remains the same, and for survivor benefit purposes, it makes no difference whether the deceased spouse was receiving SSDI or retirement benefits. The widow(er) is still entitled to the same survivor benefit amount either way.

When my father died my mother got survivor's benefits but they made her submit her birth certificate, their marriage license, his death certificate, proof of her address, and some other stuff I can't remember. Took her FOREVER to find all that paperwork. Start looking for your documents now! Also they made her come to the SSA office in person for an interview even though she has mobility issues. The whole system is designed to be difficult i swear.

Thank you for the warning about the documents. I think I know where our marriage certificate is, but I'll have to search for my birth certificate. I hope they don't require an in-person interview - I don't drive anymore and getting to the SSA office would be very difficult.

One more important thing to mention - if your husband wasn't already receiving his own Social Security retirement (which it sounds like he wasn't since he was on SSDI), you should ask about whether he had earned any delayed retirement credits. When SSDI converts to retirement benefits at full retirement age (66 for his age group), some people can be eligible for a higher benefit amount based on delayed retirement credits. If he continued working and paying into Social Security while receiving SSDI, this might apply in your case and could potentially increase your survivor benefit. This is a somewhat complex area, so make sure to specifically ask the SSA representative about this when you speak with them.

I don't think this applies to us, unfortunately. My husband hadn't worked since he became disabled about 10 years ago. But thank you for mentioning it - I'll still ask about it just to make sure I'm not missing out on anything.

random question but does anyone know if they tax survivor benefits the same way as regular social security? my aunt just started getting her husbands benefits and is worried about taxes.

Yes, survivor benefits are taxed exactly the same way as regular Social Security benefits. If your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of your Social Security benefits) exceeds certain thresholds, then up to 85% of the benefits may be taxable. The thresholds are $25,000 for individuals and $32,000 for married filing jointly. Your aunt should consult with a tax professional if her total income is near or above these thresholds.

just want to say sorry for your loss. its really hard to deal with paperwork when ur grieving. hope u get everything sorted out soon

Thank you for your kind words. It really is overwhelming trying to handle all of this while grieving.

Has anyone else noticed that SS offices are STILL not fully staffed after covid?!?! It makes an already difficult system IMPOSSIBLE to navigate!!! My neighbor just waited 3.5 MONTHS for her widow benefits to start!!! She almost lost her house waiting!!

My local office is technically