Social Security survivor benefits after husband's death - can I delay taking my own SS until 70?
I lost my husband unexpectedly last month, just the day before I reached my full retirement age (66 and 10 months). He started collecting Social Security at 62 about 23 years ago and was receiving around $1,850/month when he passed. I haven't filed for any benefits yet because I want to maximize my own retirement benefit by waiting until I'm 70. I'm confused about what to tell SSA when I call. Do I specifically ask for "survivor benefits only" while I delay my own retirement benefits? Is there paperwork I need to prepare in advance? I read something about "restricted applications" being phased out and don't know if that affects my situation. I'm honestly struggling with grief and don't want to mess this up or break down during the call. Any advice on exactly what to say to make sure I get survivor benefits now but preserve my ability to switch to my own (higher) benefit at 70 would be so helpful. Thank you.
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Jamal Carter
I'm so sorry for your loss. You're on the right track with your plan. Since you've already reached your FRA, you absolutely can take survivor benefits now and later switch to your own retirement benefits at 70 (when they'll be maximized with delayed retirement credits). The "restricted application" phase-out doesn't affect survivor benefits - that rule change was for spousal/retirement benefit combinations. For survivors, you still have full flexibility. When you call SSA, simply say: "I'd like to apply for survivor benefits based on my deceased husband's record. I want to delay filing for my own retirement benefits until age 70." They'll understand exactly what you mean. You'll need: - Your husband's death certificate - Marriage certificate - Both SSNs - Your bank info for direct deposit If possible, ask a trusted friend or family member to be with you during the call for emotional support.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•Thank you so much for this clear explanation. That's a relief about the restricted application rules. I'll gather those documents today. Do you know if survivor benefits start from when I apply or can they be retroactive to his death date?
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Mei Liu
so sorry about your husband passing away. had the same situation with my mom last year. the ssa phone lines are TERRIBLE right now!! she waited 3+ hours and got hung up on twice. its super stressful when your already dealing with grief. just warning u so your prepared
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•Oh no, that's the last thing I need right now. Did your mom eventually get through? I'm dreading having to explain my situation multiple times if I keep getting disconnected.
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Liam O'Donnell
So sorry for your loss. Been there. Just make sure you tell them SURVIVOR benefits, not widow benefits. My SSA rep got confused when I said widow. And yes you can definitely switch later to your own. I did exactly this when my husband passed 2 years ago. Took his smaller amount until I hit 70 last month, now getting my full amount plus delayed credits.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•Thank you for that tip about saying "survivor" instead of "widow" - I wouldn't have thought about that distinction. It's reassuring to hear from someone who's already done exactly what I'm planning to do.
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Amara Nwosu
I tried calling SSA after my wife died and spent HOURS on hold only to get disconnected. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a person in under 10 minutes. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Totally worth it when you're dealing with grief AND need to handle important benefits stuff. Made the whole process so much less stressful during an already terrible time.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•I hadn't heard of that service before. I'll check out the video - anything that makes this process less stressful sounds worthwhile. Thank you for sharing.
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AstroExplorer
•Is that service legit? I'm always suspicious of third-party services that claim to help with government stuff.
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Amara Nwosu
•Yes, it's legitimate. They don't access your personal info or get involved with your actual claim - they just connect you directly to an SSA rep through their system. After that, you're talking directly with Social Security like normal. Saved me from the endless hold music nightmare.
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Giovanni Moretti
Your strategy is EXACTLY what my financial planner recommended when my husband passed. But BE CAREFUL!!!! The SSA rep might try to get you to take YOUR retirement instead, saying it's "better" or "easier." DON'T DO IT!!!! They sometimes don't understand the long-term strategy of switching at 70. If they push back, ask to speak to a technical expert or supervisor who understands survivor benefit maximization strategies. Also file ASAP - you only have 6 months to get retroactive survivor benefits back to the month he passed away!!!!
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•That's really good to know about being firm with what I want. I didn't realize they might try to steer me toward taking my own benefit early. And I had no idea about the 6-month window! That makes this more urgent than I realized.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
wait are u sure ur not supposed to take the higher benefit first? i thought u always get whichever is more $$$. my neighbor got survivors and they just gave her the bigger one automatically. this stuff is so confusing!!
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Jamal Carter
•You're thinking of the general rule that you can't receive both survivor and retirement benefits simultaneously - you'll only receive the higher of the two. But what OP is planning (which is completely allowed) is to take ONLY survivor benefits now while delaying her own retirement benefits. This works because her own retirement benefit will grow by 8% per year until age 70, potentially becoming much larger than the survivor benefit. At 70, she can switch to her own larger retirement benefit. It's a smart maximization strategy when you have a good earnings record of your own.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
Thank you all for the incredibly helpful information. I've made notes of everything and feel much more prepared now. I'll make sure to: 1. Specifically ask for survivor benefits (not widow) 2. Be firm that I want to delay my own benefits until 70 3. Have all documents ready 4. File within the 6-month window for possible retroactive benefits 5. Consider using Claimyr to avoid the hold-time nightmare It means so much to have this guidance when I'm not thinking clearly. I'll update on how it goes after I speak with SSA.
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Liam O'Donnell
Just thought of something else - when you do this, also ask them to send you a letter confirming your plan to switch at 70. I didn't do this and then had trouble 4 years later when I went to switch because the new person didn't see notes about my plan. Having something in writing helps.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•That's excellent advice I wouldn't have thought of. I'll definitely request written confirmation of the plan. Thank you!
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AstroExplorer
The strategy you're planning is called "survivor benefits only" or sometimes "filing a restricted application for survivor benefits." The phase-out of restricted applications only affected spousal benefits combined with retirement benefits (under the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act), not survivor benefits. For maximum clarity when you call, I recommend this specific phrasing: "I wish to file for survivor benefits only on my deceased husband's record. I understand I'm eligible for both survivor benefits and retirement benefits on my own record, but I want to restrict my application to survivor benefits only at this time, as I plan to switch to my own retirement benefits at age 70." This leaves no room for misunderstanding. Also, if you have any issues, reference POMS GN 00204.020, which is SSA's internal policy that confirms your right to restrict an application to survivor benefits.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•Thank you for that precise wording! I'm going to write that down word for word. And having that policy reference number is incredibly helpful if there's any confusion.
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