Social Security survivor benefits at 62 - Why am I getting full amount instead of reduced benefit?

This is actually a great question that confuses many people. The reason you're getting the full amount is likely because your ex-husband had already claimed his retirement benefits at age 70, which means he was receiving delayed retirement credits (DRCs). When a survivor's spouse/ex-spouse waited until 70 to claim, those DRCs transfer to the survivor - essentially, you're receiving 132% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA).Even with the early filing reduction at 62 (which would normally reduce your survivor benefit to about 71.5% of PIA), you can still receive the full benefit if the DRCs offset that reduction. The fact he was on SSDI first doesn't really matter here - it's the age 70 filing that's key.You can verify this by asking SSA for a breakdown of the calculation. It should show your ex's PIA, the DRCs added, and your early filing reduction, with the net result being the amount you're seeing.

Thank you for such a thorough explanation! That makes much more sense now. So essentially his delayed credits from waiting until 70 are offsetting my early filing reduction? I'll definitely ask for that calculation breakdown when I follow up with SSA. Such a relief to know this isn't likely an error!

My situwation was kinda similar. Ex died after getting max benefits (he was 71) and i filed at 63. They told me the early filing penalty still applied but becuz he waited so long to start his benefits it balanced out. Im getting his full amount to, been 2 years no probs so far.

That's so reassuring to hear! I've been worried they might come back later saying it was all a mistake. Has your payment amount stayed consistent the whole time?

Be REALLY careful with this! My neighbor thought she was getting the correct amount too and TWO YEARS LATER got hit with a $14,000 overpayment notice!!! The SSA makes TONS of mistakes and ALWAYS expects YOU to pay for THEIR errors! I would absolutely call and TRIPLE check this calculation. Don't trust what you see online - get it in writing from a supervisor!!!

Oh no, that's exactly what I'm afraid of happening! Did your neighbor have a similar situation with survivor benefits? $14,000 would be devastating to have to pay back. Maybe I should schedule another appointment to confirm.

The previous explanation about Delayed Retirement Credits offsetting your early claiming reduction is correct. However, there's one additional factor that might be relevant in your case. Since your ex-husband transitioned from SSDI to retirement benefits, his benefit amount was protected by what's called the

Thank you for mentioning the disability freeze - I hadn't heard of that before. I'll definitely ask about the PEBES document. Is that something I need to request in person at my local office or can I call about it?

I've been trying to reach someone at SSA for WEEKS about a similar issue with my survivor benefits calculation. Every time I call, I'm on hold for hours and then get disconnected. My local office is booked 2 months out for appointments. It's absolutely maddening!!I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in less than 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puUWhen I finally got through, the agent explained my calculation in detail and even sent me documentation confirming everything was correct. Sometimes you just need to talk to the right person who understands these complex rules.

I've been lucky with getting through on the phone so far, but I'll keep this in mind if I need to call again. Getting documentation confirming the calculation is exactly what I need for peace of mind. Thanks for the tip!

i think ur just lucky lol. take the money and run! seriously tho SS rules are super complicated and even the agents get confused sometimes.

This is terrible advice. \

Let me clarify something important: there's a difference between surviving divorced spouse benefits and regular survivor benefits, but in both cases, the maximum benefit amount is affected by when the deceased claimed benefits.With your ex waiting until 70, he earned 32% in delayed credits on top of his PIA. When you file for survivor benefits at 62, you'd normally receive only 71.5% of PIA. However, the calculation actually works like this:1. Take your ex's benefit including delayed credits (132% of PIA)2. Apply your early filing reduction (71.5% instead of 100%)3. The result is approximately 94.4% of PIA (132% × 71.5%)This percentage can still be higher than the PIA itself, which is why you're seeing the \

Thank you for breaking down the math! That makes it much clearer how I could still receive the full amount despite claiming early. I really appreciate everyone's help in understanding this complex situation.

BTW OP did they explain if this affects when you can claim your own retirement benefits later? I'm approaching FRA next year and still confused if I can switch to my own benefit if its higher???

Since the OP is receiving survivor benefits, they actually maintain the right to switch to their own retirement benefit later if it would be higher. This is one of the few remaining strategies where you can still claim one benefit type and later switch to another. If the OP's own retirement benefit would be higher at 70 than the survivor benefit they're receiving now, they could switch at that time.

UPDATE: I called SSA again today and spoke with a different representative. She confirmed everything many of you explained! My ex-husband's delayed retirement credits ARE offsetting my early claiming reduction. She explained that because he waited until 70, his benefit had increased by 32% from delayed credits. My early filing reduction (about 28.5%) is being applied to that higher amount, resulting in me still receiving roughly what would be his PIA. She also confirmed I can switch to my own retirement benefit later if it would be higher (though in my case, it likely won't be). I feel so much better now understanding how this works! Thank you all for your helpful insights!