Social Security survivor benefits at 70 - where do my work FICA taxes go now?

Great question! Those FICA taxes you're paying while collecting survivor benefits aren't going directly back to you as increased benefits. Since you're receiving survivor benefits based on your late husband's earnings record, your current work won't increase those particular benefits. However, if you've earned enough credits on your own record, you might be eligible for retirement benefits on your own record, which could potentially be higher than your survivor benefits. The SSA is supposed to pay you whichever is higher automatically, but it's worth checking if you might qualify for a higher benefit on your own record based on these additional earnings. You can call SSA to request a benefit calculation based on your own work record, or check your most recent Social Security Statement.

my mom had the same thing happen she worked til 73 and got widows benefits the whole time. they NEVER told her she could have switched to her own record which ended up being higher by almost $200/month!!! but she didnt find out until she was 78 when a neighbor mentioned something similar. call them and make them check ur record!

I can provide some technical clarification here. When you work and pay FICA taxes while receiving survivor benefits, those contributions go into the general Social Security trust fund, but they can also potentially increase your own retirement benefit. Here's what happens: 1. As a survivor benefit recipient, you're being paid based on your deceased husband's earnings record 2. Meanwhile, your continued work adds to your own earnings record 3. The SSA will not automatically recalculate and switch you to your own retirement benefit if it becomes higher 4. You need to specifically request a review of your benefits based on your own work record At 70, you're already past the age where delayed retirement credits stop accumulating, but your continued earnings could still increase your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) if these recent years replace lower-earning years in your 35-year calculation. I strongly recommend calling the SSA and specifically asking for a comparative calculation between your survivor benefit and what your own retirement benefit would be now with these additional earnings years.

There's no specific form to request this calculation - just tell them you want to compare your current survivor benefit to what your retirement benefit would be on your own record with your recent earnings included. As for backdating, they can typically only backdate for 6 months from when you make the request to switch benefits. So if your own benefit is higher, you won't get the difference for the entire time you could have been receiving the higher amount - just for the 6 months before you request the change. That's why it's important to check on this sooner rather than later.

I went thru this exact thing. Kept working til 72 while on widow benefits. Called SS and found out my own benefit was $137 more a month! But good luck getting through to them. Took me 11 calls over 3 weeks, kept getting disconnected or waited over an hour then had to hang up.

I think everyone here is making this way more complicated than it is. You're paying into the system because that's the law. Everyone who works pays FICA taxes. Whether you get anything extra back depends on a lot of complicated factors specific to your situation. The SSA computers are supposed to automatically give you the highest benefit you qualify for, but obviously from what people are saying here, that doesn't always happen correctly. Just call them and ask.

One more important thing to note - even if your own retirement benefit amount doesn't exceed your survivor benefit now, it's still worth checking every couple of years if you continue working. Each additional year of earnings could potentially replace a lower-earning year in your 35-year calculation for your own benefit. The difference might be small each year, but over time it could eventually push your own retirement benefit higher than your survivor benefit. Also, don't forget that your continued work might affect your future Medicare Part B premiums through IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) if your income is high enough. This isn't directly related to your benefit amount but is something to be aware of as you continue working.

Just to share my experience - I was in a similar situation and discovered my own benefit had grown to be $230 higher than my survivor benefit! I had been working part-time for 8 years after starting survivor benefits. When I finally got through to SSA after countless attempts (seriously, their phone system is the worst), they did the calculation and switched me to my own benefit. They were only able to backpay me for 6 months though, which was frustrating since I could have been getting the higher amount for years if I'd known to ask. Don't wait - check on this now!