Social Security survivor benefits question - can I switch to higher benefit if my disabled spouse passes away?

When I lost MY husband 2 years ago, I was already collecting SS (started at 63). The SSA automatically gave me survivor benefits because his amount was more than mine!!! But they told me I was getting a reduced survivor benefit because I wasn't at my FRA yet. You should call and ask but I think you'd be in the same boat - if you claim at 62 and she passes after that, youll get a reduced survivor benefit. But still better than just your own reduced benefit!

This is a common question about survivor benefits. Here's how it works: 1. If your wife passes away before you begin collecting your own benefits, you could claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 (or age 50 if you become disabled). However, claiming survivor benefits before your FRA would result in a reduction. 2. If you're already receiving your own retirement benefit when your wife passes away, SSA will compare the two benefit amounts and pay you the higher of the two. If her SSDI benefit (which is equivalent to her full retirement benefit) is higher than your reduced retirement benefit, you would receive her amount, potentially with a reduction if you haven't reached your FRA. 3. You also have the option to take one benefit first and switch to the other later. For example, you could take your reduced retirement benefit at 62, then switch to the full survivor benefit at your FRA to avoid the reduction. Based on the numbers you shared, you would likely receive her higher benefit amount when she passes, but with potential reduction depending on your age.

my condolences for your wifes health issues. jus want to add that you should think about whether its worth taking yours early at all if her benefit is so much higher. you could maybe wait and get a higher personal benefit while shes still with you, then take the survivor when the time comes? not sure if that helps but something to consider

Just to clarify something important that others haven't mentioned - if you're collecting survivor benefits, you can still work without hitting the earnings limit after you reach your Full Retirement Age. Before FRA, there are earnings limits that can reduce your benefit if you're working while collecting survivors benefits. Another point: her SSDI benefit that converts to her retirement benefit at her FRA would include any Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) that have been applied since she began receiving disability. So the survivor benefit you'd eventually receive would include those increases too. You might want to set up an appointment with a Social Security claims specialist to run different scenarios with your exact numbers. They can print out projections showing exactly what you'd receive under different claiming strategies.

My mom went through this exact situation!!! The SSA people on the phone gave her wrong info THREE TIMES about switching from her benefit to my dads after he died. They kept telling her different things. She got so frustrated trying to get through on the phone too - kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours!!!

I don't think anyone mentioned this yet - but the month of death is important too. If your wife passes away, you are NOT eligible for a survivor benefit for the month of her death. The survivor benefits would start the following month. Also, there's a one-time death benefit payment of $255 that you could claim as a spouse. I went through this whole process last year and these details matter when you're budgeting for the transition period. Just something else to be aware of for your planning.

Another thing - make SURE you notify SSA as soon as possible after a death!!!! They don't automatically know and if they keep paying benefits after death you'll have to pay it ALL back. Happened to my neighbor and they had a HUGE overpayment notice like 6 months later!!

One more consideration for your planning: If you claim your own benefit early and later become eligible for survivor benefits, you would receive your own reduced benefit plus the difference between that amount and the survivor benefit you're eligible for (potentially with age reductions). This is called the "excess survivor benefit." For example (simplified numbers): - Your reduced age 62 benefit: $1,650 - Full survivor benefit at your FRA: $2,450 - If you take your benefit at 62 and your wife passes away when you're 63, you'd receive your $1,650 plus some portion of the $800 difference, depending on reduction factors. This is why getting a personalized calculation from SSA is so important - the actual math gets complicated.

don't forget that if you're collecting at 62 your already taking a big reduction on your own benefit. like 30% less than your FRA amount. so waiting til FRA for survivors makes sense if you can