Social Security survivor benefits question - will I get 82.5% of husband's PIA or his reduced benefit if I claim at 62?

As a survivor, you would receive the higher of: 1) your own benefit, or 2) a survivor benefit. The survivor benefit would be the higher of either what your husband was actually receiving OR 82.5% of his PIA if you claim survivor benefits at age 62. So if your husband claimed at 62 and was receiving about 70% of his PIA, and you claim survivors at 62 (getting 82.5% of his PIA), you would receive the 82.5% amount, not his reduced benefit. This is one of the most confusing aspects of Social Security that trip people up. Your own retirement claiming decision and your future survivor benefit are separate calculations.

my aunt just went thru this exact thing!! she got the higher amount when my uncle died not what he was getting. they told her it was cause of some rule about the "maximum family benefit" or something. but she definitely got more than what he was getting when he was alive. hope that helps!!

I was in a similar situation 3 years ago. My husband had claimed early due to health issues. I was TERRIFIED about making the wrong decision. When he passed, I was 63. Social Security actually gave me the full 100% of what his benefit would've been at FRA, not the reduced amount he was getting. I think it's because he passed away before reaching his full retirement age????? The rules are SO COMPLICATED. But I definitely got more than what he was receiving when alive.

I struggled with this exact situation. After my husband passed, I couldn't get through to SSA on the phone for weeks - it was beyond frustrating during an already difficult time. I eventually used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a representative - they have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU When I finally spoke with SSA, they confirmed I would receive 82.5% of my husband's PIA as my survivor benefit (since I was claiming at 62), NOT his reduced benefit amount. This was significantly higher than what he had been receiving after claiming at 62. The representative explained this is because survivor benefits have different reduction factors than retirement benefits.

DONT TRUST WHAT THE SSA TELLS YOU! I got 3 different answers from 3 different people when I called about survivor benefits!!! The rules are complicated and even THEY dont understand them half the time. My advice is document EVERYTHING, record names of who you talk to, and get everything in WRITING!!!

Let me clarify the precise rules here, as there's a lot of confusion: 1. If you claim your own retirement benefit at 62, you'll receive approximately 70% of your PIA. 2. If your husband predeceases you, and you claim survivor benefits at age 62, you'll receive approximately 71.5-82.5% of his PIA (the exact percentage depends on your year of birth and FRA). 3. Your survivor benefit has nothing to do with what your husband was actually receiving - it's based on his PIA and your age when you claim survivors. 4. You will automatically receive the higher of your own benefit or the survivor benefit. Additional note: If your husband dies before reaching his FRA, his PIA might be recalculated using a special "death computation" method which could make his PIA higher than it would otherwise be, potentially increasing your survivor benefit.

have u considered filing a restricted application? my neighbor did this where she only took spousal benefits for a while then switched to her own higher benefit later. something about being born before 1954?

One additional consideration: If you claim your own benefits now at 62, and then later switch to survivor benefits, your survivor benefit will be reduced because you're claiming survivors before your FRA. However, the reduction for survivor benefits is different (and generally more favorable) than the reduction for regular retirement benefits. At age 62, retirement benefits are reduced by about 30%, but survivor benefits are only reduced by about 17.5% (to 82.5% of PIA). This is why many financial planners suggest that if you have both options, it's often better to take the reduced benefit first and save the higher benefit for later.

quick question - does anyone know if the 82.5% gets any cost of living adjustments? or is it frozen at that amount forever?

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stressful situation during an already difficult time. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like the survivor benefit calculation is indeed separate from what your husband is currently receiving. One thing that might help is requesting a written benefit estimate from SSA that specifically shows both scenarios - what you'd receive if you claim your own benefits at 62, and what the projected survivor benefit would be at 82.5% of his PIA. Having those numbers in writing could make this decision much clearer. Also, given the conflicting information you received at the SSA office, you might want to consider scheduling a follow-up appointment and bringing some of the documentation from SSA's website about survivor benefits to reference during your meeting. Sometimes having the official rules printed out helps ensure everyone is on the same page. Wishing you and your husband all the best during this challenging time.

I went through this exact same situation two years ago when my husband was dealing with serious health issues. The key thing to understand is that survivor benefits are calculated completely separately from what your husband is currently receiving. When you claim survivor benefits at 62, you'll get 82.5% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - not his reduced benefit. This is because survivor benefit reductions are much smaller than retirement benefit reductions. Even though he took a 30% cut by claiming at 62, your survivor benefit would only be reduced by about 17.5%. I'd strongly recommend calling SSA again and specifically asking for a "survivor benefit estimate" based on his earnings record. Ask them to put it in writing. The difference between getting 82.5% of his PIA versus his current reduced amount could be substantial - potentially hundreds of dollars per month. Given your husband's health situation, it might make financial sense for you to claim your own reduced retirement benefit now so you can spend time together, then switch to the higher survivor benefit later if needed. Just make sure you get accurate numbers from SSA first, since you experienced conflicting information. Sending you both strength during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry you and your husband are facing this difficult situation. The information shared here has been really helpful in clarifying the survivor benefit rules. One additional point that might be worth considering: since you mentioned getting conflicting information from SSA representatives, you might want to try calling the national SSA number (1-800-772-1213) and speaking with multiple representatives to get consistent answers. Sometimes local offices can give different interpretations of complex rules. Also, if your husband's health issues qualify him for disability benefits, that could potentially affect the survivor benefit calculation in your favor - disability benefits are calculated at 100% of PIA regardless of age, so if he were to qualify and switch from early retirement to disability, it could increase your eventual survivor benefit. It's clear from all the responses that you would indeed receive 82.5% of his PIA as a survivor benefit at age 62, not his reduced amount. This seems to make claiming your own benefits now a reasonable strategy given your desire to spend time together while his health permits. Wishing you both peace and clarity as you navigate this decision.