Social Security survivor benefits starting month confusion at FRA - March or April birthday?
I'm approaching my Full Retirement Age (66) on March 30th and planning to apply for survivor benefits. I'm just not clear about how SSA handles the exact starting month. Do I use March or April as my benefit start date? Will they ask for the specific day or just the month when I apply? I understand I won't get 100% of my late spouse's benefit since I'm taking it at exactly FRA, and I know payments are made in arrears. So am I right in thinking my first check wouldn't come until April or possibly May? I'm really struggling financially and not sure I can hold out the full 8 months after turning 66. Any insight from folks who've been through this survivor benefit application process would be really appreciated. This whole system is so confusing!
22 comments
Join the conversation
Giovanni Mancini
For survivor benefits, you're eligible for the full month in which you reach FRA, regardless of which day your birthday falls on. So if your FRA is March 30th, March would be your first month of eligibility at your maximum survivor benefit rate. When you apply, they'll ask for both the month and day. You'll want to specify March as your start month. Since Social Security pays benefits in the month following eligibility, your March benefit would be paid in April. I know those 8 months can be tough financially, but remember survivor benefits are different from retirement benefits in how they're calculated at FRA. At your Full Retirement Age, you should receive 100% of your deceased spouse's basic benefit amount.
0 coins
Amara Nnamani
•Thank you so much for this clear explanation! So I should definitely put March as my start month then? That's a relief. I wasn't sure if they pro-rated it based on the exact day of the month when you reach FRA. The SSA website is so confusing sometimes.
0 coins
NebulaNinja
i went thru this last yr with my wifes survivor benefits. the SSA told us use the month of the birthday even tho hers was like the 25th or something. they dont do partial months far as i know. got her first check the next month after that.
0 coins
Amara Nnamani
•Thanks for sharing your experience! That makes me feel better knowing your wife had a similar situation with a birthday late in the month. Did they ask a lot of questions during the application process?
0 coins
Fatima Al-Suwaidi
I applied for survivor benefits and it was NIGHTMARE!!! Called for WEEKS and couldn't get through. Went to local office and they were closed due to "staffing issues" when I got there! Ended up waiting almost 3 months longer than I should have before getting my first payment because of all the delays!!! BE WARNED - start the process EARLY!!!!!
0 coins
Dylan Mitchell
•I had the same issue trying to reach SSA for my disability application. After wasting weeks trying to get through, I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual SSA representative in under 10 minutes. Saved me so much frustration! They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it's way better than waiting on hold for hours or getting disconnected. Definitely worth checking out if you're struggling to talk to someone at SSA.
0 coins
Sofia Morales
You should definitely apply 3-4 months before you want benefits to start. For your specific question: 1. Survivor benefits become payable for the entire month you reach FRA regardless of the specific day (unlike retirement benefits which are different) 2. You need to specify March as your month of entitlement 3. The March benefit will be paid in April (around the 3rd Wednesday based on your birthday) 4. You should receive 100% of your deceased spouse's PIA at FRA for survivor benefits Also, make sure to have marriage certificate, death certificate, and your spouse's Social Security number ready when you apply. This will help avoid delays.
0 coins
Amara Nnamani
•Thank you for the detailed information! This is really helpful. I didn't realize there was a difference between how retirement benefits and survivor benefits are handled for the month you reach FRA. I've got all those documents already collected, so hopefully that will make the process smoother.
0 coins
Dmitry Popov
When I turned 66 last year I got my survivor check the next month. Just make sure you tell them March for start date and you'll get paid in April. Good luck!
0 coins
Ava Garcia
My sister had HUGE problems with this exact situation!!! She put the wrong start month and ended up losing a whole month of benefits because they processed it for April instead of March even though her birthday was March 18th. They told her she should have specified March as the month! The system is designed to confuse people and take their money!
0 coins
Giovanni Mancini
•This is unfortunate but can happen if the wrong month is specified. To clarify for everyone: for survivor benefits, you're entitled for the entire month in which you reach FRA, even if your birthday is on the last day of that month. However, you must clearly specify that month when applying, or SSA may default to the following month. It's not designed to confuse people, but the rules are complex and sometimes representatives make mistakes too.
0 coins
Dylan Mitchell
One thing nobody mentioned - make sure you're actually filing for SURVIVOR benefits and not retirement benefits. The rules are different. With survivor benefits, you get them for the whole month of your FRA regardless of the day, but with retirement benefits, it's different. I've seen people get confused between the two and file for the wrong thing, then have to start over.
0 coins
Amara Nnamani
•That's a really good point! Yes, I'm definitely applying for survivor benefits based on my late husband's record. I haven't worked enough quarters to qualify for my own retirement benefit anyway. I'll make sure to be clear about that when I apply.
0 coins
NebulaNinja
u know somethin else to think about? if ur finances are real tight can u apply for ssi while waiting for survivor benefits? might help during those 8 months.
0 coins
Sofia Morales
•This isn't accurate advice. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) has strict income and resource limits. If the original poster will qualify for survivor benefits at FRA, they likely have too many resources to qualify for SSI. Additionally, SSI applications take several months to process, often longer than survivor benefit applications. A better approach would be to apply for survivor benefits as soon as possible (up to 4 months before FRA) to ensure timely processing.
0 coins
Amara Nnamani
Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I'm going to apply next week and will definitely specify March as my start month. I'll make sure to bring all the documentation mentioned and be very clear that I'm applying for survivor benefits. Hopefully the process goes smoothly!
0 coins
Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•Good luck!!! Hope it goes better for you than it did for me! Let us know how it turns out!
0 coins
Amina Diallo
Best of luck with your application! Just to reinforce what others have said - March is definitely the right choice for your start month since that's when you reach FRA. One additional tip: if you're able to apply online, that might be faster than trying to get through by phone right now. The online application for survivor benefits is pretty straightforward and you can save your progress if you need to gather any additional documents. You've got this!
0 coins
GalaxyGuardian
•Thanks for mentioning the online application option! I didn't realize that was available for survivor benefits. That might actually be easier than trying to get through on the phone, especially after hearing about all the wait times. I'll definitely look into applying online first before trying to call or visit an office.
0 coins
Lim Wong
I just went through this exact same situation last month! My FRA was February 15th and I was so confused about whether to put February or March. The SSA representative I spoke with confirmed that you use the month you turn your FRA age, regardless of what day in the month your birthday falls. So definitely go with March as your start date. One thing that really helped me was calling the SSA early in the morning (right when they open at 7am) - I got through much faster than when I tried calling later in the day. Also, when you do apply, double-check that they have March written down correctly before you hang up or leave the office. I've heard too many stories of people having the wrong month recorded and then having to fight to get it corrected. You're smart to plan ahead - those financial struggles while waiting are real. Hang in there, you're almost there!
0 coins
PixelPrincess
•Thank you for sharing your recent experience! That's really reassuring to hear from someone who just went through this exact situation. The tip about calling early at 7am is super helpful - I'll definitely try that approach. And you're absolutely right about double-checking they have the correct month recorded. After reading about all the potential mix-ups, I'm going to be extra careful about that. It's good to know I'm on the right track with choosing March as my start date!
0 coins
AaliyahAli
I'm a local SSA field office employee and want to clarify something important that might help ease your concerns. When you reach Full Retirement Age for survivor benefits, you are entitled to benefits for the entire month regardless of which day your birthday falls on - this is correct as others have mentioned. However, I'd strongly recommend applying NOW rather than waiting until next week. You can apply up to 4 months before your desired start date, and given the processing delays many offices are experiencing, starting early ensures you won't have any gaps in payment timing. When you apply (online is usually fastest), be very specific: "I want my survivor benefits to begin in March 2025, the month I reach my Full Retirement Age." Don't just say "when I turn 66" because that can sometimes be misinterpreted. Also, make sure you have your late spouse's Social Security number, your marriage certificate, and the death certificate ready. If you're missing any of these documents, start gathering them now as replacements can take weeks to obtain. You're absolutely right that this system can be confusing, but you're asking all the right questions!
0 coins