Social Security survivor benefits stopped after SSDI approval - can I still claim husband's higher SS later?

Yes, you absolutely can still claim your husband's retirement benefit when you're older! What's happening now is that you can only receive one benefit at a time, and the SSA automatically gives you whichever is higher. But later, you'll have options. When you reach age 60, you'll be eligible again for survivor benefits based on your husband's record. Then you'll have choices about when to take which benefit to maximize your lifetime payout. Since your husband never filed, his benefit amount would be based on what he would have received at his full retirement age. I went through this exact situation with my mom. She took her own retirement at 62, then switched to survivor benefits from my dad at her FRA for a much larger amount. The key is working with an agent who understands this strategy!

the SSA people don't always know the rules!! my sister got told wrong info 3 different times when she called about her widows benefits. you definitely can get survivors later, they just don't want to tell you that because its complicated for them lol

I've spent HOURS trying to reach SSA agents who actually understand complex situations like yours. I finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 2 hours instead of waiting days. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. When I finally got through, I specifically asked for a technical expert who understands survivor benefits and switching strategies. That made a huge difference in getting correct information.

Speaking as someone who worked with retirement benefits at SSA for over 20 years, I can clarify this situation: 1. You are currently receiving SSDI because it's higher than your survivor benefit 2. When you reach age 60, you can CHOOSE to switch to survivor benefits if that would be higher 3. When you reach your own Full Retirement Age (FRA), your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits at the same amount 4. At any point from age 60 to age 70, you can evaluate which benefit is higher and select accordingly The confusion comes because many SSA reps are thinking about your current situation, not planning decades ahead. Get everything in writing and keep detailed records of who you speak with. And yes, your 12-year marriage easily meets the 9-month minimum requirement for survivor benefits.

I'm so confused by all this switching stuff!! I thought once you pick a benefit you're stuck with it forever?? I've been taking my dead husband's SS since I was 60 (I'm 63 now) but mine would be higher if I waited until 70. Can I switch?? Nobody told me this!!

The rules for survivor benefits are RIDICULOUS!!! I lost my husband last year and spent 6 MONTHS trying to get straight answers from SSA about survivor benefits with my own SSDI. Every single person told me something different! They don't train their employees AT ALL on these complicated situations and WE suffer for it. The whole system is designed to confuse us so we get less money than we deserve. I finally had to hire a lawyer to get it straightened out because I was about to lose my house waiting for benefits! OP - document EVERYTHING. Get names of who you talk to. Ask for supervisors. Don't trust the first answer you get!!!

My mom had the same situation!!! She got disability first and then when she turned 60 she applied for my dads survivors benefit and got it no problem! But that was back in 2019 so maybe rules changed?

Here's a specific tip that might help: when you call SSA, specifically ask to speak with a "Technical Expert" who specializes in survivor benefits. Regular claims representatives often don't deal with these complex situations daily. Technical Experts have additional training on the nuances of survivor benefits, deemed filing, and switching strategies. Also, there's a helpful publication called "If You Are The Survivor" (SSA Publication No. 05-10084) that explains many of these rules. You can find it on ssa.gov and bring it with you to any in-person appointments as a reference.

I'm dealing with a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I wanted to add one more resource that really helped me understand my options: the Social Security Administration has a retirement estimator tool on their website that can help you project different benefit amounts. What I learned from using it is that you can actually model different claiming scenarios - like taking SSDI now, switching to survivor benefits at 60, or waiting until FRA. It helped me visualize the financial impact of each choice over my expected lifetime. Also, I found that writing down specific questions before calling SSA made a huge difference. Instead of asking "what are my options," I'd ask things like "Can I switch from SSDI to survivor benefits at age 60 even though I'm currently receiving SSDI?" The more specific your questions, the better answers you tend to get. Good luck with your planning - you're asking all the right questions now to maximize your benefits later!

I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this whole discussion has been! As someone who's been navigating the SSA system for years due to my own disability issues, I can confirm that getting consistent information is like pulling teeth. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're planning to make any major decisions about switching benefits in the future, consider getting a written statement from SSA about your projected benefit amounts. I learned this the hard way when my verbal estimates turned out to be way off from what I actually received. You can request a detailed benefit statement that shows your survivor benefit amount at different ages (60, FRA, etc.) compared to your SSDI/retirement benefit projections. Also, @Aisha Abdullah, since you mentioned your husband never filed for Social Security before he passed, his benefit calculation might be more complex. Make sure any SSA representative you work with understands they need to calculate his "deemed" retirement benefit based on what he would have received at his FRA. This is different from cases where someone was already receiving benefits when they died. The fact that you're thinking about this now at 52 puts you way ahead of most people. You have 8 years to get all the right information and make an informed decision!