Social Security survivor benefits - will I get full amount if I claimed early but my spouse waited until FRA?

I'm so sorry for your loss. This is actually a common question with survivor benefits. The good news is that your decision to take your own retirement benefits early does NOT affect the amount of survivor benefits you can receive. However, if you take survivor benefits before YOUR full retirement age, then those survivor benefits will be reduced. Since you're 64 now and your FRA is probably around 66-67 (depending on birth year), if you switch to survivor benefits now, you WILL see a reduction from the $2,650. You'll get approximately 81-91% of his benefit amount depending on exactly how many months before your FRA you are. If you can wait until your own FRA to claim the survivor benefit, you would get 100% of what he was receiving.

my condolences on your husbands passing. similar situation happened with my mom last year. she took her ss at 63 but dad waited till 70!!! the ssa office told her she could switch to his higher benefit but it would be reduced some bc she's not at her full retirement yet. think they said something like 4.8% reduction for each yr before FRA?

I went through this exact mess last year when my Bernie passed. The SSA phone people told me THREE different things!!! So frustrating! I finally got to an actual office (took WEEKS to get an appointment) and they explained that if I was at my full retirement age, I'd get 100% of his benefit. If I took it before FRA, they reduce it. Has NOTHING to do with whether YOU took your own benefits early. That only affects YOUR retirement amount not the survivor amount. If your own benefit is smaller than the survivor benefit (even with reduction), switch now. If your own benefit is bigger than the reduced survivor, wait till your FRA to switch. Hope this helps and sorry for your loss.

The previous advice is spot on. I just want to add that you should definitely make an appointment with your local SSA office to discuss this in person. Bring your husband's death certificate, your marriage certificate, both your Social Security cards, and his most recent Social Security statement if you have it. When my wife passed, I found having all the documents ready made the process smoother. One thing to consider: if you wait until your FRA to claim survivor benefits, you'll get approximately $33,000 more over the next 2.5 years ($2,650 vs. your current $1,400 = $1,250 difference × 30 months). That's significant money that might be worth waiting for if you can manage financially right now.

Ugh don't even get me started on how confusing these survivor rules are!!!! I'm in almost identical situation (I'm 63, took SS at 62, husband waited till 67 but passed 3 months ago). The SSA website is NO help, kept sending me in circles. AND I TRIED CALLING 40+ TIMES over 2 weeks and either got disconnected or was on hold for hours!!! Complete nightmare when you're already dealing with grief. Finally my neighbor told me about this service called Claimyr that got me through to a SSA agent in under 20 minutes! You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - they basically navigate the phone system for you. I was skeptical but it actually worked and I finally got answers about my survivor benefits situation. The agent confirmed I could switch to reduced survivor benefits now or wait till my FRA for full amount. Saved me weeks of frustration!

Just to clarify some technically accurate information about survivor benefits: 1. If you claim survivor benefits before your FRA, they are reduced by approximately 0.396% per month before your FRA (roughly 4.75% per year). 2. At age 64, you'd be facing approximately a 12-15% reduction from the full survivor benefit amount. 3. The reduction is permanent - it doesn't increase when you reach FRA. 4. The fact that you claimed your own benefit early only affects your own retirement benefit, not your survivor benefit. 5. You have the option to switch between your own benefit and the survivor benefit at any time to receive whichever is higher. Based on the numbers you provided ($1,400 own benefit vs potential $2,650 survivor benefit), even with a 15% reduction, the survivor benefit would be around $2,250, which is significantly higher than your current benefit. I recommend calculating exactly how many months until your FRA and doing the math to see the exact reduction you'd face now versus waiting.

Let me throw a curve ball here - have you considered that taxes might impact this decision? If you're still working or have other income, getting a higher SS benefit might push you into higher tax brackets or cause more of your SS to be taxed. Sometimes it's not just about the gross benefit amount but what you actually keep after taxes.

Based on all the information shared, here's what I would recommend in your situation: 1. Apply for the reduced survivor benefit now since it's significantly higher than your own benefit, even with the reduction 2. Bring all documentation to your appointment: marriage certificate, death certificate, both SSNs, birth certificates if possible 3. Ask the SSA representative to calculate the exact reduction percentage based on your months until FRA 4. Get the calculation in writing so you can verify the amount is correct when payments begin 5. Remember that it will take 1-2 months for the survivor benefits to begin after application The math makes it clear - waiting until FRA would mean forgoing approximately $913 per month for 32 months, which totals about $29,200 in benefits you'd never receive. Even with the permanent reduction, you'd need to live about 11 years past your FRA just to break even on the 'waiting' strategy.

I'm sorry for your loss, Natasha. This is such a difficult time to be dealing with bureaucratic complexities. I wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful: make sure to ask about any potential retroactive benefits when you apply. Since your husband passed last month, you may be entitled to survivor benefits starting from the month after his death. The SSA sometimes pays retroactive benefits for up to 6 months, so don't let them tell you the benefits only start from when you apply. Also, when you go to your appointment, ask them to show you the calculation on paper. I've seen too many cases where people get different amounts than what was discussed over the phone. Having it documented will help you verify everything is correct. Based on all the math discussed here, applying now seems like the right financial choice for your situation. Good luck with your appointment!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Natasha. Losing a spouse is incredibly difficult, and having to navigate Social Security benefits during such a time adds unnecessary stress. Based on what you've shared and the excellent advice from others here, I want to reinforce that you're making the right decision to apply for survivor benefits now. The math clearly shows it's in your best interest financially. One additional tip: when you call to schedule your appointment, ask if they can mail you the application form (SSA-10) ahead of time. You can fill it out at home when you're not rushed or emotional, which might help ensure you don't miss any important information. Some offices also allow you to submit certain documents by mail before your appointment, which can speed up the process. Also, consider bringing a trusted friend or family member to your appointment if possible. Having emotional support and another set of ears to hear the information can be really valuable, especially when you're dealing with grief and complex financial decisions. The community here has given you solid advice - the immediate monthly increase of nearly $900 will make a real difference in your financial security, and that's what your husband would want for you. Take care of yourself during this difficult transition.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Natasha. My heart goes out to you during this incredibly difficult time. Having to navigate Social Security bureaucracy while grieving is just overwhelming. I wanted to add one more practical tip that helped me when I went through something similar with my late father's benefits: If you end up having trouble getting through to SSA by phone (which seems to be a common frustration based on what others have shared), try calling first thing in the morning right when they open at 8 AM local time, or late in the day around 4-5 PM. I found those times had shorter wait times. Also, when you do get your appointment scheduled, ask the representative to give you a written summary of what was discussed and the benefit amounts calculated. I learned the hard way that having everything documented prevents confusion later when the payments actually start. The advice everyone has given you here is spot-on - applying for the reduced survivor benefit now makes the most financial sense in your situation. That extra $900+ per month will provide real security and peace of mind, which is exactly what you need right now as you adjust to this major life change. Wishing you strength as you work through all of this. You're handling a very complicated situation with grace.

My deepest condolences on the loss of your husband, Natasha. Having been through a similar situation myself about three years ago, I understand how overwhelming it can be to navigate these benefit decisions while grieving. Everyone here has given you excellent advice, and I want to reinforce that your decision to apply for survivor benefits now is absolutely the right one. The financial analysis is clear - you'll be significantly better off taking the reduced survivor benefit immediately rather than waiting. One thing I'd like to add from my own experience: when you go to your SSA appointment, ask them about the "deemed filing" rules. Sometimes people think they have to choose between their own retirement benefit OR survivor benefits, but actually you can be receiving both simultaneously - you just get paid the higher of the two amounts. The SSA will automatically pay you whichever benefit is larger each month. Also, make sure to ask about Medicare implications if you're not already enrolled. When your income increases from the higher survivor benefit, it might affect your Medicare premiums down the road, though this is usually a minor consideration compared to the substantial monthly increase you'll receive. The community support you've received here is wonderful, and I hope it helps ease some of the stress of this difficult transition. Your husband would want you to have this financial security.