Social Security survivor benefits with disabled child - FMB confusion and earnings limit questions

You're asking some great questions, and I can help clarify a few things: 1. Yes, you can find out if your husband took the 6-month retroactive option by checking his Social Security Statement (if you have access) or by asking during your appointment. This could affect your survivor benefit calculation. 2. Since you're under FRA, the earnings limit for 2025 is about $22,320. You'll lose $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. At your potential $62,000 salary, you would lose a significant portion of your benefits temporarily (they'll be added back after you reach FRA). 3. There is indeed a family maximum benefit (FMB) for survivor benefits. It's typically 150-180% of the deceased's benefit. You and your son would need to share this maximum. The 75% your son receives is standard for a child survivor benefit. 4. I wouldn't recommend applying for your own benefits first unless they're higher than your survivor benefits (unlikely if you're not at FRA). Starting your own benefits early means a permanent reduction you can't undo later.

i went thru something similar last yr when my wife passed. the family max is a real thing!! my daughter was getting 75% but when i started getting survivors they reduced hers to like 65% i think?? something like that. they explained it at the office but it was so complicated. they said together we cant get more than like 175% of my wifes benefit

The system is frustrating! When I finally got through to someone at SSA after calling for WEEKS, they explained that the FMB for survivors is typically between 150-180% of the deceased worker's benefit. So if your husband's benefit was $2000, the maximum your family could receive would be around $3000-$3600 total. Since your son is already getting 75% ($1500 in this example), if you were to get 100% ($2000), you'd exceed the FMB, so both benefits would be proportionally reduced. If you're going to earn $62K, the earnings test will significantly reduce your survivor benefit anyway. You might want to consider waiting until either you're not working or you reach FRA. I was in a similar situation and found it impossible to talk to SSA directly until I used Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to a real person at SSA in less than 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it for getting these complex questions answered.

EVERYONE IN THIS THREAD IS OVERTHINKING IT!!!! The SSA will calculate EVERYTHING for you at your appointment!!! You don't need to become an expert - that's THEIR job. Just bring your husband's death certificate, your marriage certificate, your birth certificate, and your son's information. They'll tell you exactly what you can get. And FYI, the earnings limit is $22,320 for 2025 if you're under FRA, so at $62k you're gonna lose a TON of benefits anyway. Probably not worth applying until you either earn less or reach FRA.

I'm currently receiving survivor benefits while my daughter receives them too, so I can share my experience with the Family Maximum Benefit (FMB) situation. For survivors, the FMB is usually 150-180% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). The actual percentage depends on his earnings record. In our case, when both my daughter and I started receiving benefits, we both had our amounts proportionally reduced to stay under the FMB cap. She went from 75% to about 63%, and I got about 87% instead of 100% (I'm still under my FRA). Regarding the earnings limit: Since you're making $62,000, that's about $40,000 over the 2025 limit of $22,320. They withhold $1 for every $2 over, so you'd lose about $20,000 in benefits. If your potential survivor benefit is less than that, you might not receive anything at all while working. I suggest: 1. Wait to claim until you're either not working or earning less 2. Consider waiting until FRA when there's no earnings limit 3. Focus on protecting your son's benefits in the meantime

Ugh the earnings limit is SO FRUSTRATING!!! I'm in a similar boat - 60 years old, widowed 2 years ago, and still working. The stupid $1 for $2 reduction basically means I can't collect ANYTHING until I either quit or hit FRA. And don't even get me started on how they calculate the family maximum - it's like they deliberately make it impossible to understand. And yes, if your disabled son is getting 75% of your husband's benefit, adding you to the mix will almost certainly reduce his amount. That's what happened with my sister-in-law and her kids. The total family amount stayed the same, it just got redistributed. It's so messed up how they penalize families like this.

Wait so your disabled son gets benefits from his dad? My situation is similar but nobody told me that was an option. How did you set that up? My son has autism and I'm divorced, his dad is still alive but we don't get any benefits???

Based on everything shared here, my advice for your appointment: 1. Ask for a complete breakdown of the FMB calculation for your family 2. Request an estimate of how your son's benefit would be affected if you file for survivors 3. Since you're job-hunting with potential earnings above the limit, consider these strategies: - Wait to file until you reach FRA in 2026 (no earnings limit then) - Only file if you end up with a lower-paying job or work part-time - If you file while earning $62K, be prepared for most of your benefits to be withheld 4. Bring documentation: your husband's death certificate, your marriage certificate, birth certificates, and your recent tax returns 5. Ask specifically about the 6-month retroactive payment your husband may have taken and how that affects your survivor benefit calculation Remember: Any benefits withheld due to the earnings test will increase your benefit amount once you reach FRA, so they're not permanently lost.