Social Security widow benefits at 56 vs 60 with SSDI - do I really have to wait?

You may qualify for disabled widow(er) benefits NOW if you meet certain conditions. If your disability started before or within 7 years of your husband's death, you might be eligible for benefits as early as age 50. You don't have to wait until 60 in that scenario. Call SSA directly and specifically ask about "disabled widow benefits" (DWB). This is different from regular survivor benefits, and some representatives might not think to check your eligibility unless you specifically ask. Also, be sure to ask if you'd receive more on your own record or as a disabled widow - you'll get whichever is higher, not both.

sorr for your loss. my sisters husband died last yr. she got benefits right away but she was 62 already. i think you do have to wait, they dont make exceptions evne for disabilities.

Same thing happened to me!!! My husband passed when I was 52 and I was already on disability. The first person I talked to at SSA said I had to wait until 60. But then I talked to someone at my local office who knew about disabled widow benefits and helped me file! Got approved after a 6-month wait. Don't just take their word for it - they make mistakes ALL THE TIME.

The other commenters are correct - there's a special provision for disabled widow(er)s that allows benefits as early as age 50. However, there are important details to understand: 1. Your disability must have started before or within 7 years of your husband's death 2. You must meet the same medical criteria as regular SSDI recipients 3. The benefit amount will be reduced for taking it before your Full Retirement Age (about 71.5% of what you'd get at FRA) 4. They will pay you whichever is higher - your own SSDI or the widow's benefit (not both) Based on the numbers you shared ($1,125 vs $1,850), the widow's benefit would likely be higher even with the reduction. I'd recommend applying right away, as there can be limited retroactivity on these claims.

I went through this exact situation! Let me tell you, trying to reach someone at Social Security who actually knows about disabled widow benefits is IMPOSSIBLE. I spent 3 weeks calling that 800 number, waiting for hours, getting disconnected, calling back, repeat. Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 5 minutes. There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The first agent still didn't know about disabled widow benefits, but at least I could keep calling back without the insane wait times. Third agent knew exactly what I was talking about and helped me file. Worth every penny to not waste weeks of my life on hold.

Yes! I was approved after about 4 months. It wasn't automatic - they still reviewed my disability even though I was already on SSDI. The benefit ended up being about $500 more per month than my own disability payment. It was reduced from what my husband received because I took it before FRA, but still way better than what I was getting before.

THE SSA ALWAYS DOES THIS!!! They don't tell people about benefits they're entitled to because they don't want to pay out!!! It makes me so angry. My sister was in a similar situation and they told her the same thing - wait until 60. She struggled for YEARS before someone finally told her about disabled widow benefits. By then she'd already turned 59 and lost out on almost a decade of higher payments!!! YOU HAVE TO FIGHT FOR EVERY PENNY WITH THESE PEOPLE. Don't trust what the first person tells you. Ask to speak to a supervisor. Go to your local office. Call repeatedly until you get someone who actually knows the rules. It's disgusting how they treat widows!!

Just to clarify something important - if you apply for disabled widow benefits, they'll look at what percentage of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) you're eligible for based on your age. Since you're 56 rather than the full retirement age, you'd get a reduced amount - around 71.5% of his full benefit. However, if that reduced amount is still higher than your current SSDI payment, it's worth applying. One more thing to note: when you reach your Full Retirement Age (probably 67 in your case), the reduction goes away and you'd get 100% of your husband's benefit amount. So even if the reduced widow benefit isn't much higher than your current SSDI right now, it might be worth switching later.

My aunt went thru this whole thing last year. Be prepared for them to tell you no at first! She had to ask for a supervisor and even then they acted confused. Print out the info about disabled widow benefits from ssa.gov before you call so you can refer to it specifically!

has anyone mentioned that if you remarry before 60 you lose widow benefits? just make sure you dont plan on getting married anytime soon. found that out the hard way lol

ANOTHER THING they don't tell you - if you switch to widow benefits, make ABSOLUTELY SURE they don't mess up your Medicare. When I switched from my disability to my husband's record, they somehow dropped my Medicare Part B for three months and I had to pay out of pocket for doctor visits!!! Had to spend hours on the phone fixing that mess too. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and follow up obsessively.

I just wanted to update everyone - I called SSA this morning (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it worked great - got through in 3 minutes!) and spoke with a representative who confirmed I AM eligible for disabled widow benefits! I have an appointment next week to complete the application. Thank you all so much for your help - I never would have known to ask specifically about this. You've potentially saved me from 4 more years of financial struggle!