Social Security widow's benefits calculation confusion - do they use husband's PIA at 62 or FRA?

I'm pretty sure the SSA representative who told you they use the age 62 PIA was wrong. For widow's benefits when the worker dies before claiming benefits, they generally use what would have been the worker's PIA at full retirement age (67 for your husband), not age 62. This is part of the special rule for widow/widower benefits. However, there are reductions to that amount based on when YOU claim the survivor benefit. If you claim at your full retirement age, you get 100% of his FRA amount. If you claim earlier, it's reduced (but never below 71.5% if claimed at your earliest eligibility age, usually 60).

The SSA is ALWAYS giving contradicting information!!!! I went through the same thing when my wife passed 3 years ago. First they told me one amount, then when I actually applied it was $230 less per month!!! They claimed the first person 'made a calculation error.' Yeah right. I think they do this on purpose to keep us confused and to pay out less benefits. The whole system is rigged against us after we've paid into SS our entire lives!

The rep was probably confusing two different rules. Here's what actually happens: 1. If your husband had already started taking benefits when he died, your widow's benefit would be based on what he was actually receiving. 2. Since he hadn't claimed yet, they use his Primary Insurance Amount at his full retirement age as the starting point (age 67 in his case). 3. Then, they apply reductions based on YOUR age when you claim survivors benefits. If you claim at your FRA, you get 100% of his PIA. If you claim earlier, they reduce it (approximately 4.75% per year before your FRA). I would suggest asking specifically about the "widow's benefit when worker dies before claiming" when you call back. Sometimes the SSA phone reps mix up different calculation methods.

I've been dealing with Social Security for years helping people navigate the system, and I can tell you that getting through to knowledgeable SSA agents can be incredibly frustrating. For complicated issues like survivor benefits calculations, you really need to speak with someone who specializes in that area. I recently discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps people get through to SSA agents quickly instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. I'd recommend using this to get through to a higher-tier agent who can properly explain the widow's benefit calculation and document it in your file so you don't get different answers each time.

my condolences for your loss. when my husband died the SSA office gave me wrong info too. they said I could get benefits right away but then I found out I had to wait until 60 unless I was disabled or had young children. don't trust what one person tells you

One other thing to be aware of - there's something called the RIB-LIM rule that might be what the SSA rep was referring to, but they explained it incorrectly. This rule says that if your husband had applied for reduced retirement benefits before FRA (but didn't), your widow's benefit would be limited to what he would have received if he was still alive. But since he passed away before claiming, this scenario doesn't apply to you. You might want to request an appointment with a Technical Expert at your local office rather than just speaking to whoever answers the phone. They have deeper knowledge of these special situations.

after my husband died i had to talk to 5 diff people at ssa before i got the right info! dont give up! widow benefits r complicated cause there r all these special rules

Let me clarify one more thing: the ONLY time they would use the age 62 PIA for a widow's benefit is if your husband had actually filed for benefits at 62 and was receiving them when he passed away. Since he died at 59 without ever claiming, this doesn't apply to your situation. They will use his FRA (67) PIA as the base amount for your widow's benefits, and then apply reductions based on your age when you claim. Make sure to get this in writing when you speak with them next time!

My cousins husband died before getting SS and they calculated her survivors benefit based on what he woud have gotten at full retirement age not 62. So I think the person u talked to was wrong

UPDATE: I went back and checked my paperwork from 3 years ago. The survivor benefit I got WAS based on my wife's FRA amount, NOT her age 62 amount! So the first SSA rep you talked to was DEFINITELY WRONG. They use the FRA amount as the starting point when calculating widow(er) benefits if the person died before claiming. Don't let them shortchange you!!!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Zara. This is such a stressful situation to navigate while you're grieving. Based on what everyone has shared here, it sounds like the SSA rep definitely gave you incorrect information about using the age 62 PIA. I went through something similar when my father passed away and my mother was trying to understand her survivor benefits. What helped us was writing down specific questions before calling SSA, and also asking them to explain the legal basis for their calculations. We found that saying something like "Can you please reference the specific regulation or manual section that covers this calculation?" often got us transferred to someone more knowledgeable. Also, consider reaching out to your local AARP office or senior center - they often have volunteers who are trained in Social Security issues and can help you prepare for your next conversation with SSA. Having an advocate or someone knowledgeable with you (even by phone) can make a huge difference in getting accurate information. Hang in there, and don't give up until you get the correct calculation!

I'm really sorry for your loss, Zara. This kind of misinformation from SSA is unfortunately all too common, especially with complex survivor benefit calculations. From what I understand (and what others have confirmed here), when a worker dies before claiming benefits, SSA uses their Primary Insurance Amount at Full Retirement Age (67 in your husband's case) as the baseline for survivor benefits - NOT the age 62 amount. The rep who told you they use the age 62 PIA was definitely incorrect. Here's what I'd recommend for your next contact with SSA: 1. Ask specifically to speak with a "survivor benefits specialist" or request an appointment with a Technical Expert 2. Reference Program Operations Manual System (POMS) sections RS 00615.300-RS 00615.772 which cover survivor benefit calculations 3. Ask them to document the correct calculation method in your file 4. Request a written estimate showing the calculation breakdown The $640 monthly difference you mentioned is substantial, so it's worth being persistent to get the right information. Don't let them rush you off the phone until you're completely satisfied with their explanation and have it documented properly. You might also want to contact your congressional representative's office - they often have staff who can help cut through SSA bureaucracy when you're getting conflicting information on important benefit calculations.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Zara. The confusion you're experiencing is unfortunately very common with SSA representatives, but the community here has given you excellent guidance. To add one more resource that might help: the Social Security Administration's official website has a detailed publication called "Survivors Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10084) that specifically addresses your situation. It clearly states that when a worker dies before claiming benefits, survivor benefits are calculated based on the worker's unreduced PIA at full retirement age, not age 62. You can download this publication directly from ssa.gov and bring it with you to your next appointment or reference it during your phone call. Having the official SSA publication in hand makes it much harder for representatives to give you incorrect information. Also, when you do get the correct calculation, ask them to send you a written benefit estimate. This way you'll have documentation of the proper calculation method and amount for your future planning. The estimate should show your husband's FRA PIA as the base amount, then any reductions applied based on when you choose to claim. Stay strong and keep advocating for yourself - you deserve accurate information to make informed decisions about your financial future.