Social Security widow's benefits vs. survivor benefits - are they different or the same thing?

theyr actually the same thing. widows benefits is just a type of survivor benefit. SSA calls it survivors benefits as the main category and widows benefits when its specifically for a spouse.

I went through this when my husband passed last year. Widow's benefits is just the specific term they use when the survivor is the spouse. Survivor benefits is the broader category that includes benefits for widow(er)s, surviving children, and sometimes parents and ex-spouses. At 62, your mom has options. She could take reduced widow's benefits now and switch to her own retirement later (if her own benefit would be higher at FRA or 70). Or she could take her own reduced retirement now and switch to full widow's benefits at her FRA. Make sure she schedules an appointment specifically to compare these options - it can make a significant difference in long-term income. The length of marriage (over 9 months) definitely qualifies her, so that's not an issue with 35 years.

My sister went thru this and the SSA people kept using diffrent terms which was SO CONFUSING!!! She thought she was gonna get 2 differnt benefits too lol. But nope just the one widows thing.

I help people navigate these benefits regularly, and this confusion is very common. Here's a simple breakdown: - Survivor benefits: The umbrella term for ALL benefits paid to eligible family members after someone dies - Widow's/Widower's benefits: The specific TYPE of survivor benefit paid to a surviving spouse Other types of survivor benefits include: - Surviving child benefits - Surviving parent benefits (in limited cases) - Surviving divorced spouse benefits (if marriage lasted 10+ years) Your mom's age (62) gives her options. Since she's under Full Retirement Age (FRA), she can: 1. Take reduced widow's benefits now (about 71-82% of your dad's benefit depending on exact age) 2. Take her own reduced retirement now 3. Strategically switch between benefits later The best strategy depends on her own work record compared to your dad's benefit amount. The most advantageous approach is usually to take the smaller benefit first (reduced) and switch to the higher benefit later (unreduced). The 35-year marriage is well beyond the 9-month minimum requirement for widow's benefits, so that's not a concern.

when my husband died the SSA people were TERRIBLE!! kept giving me wrong info and I lost out on benefits because of it. MAKE SURE your mom talks to multiple people at SSA because sometimes they give totally different answers!!!!

One thing that hasn't been mentioned - if your father was receiving Social Security benefits when he passed away, your mother should not cancel his direct deposit or close his accounts until any final benefits are recovered. SSA will want to reclaim his benefit for the month of death (if he wasn't eligible for the full month). Also, while survivor benefits and widow's benefits are essentially the same thing, there are important distinctions in when you can claim them: - Widow's benefits can start as early as age 60 (50 if disabled) - Regular retirement benefits can't start until 62 Since your mother is 62, she has options for either benefit, but the reduction factors are different. Widow's benefits taken at 62 are reduced by about 28.5%, while retirement benefits at 62 are reduced by about 30%. Some widows find it advantageous to take their reduced retirement at 62, then switch to unreduced widow's benefits at their FRA. Others do the opposite. It depends entirely on the benefit amounts involved.

my condolences on ur loss. when my wife died it was so confusing. i think they said widows benefits but the check just says social security. good luck