Survivor benefits approved but my own SS retirement estimates disappeared from account - normal?

Yes, this is totally normal! The same exact thing happened to me 2 years ago. Once you start receiving ANY kind of SS benefit, they remove the estimates from your online account. It's super frustrating because you'd think they'd still show you the potential growth of your own benefits so you can make informed decisions. But nope, that would be too logical for the SSA system lol.

cant u just call them and ask? my sister had question bout her widows bennys and she jus called the 800 number

This is standard procedure when you begin receiving benefits. The online estimate tool is only available to those not currently receiving any benefits. However, you still have options to track your potential future benefits: 1. You can request a benefit calculation by visiting your local SSA office in person 2. You can use the "my Social Security" message feature to specifically request an updated calculation of your retirement benefit at FRA 3. You can calculate it yourself (though less accurately) by using your earnings history and the SSA's weighted formula Keep in mind that your survivor benefit amount will be compared to your own retirement benefit when you reach FRA, and SSA will automatically give you whichever is higher. But it's still helpful to track this yourself for planning purposes.

I had the exact same issue last year! Lost my husband after 29 years together and decided to take survivor benefits at 60 while letting my own grow. When the estimates disappeared, I was so confused and worried. The trick I found was to use the claimyr.com service to get through to an actual SSA agent by phone instead of waiting for hours. Their video shows how easy it is: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The agent explained everything to me and even sent me updated estimates for my own benefits at different ages. Totally worth it because I needed that info for my retirement planning spreadsheet!

my aunt got widows benefits at 60 and switched to her own at 67 cause it was bigger by then. they should tell u when its time to switch

The real QUESTION is why does the SSA make EVERYTHING so complicated?!?! They deliberately hide information from us and expect us to make huge life decisions without proper data! I've been fighting with them for YEARS about my disability claim and they constantly withhold crucial information. This system is DESIGNED to confuse people and deny benefits!!

A quick update on your situation: you can specifically request what's called a "Statement of Potential Benefits" by completing form SSA-7004 (Request for Social Security Statement). This will give you projections of your retirement benefit separate from your current survivor benefit. Also, each year when you receive your annual benefit statement that shows your current survivor benefit, it should include information about other potential benefits you might be eligible for in the future. Finally, remember that you can switch from survivor benefits to your own retirement benefits at any point after age 62. The ideal switching strategy depends on the relative benefit amounts and your life expectancy.

Just wondering - did you check your earnings record on your SS account to make sure it's correct? When my estimates disappeared, I later found out there were some missing earnings in my record that would have affected my benefit calculation. Might be worth double-checking while you're sorting this out!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when I started getting survivor benefits at age 62. The disappearing estimates really threw me off too! What I ended up doing was creating a simple spreadsheet to track my own benefit growth using the delayed retirement credits (8% per year from FRA to age 70). You can find your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) from your last statement before the estimates disappeared, then calculate the growth yourself. It's not perfect, but it gives you a good ballpark for planning. I also set a calendar reminder to request that SSA-7004 form that Hugo mentioned every year so I can compare my calculations with their official numbers. The good news is that SSA is supposed to automatically switch you to the higher benefit when you reach FRA, but definitely keep track of it yourself for peace of mind!