Switching from Social Security survivor benefits to my own retirement - when to apply?

You'll want to apply about 3-4 months before your birthday in May. The transition should be seamless - you don't formally cancel survivor benefits, but rather SSA will automatically stop those once your retirement benefit begins. When you apply, make it clear you're already receiving survivor benefits and are switching to your own retirement record. When you apply, they'll compare your own benefit amount to your current survivor benefit and put you on whichever is higher. If your own benefit is higher as you expect, the switch will happen automatically for the month of your birthday. Be prepared with your ID, birth certificate, and Social Security card when you apply. Also, bring your banking information for direct deposit if you want to change where your payments go.

congrats on waiting till 70! smart move. my aunt did the same thing last year switching from her survivor check to her own. just fyi her first payment at 70 came the NEXT month after her birthday not ON her birthday month. she had to bug them about it cuz they forgot to process it on time!

I did this exact same switch 2 years ago! It went pretty smooth for me but here's what I learned: 1) They told me to apply 3 months before my birthday 2) I had to SPECIFICALLY tell them I wanted to switch from survivor to my own 3) My first payment on my own record came on my birthday month 4) My benefit amount ended up being about $250 more per month than the survivor benefit One IMPORTANT thing - double check all their math!!! They initially calculated my benefit wrong and I had to point it out. They fixed it but I would have lost $$$ if I hadn't noticed.

I work with retirees on financial planning, and this transition from survivor to retirement benefits at age 70 is usually quite straightforward. Here's what you need to know: 1. Apply 3 months before your May birthday 2. The application can be done online at ssa.gov, in person at a local office, or by phone 3. If your own benefit exceeds your survivor benefit, the transition occurs in your birth month 4. There should be no gap in payments 5. Your first payment at the new higher amount will arrive in June (for the May benefit) One tip: print out your earnings record from your my Social Security account before applying. This allows you to verify all your earnings were properly recorded, ensuring an accurate benefit calculation.

I tried calling SSA for WEEKS about switching from my disability to retirement and could never get through. The offices had 3-month wait times for appointments. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a live SSA agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU I was skeptical but desperate, and it actually worked. The agent I spoke with was able to help me with the entire application over the phone. Saved me months of waiting and frustration trying to get through on my own.

btw not to confuse things but my neighbor said she had to pay taxes on the bigger benefit when she switched. did anyone else have to deal with that? i'm not at that age yet but getting close and trying to understand the whole mess

I was in your EXACT situation last year! My husband died in 2017 and I was on survivor benefits until my 70th birthday in August. The PROBLEM was SSA kept sending me the WRONG FORMS!! I applied 3 months ahead like they said but they messed up TWICE and I ended up with a gap month where I got NO PAYMENT AT ALL!!! Make SURE you specify its a CONVERSION not a new application!!! And get the NAME of everyone you talk to!! I wish I had done that because when they messed up no one would take responsibility!!

Something no one mentioned yet - when you switch, you might get a different payment date! My survivor benefits always came on the 3rd of the month, but after I switched to my own retirement benefit, my payment date changed to the 4th Wednesday. Just something to be aware of so you don't panic if your payment doesn't show up on the usual day.

Based on everyone's experiences here, let me summarize the best approach for you: 1. Apply 3-4 months before your May birthday (so January/February) 2. Specify you are doing a CONVERSION from survivor benefits to your own retirement benefits 3. If possible, apply in person at your local office (bring appointment confirmation) 4. Bring your ID, Social Security card, birth certificate, and banking information 5. Get a copy of your earnings record beforehand to verify calculations 6. Ask specifically about the payment date for your new benefits 7. Get the name of everyone you speak with and keep detailed notes 8. Request written confirmation of your application This should help ensure a smooth transition without payment gaps.

I went through this exact transition two years ago and want to add one more important tip that saved me a lot of headaches. When you apply for the conversion, ask them to send you a written confirmation letter that shows: 1. Your current survivor benefit amount 2. Your estimated new retirement benefit amount 3. The effective date of the switch 4. Confirmation that it's a conversion (not a new application) Having this documentation was crucial when there was a small mix-up with my first payment. The SSA rep was able to look up my case immediately and fix the issue because I had the confirmation letter with all the details. Also, if you're comfortable with technology, consider creating a my Social Security account online if you don't already have one. You can track the status of your application and see when payments are processed. It gave me peace of mind during the transition period. Good luck with your switch - waiting until 70 was definitely the right financial move!