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!

I'm not quite at this stage yet, but my mom went through this exact transition last year and I helped her navigate the process. One thing that really helped was calling the SSA at exactly 8:00 AM when they opened - she got through on the first try that way instead of waiting hours during peak times. Also, she found it helpful to have her late husband's Social Security number handy when she called, since they needed to reference his record to verify her survivor benefits before processing the switch. The whole process took about 6 weeks from application to receiving her first higher payment, but there was no gap in payments which was our biggest concern. The increase in her monthly benefit was significant - about $400 more per month - so definitely worth the wait until 70. Hope this helps with your planning!

As someone who works at a local SSA field office, I can confirm most of the advice here is spot on! A few additional tips from the inside: 1. When you call or visit, use the exact phrase "I need to convert from survivor benefits to my own retirement benefits at age 70" - this helps us pull up the right screens immediately. 2. Your benefit will be retroactive to your birth month, so even if there's a slight processing delay, you won't lose any money. 3. We can actually start the conversion process up to 4 months before your birthday, which gives us more time to catch any potential issues. 4. If you're getting direct deposit, make sure your bank account info is current in our system - sometimes old accounts cause payment delays. The most important thing is to be patient with us during the call. We want to get this right for you! And yes, calling right at 8 AM is definitely your best bet for shorter wait times.

I made this exact switch last year when I turned 70, and it was honestly much smoother than I expected after reading horror stories online. Here's what worked for me: I called SSA at 7:58 AM (literally set my alarm) on a Tuesday in January - got through in under 10 minutes. The representative was incredibly helpful and walked me through everything step by step. She explained that since I was already in their system receiving survivor benefits, the conversion would be straightforward. The key thing that made it smooth was being super prepared. I had: - My late spouse's Social Security number - My own Social Security card and ID - Banking information for direct deposit - A printed copy of my earnings record from my online account The rep scheduled my conversion to begin with my May birthday, and I received written confirmation in the mail about 2 weeks later. My first payment at the higher amount came in June (for May benefits) with no gap at all. My advice: don't stress too much about it! The SSA agents handle these conversions regularly, especially for people turning 70. The horror stories are real but they're not the norm. Just be prepared, call early in the day, and be clear about what you need. You've got this!

I'm in a very similar situation - currently receiving survivor benefits and turning 70 in a few months. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly helpful! One question I have that I haven't seen addressed: Has anyone dealt with this transition while also receiving Medicare benefits? I'm wondering if switching from survivor to retirement benefits affects Medicare premiums or coverage in any way, or if those stay completely separate. Also, for those who successfully made the switch, did you notice any changes to your annual Social Security statements or tax documents (like the 1099-SSA form) after the conversion? I want to make sure I'm prepared for tax season next year. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this thread has been more helpful than anything I've found online or heard from SSA directly!

I'm currently 68 and receiving survivor benefits after losing my husband two years ago. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly valuable as I start planning for my own transition at 70. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned - did anyone experience any issues with automatic deductions that were coming out of their survivor benefits? I have Medicare Part B premiums and a small amount for Medicare Part D being deducted directly from my Social Security payment. I'm wondering if I need to do anything special to make sure those continue seamlessly when I switch to my retirement benefits, or if SSA handles that automatically. Also, for those who mentioned getting written confirmation of the conversion - approximately how long did it take to receive that documentation in the mail? I like to keep detailed records and want to know what timeline to expect. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences. This thread has given me so much more confidence about navigating this process when my time comes!

I'm in a similar situation - currently 69 and receiving survivor benefits, planning to make the switch when I turn 70 in August. This thread has been absolutely invaluable! One additional tip I want to share that my financial planner mentioned: if you're working with a financial advisor or tax professional, give them a heads up about the timing of your benefit switch. The change in monthly income amount can affect tax planning strategies, especially if you're doing Roth conversions or managing other retirement account withdrawals. Also, I've been keeping a simple spreadsheet tracking all the advice from this thread - things like the exact phrase to use when calling ("convert from survivor benefits to my own retirement benefits at age 70"), the 8 AM calling strategy, required documents, etc. It's helped me feel much more organized and prepared. Question for those who've been through this: did any of you coordinate the timing with other financial decisions, like delaying RMDs or adjusting investment withdrawals? I'm trying to figure out the best way to plan around the higher monthly income starting in August. Thank you all again for sharing such detailed experiences - this community is amazing!

As someone who just went through this exact process 6 months ago, I wanted to add one more piece of advice that really helped me: consider making a "practice call" to SSA about a month before you plan to actually apply. I called in December (planning to apply in January for my May birthday) just to verify my current benefit amount and confirm my eligibility for the higher retirement benefit. This practice call helped me in several ways: 1. I got comfortable with the phone system and wait times 2. The representative confirmed my estimated retirement benefit would indeed be higher than my survivor benefit 3. I was able to ask all my questions without the pressure of actually starting an application 4. They noted in my file that I was planning to convert, which seemed to help when I called back in January The practice call only took about 15 minutes once I got through, and it gave me so much confidence for the real application call later. Plus, if there had been any issues with my earnings record or calculations, I would have had time to get them sorted out before my actual application. Just another way to make the process as smooth as possible! The early morning calling strategy definitely works - I got through both times within 10 minutes calling right at 8 AM.

I'm currently 67 and receiving survivor benefits, so I'm not quite ready for this transition yet, but I'm already starting to research and plan ahead. This entire thread has been absolutely incredible - I've learned more here than from hours of searching the SSA website! I wanted to ask about one specific scenario: has anyone dealt with this conversion while also having other types of Social Security benefits or complications? For instance, I worked for the federal government for 15 years before switching to private sector work, so I have some CSRS time that might affect my calculations. I'm wondering if that adds any complexity to the conversion process or if it's still straightforward. Also, I'm curious about the timing for someone like me who has a few years to plan ahead. Should I start monitoring my earnings record annually now to catch any errors early? Or is it better to wait until closer to age 70 to do that verification? Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences. The practice call idea, the 8 AM strategy, the specific phrases to use - I'm taking notes on everything! This community is providing better guidance than I've gotten anywhere else.

I'm in a very similar situation and have been putting off dealing with this for weeks! Reading through everyone's detailed experiences here has been incredibly helpful and much more informative than anything I could find on the SSA website. I particularly appreciate the insider tips from StarGazer101 about using the exact phrase "convert from survivor benefits to my own retirement benefits at age 70" - that kind of specific language seems crucial for getting the right response from SSA reps. The practice call idea from Zainab is brilliant too. I've been dreading making the actual application call, but doing a trial run first would definitely help me feel more prepared and less anxious about the whole process. One question I have: for those who successfully made the switch, did you find it helpful to have any documentation ready about your late spouse's work history or Social Security record? Or does SSA already have all that information accessible when you call about the conversion? Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences. This thread has given me the confidence to finally start this process instead of continuing to procrastinate!

Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly reassuring! I'm turning 70 in May and have been putting off starting this process because the SSA phone system seemed so intimidating. But seeing how many of you have successfully navigated this transition gives me confidence. I love all the specific tips - especially the 8 AM calling strategy, having the exact phrase ready ("convert from survivor benefits to my own retirement benefits at age 70"), and the practice call idea. That's brilliant! One thing I'm still unclear on: when you all mention applying 3-4 months early, does that mean I should be calling in January or February for my May birthday? And should I be concerned about any potential delays given that it's the holiday season right now? Also, has anyone had experience with this process if you live in a rural area with limited local SSA office access? I'm wondering if the phone application is just as effective as doing it in person. Thank you all so much for sharing your experiences - this thread has been more helpful than anything I've found elsewhere!