Switching from survivor benefits to my own Social Security at FRA - can't see benefit estimates anymore

I had a similar experience when I was on SSDI and approaching retirement age. You'll need to call or visit your local SSA office and specifically request a benefit verification letter that shows what your own retirement benefit would be at FRA. They can generate this for you even though you're currently receiving survivor benefits. The online system just isn't set up to show multiple benefit types at once. Remember that if your own benefit is higher, it makes sense to switch at FRA. If your survivor benefit is higher, you should stick with that. The SSA won't automatically give you whichever is higher - you have to request the change if needed.

you DEFINITELY need to go in person to sort this out!!! my sister went through similar when her husband died and the online system is USELESS for this situation. they told her one thing on the phone and something COMPLETELY different in person. don't trust what you see online or even what they tell you without getting it in writing!!!

I switched from survivors to my own retirement last year and it was pretty straightforward. Just know that once you switch, you can't go back! So make absolutely sure which one is higher before making the change. The difference for me was about $260/month more on my own record versus my late husband's.

After spending literally WEEKS trying to get through to SSA on the phone about a similar issue (was on widow benefits, needed to check my own), I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an agent in under 10 minutes. Saved me so much frustration! You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU and their website is claimyr.com. The agent I spoke with pulled up all my benefit amounts so I could compare them side by side.

Social Security retirement specialist here. This is a common issue with survivor benefits and the MySocialSecurity portal. There are three ways to get your benefit estimates: 1) Request a PEBES (Benefit Estimate Statement) by calling SSA directly 2) Visit your local office and request a benefit comparison 3) Use the calculator on ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc/ with your earnings history, but note this is just an approximation Important: At FRA, you have a unique opportunity. Since you're already on survivor benefits, when you reach FRA in October, you can either: - Continue survivor benefits and let your own retirement continue to grow (gaining delayed retirement credits until 70) - Switch to your retirement if it's already higher This is one of the few situations where you can still use this strategy since the law changed in 2015.

I went through this exact situation last year. The SSA computer systems are terrible at handling people who qualify for multiple benefit types. When I called, the wait times were insane (3+ hours once!), and I got disconnected twice. I finally managed to get an in-person appointment, but it took 5 weeks to get in. Bring ALL your documentation - your husband's death certificate, marriage certificate, your ID, and Social Security cards for both of you if possible. They'll run the calculations right there and tell you which benefit is higher. In my case, my survivor benefit was $2,580/month and my own at FRA would have been $2,490, so I stayed on survivors. They should provide you with a printout showing both amounts.

my mom had this problem to. they make it confusing on purpose i think. she ended up just sticking with the surviver benefits becuz they were like $300 more then her own. but it depends on how much you and your husband worked and how much you both made over your lifetime.

BTW be careful about any retroactive benefits they might try to give you!!! My friend switched at her FRA and they offered her 6 months of retroactive benefits which SEEMED great but actually permanently reduced her monthly amount!!! The rules are super complicated and the reps don't always explain everything correctly.