Switching from survivor to retirement benefits at FRA - will SS tell me amounts without applying?
I've got a phone appointment with Social Security in about 3 hours and I'm completely stressed out. I've been receiving survivor benefits since I was 60 (took them early due to financial necessity), and they're pretty minimal - only about $1,450/month. Recently, SSA sent me a letter saying I might qualify for more if I switch to my own retirement benefits now that I've reached my Full Retirement Age (66 and 4 months). My big concern is: will they actually tell me what my own retirement benefit amount would be WITHOUT forcing me to apply during the call? I don't want to accidentally end my survivor benefit unless I'm 100% certain my own benefit is better. I tried checking amounts on the MySocialSecurity website, but it only shows my current survivor payment, not what I'd get on my own record. I'm dealing with COPD and heart issues, so waiting until 70 to maximize benefits probably isn't realistic given my health outlook. That's actually why I took survivor benefits at 60 after my husband passed - I didn't expect to live this long honestly. Can anyone tell me: 1. Will SSA give me the exact dollar amounts to compare without making me apply today? 2. If I do decide to switch, will there be any gap in payments, or can they transition me seamlessly? 3. Is there any way to reverse the decision if I switch and regret it? I'm too nervous to think straight. Really wishing I had applied for SSDI when first diagnosed at 58, but didn't realize retirement disability wasn't available after 65. Now I'm stuck trying to maximize what little I can get.
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Sofia Price
Yes, they will absolutely tell you the exact amount you would receive on your own record without forcing you to apply! This is a very common request. Just make it clear at the beginning of the call that you're only seeking information today. A few important points: 1. The transition from survivor to retirement benefits should be seamless with no gap if you decide to switch. 2. However, once you switch from survivor to your own retirement benefit, you CANNOT switch back - this decision is permanent. 3. If your own benefit is only slightly higher, consider if that small increase is worth giving up the survivor benefit permanently. When you call, specifically ask for these numbers: - Your current survivor benefit amount - Your retirement benefit amount at your current age (FRA) - What your retirement benefit would be if you waited until 70 This will give you all the information you need to make a sound decision without committing to anything.
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Mateo Warren
•Thank you so much! That makes me feel better knowing I can just get information. I was so afraid they'd automatically process something. But if I can't switch back, that makes the decision even more crucial. My health really isn't great, but I suppose I should at least ask what the age 70 amount would be, even if waiting seems unlikely for me. I'll write down your suggested questions before my call.
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Alice Coleman
I just went through EXACTLY this situation last month!!!! The SS people are sometimes TERRIBLE at explaining things clearly. My survivor benefit was $1,598 and my own was $1,785 so I switched. BUT they did NOT tell me about the tax implications!!! Now I'm paying more in taxes because more of my benefit is taxable on my own record than it was as a survivor!!!! MAKE SURE you ask about how it affects your taxes too!!! And yes they told me all the amounts without making me apply. The lady I talked to was actually really helpful once I got past the whole automated system nightmare. GOOD LUCK!!!!
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Sofia Price
•This is an excellent point about taxation. Survivor benefits and retirement benefits can sometimes be taxed differently depending on your overall income. If you're close to a taxation threshold, the slight increase in benefits might be offset by increased tax liability. Definitely worth asking about during your call.
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Owen Jenkins
i had this same problem with the website. it won't show both amounts at once. but when i called they gave me both numbers no problem. the difference was about $200 more on my own record so i switched right away. no interruption in payments btw.
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Mateo Warren
•That's reassuring to hear there wasn't any payment gap! I'm on a pretty tight budget so I couldn't handle missing even one month. Was the process of switching pretty straightforward? Did they need any additional documentation from you?
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Owen Jenkins
•super easy, they just did it while i was on the phone. already had all my info in their system. first check on my own record came right on schedule the next month.
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Lilah Brooks
My mom faced similar situation last year. Took survivors at 60, then at FRA found out her own benefit was higher. The agent told her all the amounts during the call without any commitment. She decided to switch to her own benefit. But important to note - my sister helped her call because she kept getting disconnected when trying herself - wait times are insane right now.
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Jackson Carter
•I feel you on those wait times and disconnections! I wasted three entire afternoons trying to get through to SSA last month about my retirement application. Finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Absolute lifesaver when you're dealing with important time-sensitive stuff like this. Using them was way less stressful than the regular SSA phone system.
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Kolton Murphy
did you work long enough to qulify for your own SS? some people didnt work enough quarters. check that first.
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Mateo Warren
•Yes, I did work enough. I worked for almost 35 years as a nurse before my health declined, so I have well over the 40 quarters needed. The letter they sent specifically mentioned I could switch to my own, so I think I qualify - I'm just nervous about the actual amounts.
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Evelyn Rivera
I recommend having them run a complete AERO (Automatic Earnings Recomputation Operation) calculation during your call to ensure all your earnings are properly counted. Sometimes earnings from recent years or certain employers don't get automatically included in your benefit calculation. Also - very important - ask them to calculate what's called your "RIB-LIM" amount. This is a special calculation that applies to people who took survivor benefits early and are now considering switching to their own retirement benefit at FRA or later. The RIB-LIM calculation can sometimes result in a higher payment than the standard calculation. Finally, since you mentioned health concerns, remember that the general breakeven point between taking benefits at FRA versus age 70 is typically around age 82-83. If you have serious health concerns, maximizing monthly income sooner rather than later may make more sense than waiting.
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Mateo Warren
•Thank you for this detailed information! I've never heard of the RIB-LIM calculation or AERO - I'll definitely ask about these. The breakeven point information is really helpful too. Given my health issues, I probably won't make it to 83, so waiting until 70 probably doesn't make sense for my situation.
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Lilah Brooks
How did the call go? I'm curious what you decided because I'm in nearly the same situation but haven't reached my FRA yet.
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Mateo Warren
•The call just finished! They were actually really helpful. My own retirement benefit is $1,875 compared to my survivor benefit of $1,450, so it's about $425 more per month. I decided to switch to my own benefit effective next month. They explained there won't be any gap in payments. The RIB-LIM calculation someone mentioned above actually did apply to my case! The agent was impressed I knew to ask about it. Thanks everyone for your help - I feel much better now that it's done.
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