Will I get survivor benefits if I claim SS at FRA but husband claimed early? Need calculation help

Yes, you would be eligible for survivor benefits, but since your own benefit is higher than what your husband's survivor benefit would be, you would just continue receiving your own benefit. When someone claims early, their survivor benefit is reduced, but not as much as their retirement benefit. Your husband claiming at 63 means his survivor benefit to you would be about 82.5% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). However, since your current benefit of $2,850 exceeds this amount, you would simply keep receiving your higher benefit after he passes.

My husband died last year and I had the same question!! The SSA rep told me you only get ONE benefit - either your own OR the survivor benefit, whichever is HIGHER. Not both. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news :

wait i thought survivor benefits werent reduced if the person was already receiving benefits? something abt the RIB-LIM rule? my neighbor gets her late husbands full amount even tho he took ss at 62

I went through this exact situation last year. After my husband passed away, I spent TWO MONTHS trying to get through to someone at Social Security to explain my options. I would call at exactly 8:00 AM and still couldn't get through. Finally tried this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have this demo video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The SSA agent confirmed what others are saying - you only get the higher of your own benefit or the survivor benefit, not both combined. In my case, since I had the higher benefit, nothing changed financially after my husband passed except I received a one-time death payment of $255.

The system is RIGGED against married couples who BOTH worked and paid into the system their ENTIRE LIVES!!! My wife and I both worked 40+ years, both paid thousands into SS, and when I die she gets NOTHING extra despite all I paid in. Meanwhile my neighbor's wife never worked a day in her life and will get 100% of his benefit when he dies. HOW IS THIS FAIR??!!!

To clarify some misinformation in this thread: When your spouse passes away, you're eligible for survivor benefits equal to what your deceased spouse was receiving if they had already filed, or what they would have received at their FRA if they hadn't yet filed. If your spouse claimed early (like at 63), the RIB-LIM rule (Retirement Insurance Benefit Limitation) comes into play. This means you'd receive the HIGHER of: 1. The actual amount your husband was receiving when he died (~$2,210 based on your post) 2. 82.5% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount BUT, you only receive ONE benefit - either your own retirement benefit OR the survivor benefit, whichever is HIGHER. Since your current benefit ($2,850) exceeds your potential survivor benefit, you would continue to receive your own benefit with no changes. The one exception is the lump-sum death payment of $255 that is payable to a surviving spouse who was living with the deceased.

When my husband died two years ago, I was so confused about all this! The Social Security office told me to bring in marriage certificate, his death certificate, our most recent tax return, and both our Social Security cards to discuss survivor benefits. Just a tip if you're planning ahead.

UPDATE: I finally got through to SSA after trying for three days straight! The agent confirmed that because my own benefit is higher, I wouldn't receive any additional money as a survivor benefit if my husband passes away. She explained that the system is designed to provide the higher of the two benefits, not both. She also mentioned that there would be a one-time death benefit of $255 (which seems so small compared to what we've paid in). Thank you all for your helpful responses - they helped me ask the right questions when I finally got through!

Something nobody mentioned - if your husband passes, MAKE SURE you contact SSA immediately. My mother didn't report my father's death quickly, kept receiving his benefits, and had to pay everything back plus penalties. They don't automatically know about the death, and they will demand every penny back if they keep paying his benefits!