Will I lose SSDI after receiving survivor benefits? And remarriage question for survivor benefits

Yes, you're still on SSDI. What you're receiving now is a combination of your own SSDI benefit plus an additional amount from your ex's record as a disabled widow(er). The fact that you had to be evaluated by their doctors was just part of proving you meet the disability requirements for survivor benefits. As for remarriage after 60 - yes, you can keep your current survivor benefits if you remarry after age 60. And if your new marriage lasts at least 9 months and your new spouse passes away, you could potentially receive survivor benefits on their record too (you'd get the higher of the two amounts, not both). Similarly, if you divorce after 10+ years of marriage, you could potentially claim ex-spouse benefits on their record.

i went thru something similar last yr. what happens is they basically just add the survivor amount to ur disability check, ur still disabled according to SSA. they just had to make sure u qualified for the survivor part since thats different rules i think

You absolutely are still considered disabled. The survivor benefit is just supplementing your SSDI. The reason for the separate medical review was specifically to qualify for the disabled widow(er) benefits, which have their own medical determination process even though you were already approved for regular SSDI. Regarding remarriage - yes, if you remarry AFTER turning 60, you preserve your right to your current survivor benefits AND could potentially qualify for benefits on your new spouse's record if that marriage meets the duration requirements (9+ months if they pass while married, or 10+ years if you divorce). You would receive whichever benefit amount is higher. The SSA system is ridiculously complicated with these scenarios. When I was trying to figure out my own situation, I kept getting disconnected or waiting hours on the phone until I found Claimyr.com - it got me through to an actual SSA representative in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It saved me days of frustration.

NOBODY at Social Security ever explains any of this clearly!!! I went through almost the exact same thing when my husband died (I was already on SSDI) and the SSA office gave me 3 DIFFERENT EXPLANATIONS about whether I was still officially disabled or not. Every time I called I got different information! Then they reduced my Medicare premium without telling me why. The whole system is IMPOSSIBLE to navigate.

Just to add something, I think the medical review you went through was because of the different disability standard for disabled widow(er)s. For disabled widow(er) benefits, they use a stricter definition than regular SSDI sometimes.

To clarify what others have said: 1. Yes, you are still on SSDI. What you're receiving is called "Disabled Widow(er) Benefits" (DWB) in addition to your own SSDI. 2. The medical review was necessary because DWB has its own medical criteria and determination process, even though you were already found disabled under your own record. 3. Regarding marriage after 60: If you remarry after age 60, you can continue receiving benefits on your deceased ex-spouse's record. Additionally, if your new marriage ends (either by death or divorce after 10 years), you could potentially qualify for benefits on your new spouse's record as well. You would receive the highest benefit you're entitled to. 4. Important note: There's a provision called the "family maximum" that might limit the total amount payable on any one earner's record, but that usually comes into play when there are multiple beneficiaries (like when children are also receiving benefits). SSA should be sending you an award letter explaining all this, but they're notoriously unclear in their explanations.

To answer your question about continuing disability reviews (CDRs) - you'll only have one review process. Since you're receiving both benefits based on being disabled, the SSA will conduct a single review that applies to both benefits. If you're found to still be disabled, both benefits continue. If (unfortunately) you were ever found to have medically improved and no longer disabled, you would lose both the SSDI and the disabled widow benefits. However, once you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA), the disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits and the disability reviews stop completely.

my friend remarried at 62 and kept her dead husbands ss check but i think she gets a lot less than she would if she stayed single. the whole system is so confusing!

Anyone else notice how they ALWAYS want to do ANOTHER medical review even when you've been approved for years?? My brother has been disabled since birth (literally) and they STILL make him do reviews every 3 years like he's suddenly going to be cured!! The whole system is designed to wear you down so you give up!!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here but dealing with a similar situation. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about the different medical standards for disabled widow(er) benefits versus regular SSDI. One thing I'm curious about that hasn't been mentioned - does anyone know if there are any income limits or earnings test restrictions that apply differently to the survivor benefit portion versus the SSDI portion? I'm thinking about maybe doing some part-time work in the future and want to make sure I understand all the rules before I make any decisions. Also, Katherine, thank you for asking these questions! The remarriage rules are so confusing and it's great to see the community come together with such detailed explanations.

I'm also new to this community and found this discussion incredibly informative! I'm currently going through a similar process - I've been on SSDI for about 3 years and my spouse passed away recently. I just started the application process for survivor benefits and this thread has helped me understand what to expect with the medical review. One question I have that I haven't seen addressed yet - does anyone know if the timing of when you apply for survivor benefits affects anything? I waited about 6 months after my spouse's death to apply because I was overwhelmed with everything else going on. Will that impact my benefit amount or is there any retroactive payment for those months I didn't apply? Also, Katherine, I really appreciate you asking about the remarriage scenarios. Even though I'm not thinking about that right now, it's good to understand all the rules for the future. This community seems like such a valuable resource for navigating these complex situations!

As someone new to this community, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful information! I'm currently navigating the SSA system myself and this discussion has been incredibly educational. I wanted to add one point that might be helpful - when dealing with multiple benefits like SSDI and survivor benefits, it's really important to keep detailed records of all your communications with SSA. I've learned to write down the date, time, and name of every representative I speak with, plus a summary of what they told me. The information can be so inconsistent between different representatives that having a paper trail becomes crucial if there are ever disputes about what you were told. Also, Katherine, your questions about the remarriage scenarios were excellent. It's smart to understand all the rules even if you're not planning to remarry anytime soon - life can be unpredictable and it's better to know your options ahead of time. For anyone else going through similar situations, this community seems like such a valuable resource. The real-world experiences people are sharing here are often more helpful than the confusing official SSA documentation!

As someone new to this community, I wanted to jump in and thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm currently dealing with a similar situation where I'm on SSDI and may need to apply for survivor benefits soon, so reading through all these detailed explanations has been invaluable. One thing that really stands out to me is how much clearer this conversation has made the whole process compared to anything I've been able to find in official SSA materials. The distinction between the SSDI continuing and the separate medical evaluation for survivor benefits makes so much more sense now. Katherine, your questions were spot-on and I'm sure they'll help many people who find this thread in the future. The remarriage rules are particularly complex and it's great to see such thorough explanations from experienced community members. I also want to echo what others have said about keeping detailed records when dealing with SSA. I've started doing this with all my interactions and it's already proven helpful when I had to reference a previous conversation. This community seems like such a valuable resource for navigating these complicated benefit scenarios. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm currently navigating a similar situation where I've been on SSDI for several years and recently became eligible for survivor benefits, so Katherine's original questions and everyone's detailed responses have been invaluable. What really strikes me is how much more clearly this community explains these complex scenarios compared to the official SSA materials. The way everyone has broken down the difference between continuing SSDI status and the separate medical evaluation for survivor benefits finally makes sense to me. I was similarly confused about whether I would still be "officially disabled" after adding survivor benefits. I also appreciate all the practical advice shared here - from keeping detailed records of SSA conversations to understanding the earnings limits and remarriage rules. It's clear that many of us are dealing with similar complex benefit situations that SSA doesn't explain well in their standard communications. Thank you to Katherine for asking such thoughtful questions and to all the experienced members who took the time to provide such comprehensive answers. This thread will definitely be a valuable resource for others facing similar circumstances!