Will my Social Security retirement benefits still grow after stopping work while on survivor benefits?

Your benefits won't grow like you think. When you stop working, your benefit amount basically freezes except for the delayed retirement credits you get for waiting past your FRA. But those credits only apply to what your benefit was already calculated to be when you stopped working. I was in a similar spot when my husband died. I thought my benefits would keep growing like the estimates showed, but they didn't because I'd stopped working to take care of him. The SSA estimates assume you'll keep working at your current salary until you claim! I waited 2 extra years for NOTHING. Seriously go talk to SSA right away. You CAN go to the office to schedule an appointment in person - that's what I did after wasting hours on the phone.

There's some confusion here that needs clarification. Your retirement benefit amount is based on your highest 35 years of earnings. When you stop working, those calculations don't change much unless your recent years would have replaced lower-earning years in your work history. However, delayed retirement credits WILL still add 8% per year to your own retirement benefit for each year you delay past your FRA up to age 70. This happens regardless of whether you're working or not. The key question is whether your own benefit at 70 (with all delayed credits applied) would be significantly higher than your current survivor benefit. Since your survivor benefit is $1,950 and your FRA benefit was estimated at $2,200, you'd need to calculate what your own benefit would be at 70 with delayed credits. You should create a my Social Security account online and get updated estimates. This will reflect your current situation more accurately than that old printout.

The SSA offices DO take walk-ins! I went last month. You might wait a while but they'll see you eventually. Just bring ID and get there early. They open at 9am.

I HATE the system. 120 minute wait? That's actually GOOD compared to what I dealt with. I called 17 TIMES over 3 days and either got disconnected or was on hold for 3+ hours each time. The SSA phone system is COMPLETELY BROKEN. And yes, the benefit estimates they gave you are WORTHLESS if you're not working. Those printouts assume you keep earning the same salary until you claim. Since you stopped in 2021, your benefit is basically frozen at that point except for the delayed credits. They NEVER explain this clearly when they hand you those estimates. It should be ILLEGAL to mislead people this way!!!

Have you tried contacting them through the website? Sometimes thats easier than calling.

Let me provide some clarity on your specific situation: 1. Your own retirement benefit calculation was essentially set when you stopped working in 2021, but it WILL still increase by approximately 8% per year for each year you delay claiming past your Full Retirement Age up to age 70. 2. Whether waiting is advantageous depends on the math: If your own retirement benefit at FRA was estimated at $2,200 and your current survivor benefit is $1,950, then waiting to 70 could potentially increase your retirement benefit to approximately $2,904 (assuming you're exactly at FRA now with 3 years of delayed credits possible). 3. You need to verify your actual FRA benefit amount with current calculations, not old estimates. Those printouts do assume continued work, so your actual benefit may be lower than originally estimated. 4. Most SSA offices now offer appointments, with limited walk-in service. You can call your local office directly (not the 800 number) to schedule an appointment - the direct numbers are on the SSA website.

Try Claimyr if you need to talk to someone at SSA soon. I used it last month after trying to get through for days. You pay a small fee but they get you through to a real person at SSA without the crazy wait. Saved me hours of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

This exact situation happened to my sister!!! She was on survivor benefits for 3 years and waited to claim her own till 68 thinking they were growing big time. When she finally switched her benefit was way lower than the estimates she got years before. Definitely double check everything!

My condolences on losing your wife. Thats really tough.

One important point that hasn't been mentioned: Even if you decide to switch to your own retirement benefits later, you can still do so without penalty. You aren't locked into survivor benefits forever. When you reach 70, you should definitely apply for your own retirement benefit if it would be higher than your survivor benefit. The SSA will not automatically switch you - you must apply. Also, remember that any COLA (Cost of Living Adjustments) that occur between now and when you claim your own benefits will be applied to your eventual benefit amount, further increasing it beyond just the delayed retirement credits.

Wait theres a difference between survivor benefits and regular SS? Im confused lol

I went thru this WITH MY HUSBAND LAST YEAR when he was deciding about his SS. We went to our local SS office after not being able to get a straight answer on the phone. They told us my husband's benefit would NOT grow nearly as much as the estimates showed because he'd been on disability for 3 years. IT WAS SHOCKING how different the real numbers were from the estimates!!! Make the trip to the office - it's WORTH IT to get accurate information.

I want to thank everyone for their helpful responses. I've decided to: 1. Create a my Social Security account to see current estimates 2. Try calling my local office directly for an appointment 3. If that doesn't work, I'll consider using that Claimyr service someone mentioned Based on what I'm hearing, it sounds like my benefit will still grow with delayed retirement credits even though I stopped working, but probably not as much as those original estimates showed. I'll make sure to get updated calculations before making any decisions about whether to switch from survivor to retirement benefits.