Will my Social Security survivor benefits be based on my husband's SSDI or his early retirement amount?

First, I'm very sorry about your husband's diagnosis. I've been through something similar with my wife. To answer your question directly: Your survivor benefits will be based on your husband's SSDI amount, not a reduced early retirement benefit. When SSDI converts to retirement benefits at full retirement age, it does so without reduction, and survivor benefits are based on that full amount (subject to adjustments based on when you claim them). Your survivor benefit will be reduced if you claim before your own full retirement age (which would be 66 and some months depending on your birth year). If you wait until your FRA to claim, you'd receive 100% of his benefit amount. One thing to consider - if you're going to need income right away after his passing, you could potentially claim your own small retirement benefit early, then switch to the higher survivor benefit later. This sometimes works out better financially.

so sorry 4 ur situation... my husband passed from cancer 2 yrs ago and i had similar question. the SSA rep told me survivor benefits go off what they were paying him when he died not what he might have got. if he was on SSDI thats the amount they use. but ur own age when u take it def matters!!!

I worked at SSA for 26 years before retiring last year, so I can provide some accurate information here. Your survivor benefit will be based on your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) which is essentially the amount he would receive at his full retirement age. Since he's receiving SSDI, that's already calculated at his full PIA without reduction. You have flexibility in when to claim. If you claim survivor benefits at your full retirement age (66+8 months), you'll receive 100% of his PIA. If you claim earlier, it will be reduced based on a scale: - At age 60: 71.5% of his PIA - Each month you wait after 60 increases the percentage - At your FRA: 100% of his PIA Important consideration: If your husband passes away before reaching his FRA, you may be eligible for a one-time $255 death benefit and potentially immediate survivor benefits if you're caring for dependent children under 16. I'd recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to discuss your specific situation and options. Unfortunately, their phone lines are usually jammed.

Didn't the rules change a few years ago? I thought survivor benefits were different now with that new law they passed. My neighbor said something about them changing how they calculate everything now.

My heart goes out to you and your husband. I was in almost the exact situation 3 years ago. One CRITICAL thing no one has mentioned: if your husband passes away, do NOT just assume SSA will automatically switch you to survivor benefits! They won't!! You MUST apply for survivor benefits within 30 days after his passing or you could lose payments. Also, start gathering documents now: marriage certificate, his birth certificate, death certificate (when the time comes), and your own birth certificate. Having these ready saved me weeks of stress. And yes, his SSDI amount becomes the basis for your survivor benefits. I receive 92.5% of my late husband's SSDI amount because I claimed at 65. If I'd waited 1.5 more years to my FRA, I'd get 100%. BUT - don't forget about potential Medicare premium increases if your income appears higher after combining households on taxes. The IRMAA surcharge hit me hard the first year after my husband's passing.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE US!!! I spent 9 MONTHS trying to get my survivor benefits straightened out after my husband died. They kept sending me letters with different amounts, then they said I owed them money, then they said THEY owed ME money!!! Don't trust what ANY of them tell you on the phone - GET IT IN WRITING!!! And keep COPIES OF EVERYTHING they send you. I had to go to my congressman's office to finally get it resolved because the SSA people kept giving me wrong information. And they use these complicated formulas nobody understands to calculate everything. One rep told me one thing, another told me something completely different. It's their way of cheating us out of what we deserve after paying into the system our whole lives!!!

has anyone heard if they're changing the survivor rules with that new funding bill? my cousin said they might be cutting benefits again

I want to thank everyone for their helpful responses. This has clarified so much for me during a really difficult time. I'm going to try to get through to SSA to discuss my specific situation, and I'll make sure to gather all those documents mentioned. It's a relief to know that my survivor benefits will be based on his SSDI amount rather than an early retirement calculation. At least that's one less thing to worry about while we focus on making the most of our remaining time together.