Will my Social Security widow benefits automatically change when I turn 65? Still working full-time

You'll continue receiving your widow's benefits - turning 65 doesn't automatically switch you to anything else. Those benefits continue until you either: 1) apply for your own retirement benefits if they would be higher, or 2) reach age 70 when any unclaimed benefits would max out. At 65, the only automatic change is Medicare eligibility, which is probably what your HR department was referring to.

Be careful about the earnings limit!!! Since ur not at full retirement age yet, if u make too much money from your job, SSA will TAKE BACK some of your benefits!!! They dont tell you this clearly enough and it SHOCKED me when it happened to me last year. They withheld THREE MONTHS of payments to recover what they said I owed them!!

When I turned 65 last year, I was also worried about my benefits changing. After 4 frustrating calls to Social Security (got disconnected twice, 2+ hour wait times), I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to reach an agent in under 10 minutes. They confirmed my widow benefits wouldn't change at 65 but explained exactly when I should consider switching to my own benefits. They even have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - definitely worth it to get clear answers instead of stressing!

my aunt got switched from survivors to regular retirement when she hit FRA without asking for it and it lowered her payment by almost $400!! you should def call and make sure you STAY on widows benefits!!

Same boat as you last year. Turned 65, kept my widow benefits. The only thing that happened was Medicare enrollment. Make sure you sign up for that though! They don't do it automatically and you can get penalties if you miss the window around your birthday.

wait I thought survivor benefits were just for when kids are minors ? my neighbor said she got ss survivors for her kids until they were 18 but not for herself

Since you're turning 65 in March 2025 and working full-time while receiving widow's benefits, here are three important things to understand: 1. Your widow's benefits continue unchanged - they don't automatically convert at 65. 2. You should evaluate whether it's better to: a) Stay on widow's benefits now and switch to retirement on your own record later b) Switch to reduced retirement benefits on your own record now c) Wait until your Full Retirement Age when restrictions on working while receiving benefits end The best strategy depends on your earnings history compared to your late husband's. 3. You MUST enroll in Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period (3 months before/after your 65th birthday) even if you're still working, unless you have qualifying employer coverage and your employer has 20+ employees.

just wondering but if ur working full time why u even taking widows benefits before retirement age? doesn't working reduce them anyway?

I'm in a similar situation but a few years behind you - my husband passed away last year and I'm 62, still working full-time. Reading through all these responses is really helpful! It sounds like you're on the right track with continuing your widow's benefits at 65. One thing I learned from my own research is that you can actually receive both Medicare and continue working with employer health insurance - Medicare becomes your secondary coverage if your employer has 20+ employees. Just wanted to add that since you mentioned HR brought up Medicare. Also, definitely get that benefits comparison from SSA like Sofia suggested - it's free and gives you the exact numbers to make the best decision for your situation.

I'm so glad you asked this question because I was in almost the exact same position two years ago! At 65, your widow benefits absolutely continue unchanged - there's no automatic switching or conversion that happens. The only thing that changes is Medicare eligibility, which your HR department was probably referring to. One thing that really helped me was scheduling a phone appointment with SSA (I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned - it really does work!) to get a side-by-side comparison of my widow benefits versus what my own retirement benefits would be at different ages. Since you mentioned having years out of the workforce while your husband had a finance career, there's a good chance staying on widow benefits will be your best option, but seeing the actual numbers gave me peace of mind. Also, definitely start your Medicare enrollment process early in that 7-month window around your birthday - I waited too long and it was more stressful than it needed to be. But remember, Medicare enrollment is completely separate from your Social Security benefits, so one doesn't affect the other. You're in control of when (or if) to switch benefits, not SSA. Take your time and make informed decisions on your timeline!

I'm new here but wanted to share my recent experience since it mirrors yours so closely! I just turned 65 in November and was absolutely terrified about the same thing - whether my widow benefits would automatically change or get converted to something else. I'm happy to report that nothing whatsoever changed with my Social Security payments! They continued exactly as they were before my birthday, just like everyone here has confirmed. The only thing I had to deal with was Medicare enrollment, which honestly ended up being much simpler than I'd built it up to be in my mind. What really gave me peace of mind was calling SSA about two months before my birthday (I did use that Claimyr service that's been mentioned - it really does work for getting through quickly) and having them walk me through exactly what to expect. Since you mentioned your husband worked in finance while you had years out of the workforce, your situation sounds very similar to mine - my late husband was in engineering while I had significant career gaps for childcare. The SSA representative confirmed that staying on his record was definitely the better financial choice for me long-term. Don't let the worry consume you like it did me - your widow benefits will absolutely continue unchanged at 65, and you maintain complete control over if and when to make any benefit switches in the future. You're asking all the right questions!

I'm new to this community but wanted to add my experience as someone who just went through this exact situation! I turned 65 three months ago and had the same fears about my widow benefits automatically changing. I'm happy to confirm what everyone here has said - absolutely nothing changed with my Social Security payments at 65! They continued exactly as before. The only thing I had to handle was Medicare enrollment, which turned out to be much more straightforward than I expected. What really helped me was using that my Social Security online account tool that several people mentioned to compare my potential retirement benefits vs my current widow benefits. Since my late husband had a strong career in accounting while I had years out of the workforce raising our children, staying on his record was clearly the better choice financially. I also called SSA about 8 weeks before my birthday using that Claimyr service (it really does work!) and the representative was very helpful in explaining that I have complete control over any future benefit decisions. Don't let the anxiety overwhelm you - your widow benefits will continue unchanged and you have plenty of time to make informed decisions on your own timeline!