Will my husband get full survivor benefits from my SSDI if I die before he reaches FRA?

First, I'm very sorry about your diagnosis, but glad to hear treatment is going well. Regarding survivor benefits: If you pass away before your husband reaches his FRA (67), he would be eligible for reduced survivor benefits based on your record. The reduction depends on exactly how old he is when he claims: - At age 60: 71.5% of your benefit - Between 60 and FRA: The percentage increases gradually from 71.5% to 100% - At FRA: 100% of your benefit So if he's 64 when claiming survivor benefits, he'd get roughly 81.7% of your SSDI amount. However, it's important to understand that survivor benefits and his own retirement benefits are separate decisions. He could take reduced survivor benefits early, then switch to his own (potentially higher) benefit later. Or vice versa. I'd recommend contacting SSA directly to get personalized calculations based on your exact earnings records. This is definitely a situation where having accurate numbers for your specific case is crucial for making the best decision.

I went thru similar situation last year w/ my wife's lung cancer. The way survivor benefits work is SUPER confusing and SSA phone reps gave me different answers every time I called!!! What ended up happening: My wife passed at 59 (I was 62). I applied for survivor benefits and got 82.5% of her benefit because I was under my FRA. They told me I could switch to my own benefit later if I wanted. My suggestion: your husband should WAIT on taking his own benefits!!! He can take reduced survivor benefits if something happens to you, then switch to his own benefits at 70 to maximize them. This is what my financial advisor recommended to me too. The most frustrating part was getting accurate info from SSA. Took me 4 calls and each person told me something different. Hang in there!

Survivor benefits have a different calculation than regular retirement benefits. Here's what you need to know: - If your husband claims survivor benefits before his FRA (67), they will be reduced permanently - At age 64, he would receive approximately 82.9% of your benefit amount - At his FRA, he would receive 100% of your benefit amount - Importantly, claiming survivor benefits does NOT affect his own retirement benefit amount One potential strategy: If you pass away before he reaches FRA, he could claim the reduced survivor benefit based on your record, then switch to his own retirement benefit at age 70 (assuming his age 70 benefit would be higher than your SSDI amount). Another strategy: If his own benefit at FRA would be less than 82.9% of your benefit, he might claim his own reduced retirement benefit now, then switch to survivor benefits if you pass away. The decision depends on both your benefit amounts and life expectancy considerations. I'd recommend consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning.

I've been trying to reach SSA for weeks about a similar issue with survivor benefits! My phone calls keep getting disconnected or I'm on hold for hours. Finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a rep in less than 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU For your actual question - my financial planner said survivor benefits work differently than regular retirement. Your husband should be able to claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 (at a reduced rate) and this is completely separate from his own benefit. He could take survivor benefits early, then switch to his own benefit at 70 if it would be higher. Definitely worth getting specific numbers from SSA for your situation since these calculations can get complicated fast.

Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. Hope your treatments continue to be successful. Just wanted to share that my dad was in almost the same situation after mom's cancer. He was 65 when she passed and took the survivor benefit right away. It was reduced a bit because he wasn't at his full retirement age yet, but it was still more than his own benefit would have been. He was glad he took it then instead of waiting because he used the money for some home modifications he needed. Just something to consider - sometimes having the money sooner makes sense depending on your situation.

YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT THE SSA MAKES MISTAKES ALL THE TIME!!! When my husband died, they calculated my survivor benefit WRONG and I had to fight for MONTHS to get it fixed!!! Make sure your husband gets everything in writing and checks their math! Also make sure all your earnings are correctly recorded in the system NOW while you can still correct any mistakes. Print out everything and keep copies of EVERYTHING they send you!! The bureaucracy is a NIGHTMARE especially when you're grieving. I hope you beat your cancer but planning ahead is smart.

I just wanted to update and thank everyone for the helpful responses. I've created an account on ssa.gov to verify my earnings history (thankfully it's accurate). We've decided my husband will hold off claiming his own benefits for now. If I pass away before he reaches his FRA, he'll apply for survivor benefits even though they'll be reduced, then switch to his own benefits at 70 when they'll be maximized. The percentage chart was especially helpful in understanding how this works. I'm also going to suggest we meet with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning to make sure we're making the best choices for our specific situation.