Will my late husband's SSDI benefit amount of $2750 increase before I claim survivor benefits at 63?

I was in a similar situation last year. The base amount DOES increase with COLAs (cost of living adjustments) between your husband's death and when you claim. So that $2750 will likely be higher in 4 years. When my wife passed in 2022, her SSDI was $2430, but by the time I claimed survivors benefits this year, the base amount had increased to about $2630 due to two COLAs. The SSA representative confirmed this is standard procedure - they adjust the deceased's benefit amount as if they were still receiving it. Made a noticeable difference in my monthly payment!

Just want to add that while the previous poster is correct about COLAs being applied, you should also be aware that the 83% reduction for claiming at 63 is permanent. Have you considered whether waiting until your FRA would be financially feasible? You'd get 100% of his benefit then. Of course everyone's situation is different, but with 4 years to plan, it might be worth running the numbers both ways.

My condolences on your loss. When my brother claimed survivor benefits after his wife died, they definitely included the COLAs. But just FYI the SSA made a mistake on his initial calculation and he had to call multiple times to get it fixed. Took forever to reach someone!

DONT COUNT ON SSA DOING ANYTHING RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!!!! They messed up my survivors benefits THREE TIMES and I had to keep calling back. The last agent even admitted they often forget to apply the COLA increases properly. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and double-check their math!!!!!

sorry for your loss. my husband died 2 years ago and i got survivors benefits. they did add the cola to his amount before figuring mine. but they never explained that to me had to ask questions when the amount was higher than i expected

To clarify some points: Yes, SSA will apply all Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) that occur between your husband's death and when you claim survivor benefits. This is known as "indexing" the benefit. The COLA for 2025 will be announced in October 2024, and early projections suggest around 2.5-3%. Your survivor benefit will be based on: 1. Your husband's SSDI benefit amount 2. Plus all COLAs applied between his death and your application 3. Multiplied by your age-based reduction factor (83% at age 63) Also, be aware that if you're working while collecting survivor benefits before your FRA, the earnings test may apply, potentially reducing your benefit temporarily if you earn above certain thresholds.

With earnings of $18,000, you'll likely be under the annual exempt amount for the earnings test, which is $22,320 in 2025 for those under FRA. So your benefits probably won't be reduced. However, this exempt amount typically increases yearly, so check the current figure when you apply. Just remember that $1 in benefits is withheld for every $2 earned above the limit. This isn't a permanent reduction though - once you reach FRA, your benefit is recalculated to credit you for months when benefits were withheld.

One more thing to consider - make sure you keep all the documentation about your husband's benefit amount. When I applied, the SSA couldn't find some of his records at first and I had to provide his benefit statements. Better to have everything ready than to be scrambling later.

Is anyone else confused about why the OP's husband's SSDI was going to a nursing home? I thought Medicare covered nursing homes? My mom is getting SSDI and we're looking at facilities now...

Going back to the COLA question - the increases have been pretty significant lately! 5.9% in 2022, 8.7% in 2023, 3.2% in 2024. So that $2750 could be quite a bit higher in 4 years if inflation stays high. Just wanted to add some optimism to the thread!