Will my reduced Social Security benefits affect survivor benefits when my husband dies?
I'm trying to figure out a smart filing strategy and could use some insight. I'm considering taking my Social Security retirement at 63 (about a year from now), even though I know I'll get a reduced amount compared to waiting until my Full Retirement Age (67). My question is about how this might affect things down the road when my husband eventually passes away. If I take my own benefits early with that reduction, will that same percentage reduction follow me when I would switch to survivor benefits after my husband's death? He's planning to wait until 70 to maximize his benefits, if that matters. Just trying to understand if my early filing decision now will permanently affect what I might get as a widow later. Thanks for any help untangling this!
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Jayden Hill
early filing doesnt matter for survivor benefits! when ur spouse dies u can get their full amount if its more than yours. thats what my mom did
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LordCommander
•This is only partially correct. The early filing reduction on your OWN benefits doesn't affect survivor benefits, but there are separate reduction rules if you claim survivor benefits before YOUR full retirement age. Each benefit type has its own reduction schedule.
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Lucy Lam
This is actually a very smart question to ask before making your filing decision! The good news is that the early retirement reduction you take on your own benefit will NOT affect your survivor benefits. These are completely separate calculations. If your husband waits until 70 to file (maximizing his benefit with delayed retirement credits), then when he passes away, you would be eligible for 100% of what he was receiving - regardless of when you started your own benefits. The only reduction that would apply to survivor benefits would be if you claim them before your Full Retirement Age. But importantly, you can actually switch between benefit types! So many widows will take reduced retirement on their own record early, then switch to full survivor benefits at their FRA.
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Isabella Tucker
•Thank you so much for the detailed explanation! This gives me a lot more confidence in my planning. So I could potentially take my reduced benefit at 63, and then later switch to the higher survivor benefit without penalty if I wait until my FRA to make the switch. That's incredibly helpful information.
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Aidan Hudson
I just went thru this when my Jerry passed last year. SSA is SO confusing! I took my benefits at 62 (BAD choice financially but had to pay bills) and then when Jerry died they actually gave me HIS full amount because he waited till 68 to start his. The lady at SSA office told me the early reduction only applies to whichever benefit you're currently getting. But WARNING - you have to APPLY for the survivor benefits, they don't auto-switch you!!!!
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Zoe Wang
•I'm so sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your real experience though - it's helpful to hear from someone who's actually been through this. The part about having to apply for survivor benefits is especially important. The SSA doesn't proactively do anything that would increase your benefits - you have to know to ask!
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Connor Richards
The other comments are mostly correct, but there's one important planning aspect to consider: maximizing your LIFETIME benefits. Yes, you can take reduced retirement benefits at 63 without it affecting future survivor benefits. But here's the strategy to think about: 1. If your husband's benefit will be significantly higher than yours, AND 2. If you're both in good health with family longevity Then it might make financial sense for you to claim your own reduced benefits early, and then switch to survivor benefits later (assuming he predeceases you). This way you get some income earlier while preserving the maximum survivor benefit. However, if your own benefit at FRA would be close to his, waiting might be better. It's a complex calculation that depends on your specific benefit amounts, age difference, and life expectancy assumptions.
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Isabella Tucker
•This is very thoughtful advice - thank you. My husband's benefit will definitely be quite a bit higher than mine (probably about 60% more), and we both come from families where people tend to live into their late 80s. Based on what you're saying, my initial instinct to file early on my own record might actually make sense as part of our overall plan.
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Grace Durand
Has anyone here actually tried CALLING the SSA to get this kind of question answered? I spent THREE DAYS trying to get through last month about a similar survivor benefits question. Kept getting disconnected or put on hold for hours!!!
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LordCommander
•I had the same frustrating experience! After multiple failed attempts, I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it was worth it for me because I needed specific information about my situation that I couldn't find anywhere online. For complex benefit questions like survivor benefits, sometimes you really do need to speak with an actual SSA representative.
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Steven Adams
My sister told me survivor benefits are always 60% of what your husband got. Is that wrong?
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Lucy Lam
•Your sister is confusing survivor benefits with spousal benefits. Spousal benefits while your husband is living are up to 50% of his FRA amount. Survivor benefits after he passes can be up to 100% of what he was receiving, including any delayed retirement credits if he waited past FRA. The 60% figure she mentioned isn't correct for either benefit type.
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Jayden Hill
wait i just realized something important - can u even get survivor benefits if ur still working??? my aunt had problems with this i think
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Zoe Wang
•Yes, you can receive survivor benefits while working, but they're subject to the same earnings test as retirement benefits if you're under Full Retirement Age. In 2025, you'd lose $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above $22,500 (approximate - they adjust this yearly). Once you reach FRA, there's no earnings limit, and you can work and receive full benefits. The withholding isn't permanent though - they recalculate your benefit at FRA to give credit for months benefits were withheld.
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Aidan Hudson
Everybody keeps saying FRA this and FRA that but nobody says what it actually IS???
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Connor Richards
•FRA stands for Full Retirement Age - it's when you're eligible for 100% of your Social Security retirement benefit. It varies based on birth year: - If born 1943-1954: FRA is 66 - If born 1955: FRA is 66 and 2 months - If born 1956: FRA is 66 and 4 months - If born 1957: FRA is 66 and 6 months - If born 1958: FRA is 66 and 8 months - If born 1959: FRA is 66 and 10 months - If born 1960 or later: FRA is 67 Based on the original poster considering filing at 63 next year, her FRA is likely 67.
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Alice Fleming
Just sharing my experience - I'm getting survivor benefits now at age 66 (my FRA) after taking my own reduced benefits at 62. When my husband passed last year, SSA automatically gave me the higher amount (his benefit). I didn't have to do anything special because they already had his death certificate from the funeral home. Maybe it varies by state though.
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LordCommander
•I'm glad it worked smoothly for you, but your situation is definitely not the norm. In most cases, survivor benefits are NOT automatically awarded and require a separate application. The funeral home filing the death certificate with SSA only initiates the process of stopping the deceased's benefits and paying the one-time $255 death benefit. Everyone should be proactive about applying for survivor benefits rather than assuming SSA will handle it automatically.
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Axel Bourke
One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that you might want to consider using the SSA's online benefit calculators before making your final decision. The Retirement Estimator can show you exactly how much your benefit would be reduced by filing at 63 versus waiting until FRA. Since you mentioned your husband's benefit will be about 60% higher than yours, you can also estimate his survivor benefit amount if he waits until 70. Having those specific dollar amounts will help you make a more informed decision about whether the early filing strategy makes sense for your household. The calculators are free on ssa.gov and don't require creating an account.
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Emma Bianchi
•That's excellent advice about using the online calculators! I hadn't thought to actually run the numbers before making this decision. Having the specific dollar amounts will definitely help me see whether taking the early reduction makes financial sense given our age difference and his plan to wait until 70. Thanks for pointing me toward that resource - it sounds like it could save me a lot of guesswork.
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