Will my spouse get my age 70 SS benefit amount or just my FRA amount when I die?

she gets ur age 70 amount. thats the whole point of delaying to 70, bigger check for her when ur gone. whoever told u she only gets FRA amount is totally wrong my dude

The person who advised you was incorrect. When you pass away, your wife will receive your actual benefit amount at the time of your death, including all delayed retirement credits. This is called the "survivor benefit" and it's one of the main reasons many financial advisors recommend the higher-earning spouse delay claiming until age 70. If you claim at 70 and receive $4,100, then after your death, your wife would receive that $4,100 (minus her own benefit which stops). The survivor benefit essentially replaces her smaller benefit. The Social Security Administration has confirmed this many times. Delayed retirement credits DO increase survivor benefits. This is different from spousal benefits while both are alive, which don't include delayed retirement credits.

I was in a similar boat last year. SO MUCH confusion on this topic! My husband waited til 70 to maximize what I'd get as survivor (I'm 5 years younger). Make sure you both have an account on the MySocialSecurity website - it explains all this stuff and shows your personal estimates.

WRONG INFO IS EVERYWHERE with Social Security!!! My own brother-in-law had the same question and the person he talked to at SSA gave him INCORRECT information!! You are absolutely RIGHT to delay until 70 - your wife WILL get your age 70 benefit amount when you pass, NOT your FRA amount. That's literally THE MAIN REASON financial planners tell the higher earner to wait!!! I'd really like to know WHO told you she'd only get your FRA amount because that person is spreading dangerous misinformation that could cost retirees THOUSANDS!!!!!

I work with retirees, and this is one of the most common misunderstandings I encounter. To be 100% clear: when you pass away, your wife will receive your actual benefit amount at the time of your death, including delayed retirement credits up to age 70. This is specifically why delaying benefits makes sense for the higher earner in many couples. If you're claiming at 70 and receiving approximately $4,100/month, that's what she would get as a survivor benefit (she gives up her own $2,100 benefit). If you were to claim at FRA and receive $3,000, that's what she would get instead. By delaying, you're essentially buying her a $1,100/month higher survivor annuity that's inflation-protected for life. This is usually an excellent strategy when there's a significant difference between the two spouses' benefit amounts.

My husband and I went through this exact same confusion last year! We couldn't get through to SSA on the phone for weeks. The wait times were ridiculous - like 2+ hours and then we'd get disconnected! So frustrating. We finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual agent who confirmed that survivor benefits ARE based on what the deceased spouse was actually receiving, including delayed retirement credits. They have this video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Saved us hours of frustration and we got a definitive answer from SSA directly.

I want to thank everyone for the clear answers! This has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I was really starting to doubt our retirement strategy, but now I feel confident about delaying until 70. I appreciate all the expertise and personal experiences shared here.

One additional point I should mention - while delaying to 70 is generally good for survivor benefits, there are some rare exceptions where it might not be the optimal strategy. If both you and your wife have serious health concerns or if your wife is significantly older than you, the calculation might be different. But in your situation as described, delaying to maximize her survivor benefit sounds like the right approach.

just want 2 add - make sure u keep good records! my mom had issues proving my dads income when he passed & it took MONTHS to sort out with SS. keep copies of EVERYTHING