Will my wife get my higher Social Security benefits if I die from cancer while on SSDI?

I'm so sorry about your diagnosis. To answer your question: Yes, your wife would be eligible for survivor benefits based on your record after you pass, and she would receive an amount equal to your full benefit (the $3,200) since that's higher than her current reduced benefit. This applies whether you're receiving disability or retirement benefits when you pass. Since she's already receiving benefits on her own record, she won't automatically be switched. She'll need to contact Social Security to apply for survivor benefits when the time comes. They normally don't retroactively pay survivor benefits for more than 6 months, so it's important she applies relatively soon after your passing.

my neighbor went thru something similar last year. get the disability!! its backdated to when u became disabled, not when u apply. and u get Medicare after 24 months on disability no matter ur age. sorry bout the cancer man. that sucks.

I worked for SSA for 11 years before retiring, and I recommend you file for SSDI immediately. With a cancer diagnosis, you might qualify for Compassionate Allowance, which can expedite your case. Here's what happens: 1. File for SSDI right away 2. Your case could be processed in weeks instead of months under Compassionate Allowance 3. When you pass (and I sincerely hope treatment is successful), your wife will need to contact SSA to switch to survivor benefits 4. She'll receive 100% of your benefit amount (the $3,200 you mentioned) 5. This amount will replace her smaller benefit - she doesn't get both If you take early retirement instead of SSDI, your benefit would be permanently reduced, which means her survivor benefit would also be reduced.

@user8 No special paperwork needed for Compassionate Allowance. The diagnosis itself triggers it when the claim is being processed. The SSA has a list of qualifying conditions (many cancers are on it). The medical documentation just needs to clearly show the diagnosis.

Thank you all for the helpful info. I'm going to apply for SSDI this week. One more question - my wife mentioned she heard something about a one-time death benefit of $255. Is that real or just a rumor?

Just wanted to share, when my husband got ALS we couldn't get through to anyone at Social Security for weeks. Constant busy signals, disconnections, you name it. Finally found this service called Claimyr that got us through to an agent in 20 minutes. Saved us so much frustration during an already awful time. Check out the demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU or their website claimyr.com. Disability paperwork is complicated enough without having to fight just to talk to someone!

One thing nobody mentioned - if your wife was born before Jan 2, 1954, she might be eligible for a restricted application to claim SPOUSAL benefits on your record (getting 50% of your PIA) while letting her OWN retirement benefit grow until age 70. But only if she's not already claiming her own retirement benefit. If she's already claiming her own, then survivor benefits would be the next step after you pass. Since you haven't applied for benefits yet, she isn't eligible for spousal benefits yet, but once you get approved for SSDI, she could potentially switch if it makes financial sense.

my uncle died from cancer last year and his wife had to bring the death certificate to the SS office in person to get survivor bennefits. they wouldnt do it on the phone. just so u know for planning.

One last thing about the SSDI application - make sure your doctor includes detailed notes about your physical limitations and how the cancer and treatment affect your ability to work. Mention specific job requirements you can no longer meet (standing/walking requirements, lifting restrictions, cognitive issues from chemo, etc). This strengthens your case tremendously. Wishing you the best with your treatment and hoping for a full recovery.