Will my wife qualify for survivor benefits from my SSDI if I pass away from terminal illness?

I'm so sorry about your diagnosis. To answer your question - yes, your wife will eventually be eligible for survivor benefits based on your record, but there are some important things to know: 1. Widow/widower benefits can begin as early as age 60 (or 50 if she becomes disabled) 2. If she claims before her Full Retirement Age, the benefit will be reduced 3. She could receive a one-time death benefit payment of $255 4. If she's caring for your child who is under 16 or disabled, she might qualify for benefits earlier Since she's 52, she would normally need to wait until 60 for survivor benefits unless one of the exceptions applies. I recommend trying to schedule an appointment with your local SSA office to discuss your specific situation.

Man I feel for you. My dad went through something similar before he passed. One thing to remember - if your wife works full time after you're gone, there are earnings limits if she claims those survivor benefits before her full retirement age. The SSA can reduce benefits if she makes over a certain amount. Just something to keep in mind for her financial planning.

I'm so sorry for what you're going through. Last year when my husband was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, we were in a similar situation. I was 54 and terrified about finances. Have you asked if your wife might qualify for disability herself? Sometimes the stress and depression of being a caregiver can lead to qualifying conditions. It's worth looking into ALL possibilities - leave no stone unturned!!!

As others have mentioned, your wife would typically need to wait until age 60 to collect survivor benefits based on your record. However, I want to add some important details for your planning: 1. The survivor benefit would be 100% of your SSDI amount if she waits until her Full Retirement Age (probably 67 for her) 2. If she claims at 60, she'd get about 71.5% of your benefit amount 3. If she has a disability, she could claim as early as 50 and receive 71.5% Also important: if your wife's own Social Security retirement benefit would eventually be higher than the survivor benefit, she could take the survivor benefit first and then switch to her own later. This strategy can maximize her lifetime benefits. I strongly recommend consulting with a financial planner who specializes in Social Security planning for your specific situation.

my neighbors went thru this 2 yrs ago. his wife had to wait till 60 for the widow benefits. BUT they did get that $255 death payment which is a joke tbh. barely covers funeral flowers.

I've been trying to help my sister with a similar situation and the HARDEST part has been actually reaching someone at Social Security!!! I spent DAYS trying to get through on the phone - busy signals, disconnects, hours on hold. It was a nightmare! I finally used a service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person at SSA in under 20 minutes. It connected me directly to an agent without the usual hold time. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU With your situation, you really need specific answers from SSA based on your exact circumstances and benefit amounts. Their website (claimyr.com) helped me bypass the usual phone nightmare. Might be worth checking out since you mentioned not being able to reach anyone.

MAKE SURE YOUR WIFE KEEPS ALL DOCUMENTATION!! The SSA will want death certificate, marriage license, your SS# and probably tax returns. They lose stuff ALL THE TIME and then delay benefits for months! Make multiple copies of everything and keep them organized. When my husband died it took me nearly 6 months to get everything sorted with SSA because they kept "losing" documents I already sent them!!!!

One more important consideration: if your wife works during the gap before she can claim survivor benefits, those additional years of earnings might increase her own retirement benefit. This could be significant if she has years with low or no earnings in her work history that would be replaced by these new earnings. Additionally, look into whether your private life insurance, pension plans, or other assets could help bridge the gap until she reaches 60. Some employer plans have special provisions for spouses in your situation.

Has your doctor said anything about applying for Compassionate Allowance? My sister's husband had ALS and they fast-tracked some benefits. I don't know if it would help your wife get benefits sooner but maybe worth asking SSA about??

dont forget about checking if your state has any widow assistance programs too! some states have emergency funds or special programs. worth looking into while waiting for SS benefits