Will my wife's SS survivor benefits be reduced if I die before reaching FRA?

not sure bout all the details but my dad took SS early and passed away before his full age and my mom got reduced benefits. they told her something about him locking in the lower amount when he filed early. she was pretty upset about it

This is a really important planning question! If you claim early and pass away before reaching your FRA, your wife's survivor benefit WILL be based on your reduced benefit amount. However, there's an important exception: If you die within the first few months of receiving benefits, the reduction might not apply. Basically, by claiming early, you're establishing your "base amount" for both your retirement AND any survivor benefits that might be paid on your record. Your wife would be eligible for 100% of what you were receiving when you died (or what you would have received if you had already filed). One more thing - there's a special "minimum benefit" rule for widow(er)s that might help in some circumstances. Your wife should always check with SSA directly when the time comes to ensure she gets the maximum she's entitled to.

My husband and I went thru this EXACT same situation last year!!!! He was thinking about taking benefits at 63 but we talked to someone at Social Security who told us that if he dies before FRA, I'd be stuck with the lower amount FOR LIFE. It really scared us so he decided to wait until at least 65 to claim. The difference was like $400 a month for me potentially which adds up to A LOT over the years!!

Retirement specialist here. Let me clarify the survivor benefit rules since there's some confusion: 1. If you claim reduced retirement benefits and then pass away before your FRA, your wife's survivor benefit will generally be based on your reduced amount. 2. However, there's a calculation called the "widow(er)'s limit" where SSA will compare: - What you were receiving at death - 82.5% of your unreduced PIA - Your wife's own benefit amount 3. If you die very close to your early filing date, there are some additional provisions that might apply. There are strategic considerations at play here. If your health is poor or you have a family history of shorter lifespans, claiming earlier might still make sense. Your wife can claim widow's benefits as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled), though at a reduced rate. Given how important this is for your wife's future, you might want to consult with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies.

Have you tried calling the SSA to get a definitive answer? I spent 3 WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone about MY survivor benefits question. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real SSA agent in under 20 minutes! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Seriously worth it for important questions like yours. The agent I spoke with pulled up my specific info and gave me a much clearer picture of what my options were. Way better than trying to piece together general advice that might not apply to your specific situation.

Please be aware that all these benefit calculashuns can be WRONG depending on who u talk to at SSA!!! My brother-in-law got told 3 DIFFERENT THINGS by 3 different people. The whole system is designed to CONFUSE US and DENY BENEFITS!!! They don't want us to know the real rules or how to get whats rightfully OURS!!!

The actual regulation on this is in Section 404.338 and 404.402 of the Code of Federal Regulations if anyone wants to look it up. But basically, here's what you need to know - survivor benefits are calculated based on the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) with various adjustments depending on when your spouse claimed benefits and when the survivor claims them. In most cases waiting to FRA to claim your own benefits will maximize potential survivor benefits. But every situation is different - factors like age difference between spouses, health status, other income sources all matter.

Just to add something important: If you're concerned about maximizing survivor benefits but also need income soon, another strategy could be for you to file for reduced benefits now, but have your wife wait until her FRA to claim survivor benefits if you pass away. That way you get some income now, and she doesn't face the early claiming reduction on her survivor benefit. But if your primary concern is protecting her income after you're gone, and you can afford to wait, delaying your claim until at least your FRA would typically provide her with the highest survivor benefit.

my uncle is dealing with this now... his wife died at 64 after taking ss at 62 and he's getting way less than he thought he would. make sure u really understand this stuff before deciding!!