Everything You Need to Know About Social Security Survivors Benefits

Key Takeaways

• Widows can claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 (earlier than the retirement benefit age of 62), with reduced monthly amounts if claimed before full retirement age
• Full retirement age differs for survivor benefits versus retirement benefits for people born 1955-1961; for example, someone born in 1956 reaches full retirement age at 66 for survivor benefits but 66 and 4 months for retirement benefits
• Survivor benefits are based on 100% of what the deceased spouse was collecting (or would have collected), with a built-in safeguard ensuring the payment is never less than 82.5% of the deceased's full retirement age amount
• Widows who worked can sequence benefits by claiming a reduced survivor benefit at full retirement age while deferring their own retirement benefit to age 70, allowing delayed retirement credits to grow their personal benefit by 8% annually with no growth in survivor benefits after full retirement age
• To claim survivor benefits, you must contact Social Security directly (no online option yet) and provide proof of marriage (lasting at least 9 months), proof of death, and proof of age; a one-time $255 lump sum death benefit is also available to eligible survivors