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My wife was receiving Social Security disability benefits and later died. I am receiving survivor benefits now.?

Update:

When I am ready to retire, can I continue to receive survivor benefits as well as my retirement benefits?

1 Answer

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  • Judith
    Lv 7
    4 years ago

    Not if your own benefit will be greater than the survivor benefit. When that is the case it will terminate the survivor benefit.

    If your own benefit is less than the survivor benefit then you will receive what is due you on your own account and the survivor benefit will be reduced by that amount. Example: Your survivor benefit is $700; your own benefit is $500. You will receive the $500 off of your own account plus $200 as a survivor (whenever someone is entitled on their own account and someone else's account as well - their own account has priority when it comes to payment of benefits).

    No one can receive two full benefits. One will either reduce or terminate the other.

    My sister began receiving widow's benefits at age 60. She will be 70 March 2018. At that time she will file for benefits on her own account which will be higher because she will be receiving delayed retirement credits on her own work record - that increases her monthly benefit amount on her own account 8% a year beginning with the year she reached age 66. Her widow's benefit will terminate. Delayed retirement credits are only given on a person's own account. It is not given to any type of spouse's benefit.

    Source(s): I was a social security claims rep for 32 yrs.
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