Social Security Survivor's Benefit Limit: Spouse filed early, your widow(er)s benefit is limited.

If your spouse filed for Social Security before their full retirement age, your benefit may be impacted. This is known as the he Social Security "Widow(er)'s Limit." (Retirement Insurance Benefit Limit or RIB-LIM). In this show we talk about how survivors are impacted when their spouse (or ex-spouse) claimed benefits early.
Dolphin Financial Radio is a fun and informative podcast on retirement planning issues. This is not financial advice. Please seek professional guidance before implementing these ideas or strategies:
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[@Wayneman50]

Turning 62 soon, wife turning 66. Wife on full SSDI due to cancer. Her full benefit is pretty equal to mine(we had very similar careers. I originally was going to delay until 65(medicare age) . What some people don't realize is healthcare is expensive. Going through ACA restricts your earnings. So i had a recent epiphany . I should claim early, and help pay healthcare with ss and keep my portfolio basically untouched for the next 3 yrs. If my wife passes early, i will claim her survivor benefit at 67. If i pass early, she will not want my lower benefit, so nothing changes for her. Running numbers, in most cases i come out ahead money and tax wise.

[@lillygarrett1378]

Dr

[@myrnaurquiza3891]

My husband started drawing ss 62 and me too 62 and went my husband passed way at 65 I claim widow benefits and the only thing they sent me was 277 month and now they sent me 301 month and that it and I get 955 of my ssi but just barely making it

[@dangol7534]

Thanks. Your show is the beast

[@Lifeguard415]

So the widow only gets 85% OF the early claiming deceased spouse, who took the haircut by taking early of 85% ? So widow gets 85% of 85% ?? Why isn’t it 100% of deceased spouses 85 % ? I’m confused, it’s not you :) thank you.

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

No. In that example it is 85% of the deceased spouse's PIA.

[@byronmill]

The important thing to understand about survivor benefits is they are based off the deceased persons PIA, which is their theoretical benefit in the months they would have reached their FRA, regardless of whether they did or not. (In reality all Social Security benefits are calculated from the start point of the number holders PIA). However, the maximum for surviving spouse benefit is limited to the benefit the deceased spouse was receiving as a percentage of their PIA. If they began benefits very early and the benefit they were receiving is less than 82.5% of their PIA, then the maximum will be 82.5% of their PIA. Have to benefit they received is greater than 82.5% of their PIA than the maximum will be the percentage they were receiving. The point being is that the surviving spouse only needs to wait until the month on the surviving spouse benefit chart that was shown in this video in which they reach entitlement to that maximum percentage. The key detail to understand and remember is that anytime the deceased spouse began benefits prior to their own FRA the surviving spouse would never have to wait until their own FRA to reach entitlement to the maximum benefit. It would always be in some month prior to their own FRA, determined by the reduction table for surviving spouse benefits.

[@JohnWenskay]

Please cover divorced 19:15 sometime

[@weenazic5180]

I lost my spouse 18 months ago. If I claim survivor benefits at 60 & still work full time. Social security will tax me if I’m correct.Then I’ll be getting reduced benefits?? Is this even worth waiting?

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

If you claim SS before your full retirement age and continue to work, you'll be subjected to the earnings limit. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iWLVqKere9xlrtE It often makes sense to delay SS rather than claim and work...but each situation is different.

[@optionstraderman]

I didn't see any mention of "Windexing" in this video. Can you do a video that speaks to that topic? I have a neighbor who has been on Medical SSDI for several years on her own record who just turned 60 years old recently (2024). Her husband who was a couple of years younger than her and was working full time and not collecting any benefits recently died at age 56 back in 2022. He was healthy and not taking any SS Benefits. My question is if "Windexing" would apply to this situation since he died before age 62, and at what age should his wife claim his survivor benefit to get 100% of HIS Survivor Benefit?? (I'm guessing she should wait till her FRA of 67 to capture HIS full PIA Survivor Benefit, but since she is on SSDI, I'm not clear if that rule still stands or not.) Thanks in advance for your reply!

[@chicagolowe]

😊scenario #3. What if the widow is on ssi? And a must file threat of losing her benefits if she didn't.

[@elenanieves8634]

SS gives 50 % Survivor’s Benefit only n not 100% . I am 77 yrs. Old ,my husband died at 77 yrs. Old . SS said I get 50% survivor ‘s pension.

[@donellsullivan9849]

My wife recently passed at 64 three months before her 65th birthday and when she planned to claim SS benefits. I retired about 2 years prior to her passing and was receiving my pension benefits. I applied for and was awarded survivors benefit but the benefit was reduced to zero because (as it was explained to me) my pension benefit - 75%, was more than the awarded survivor benefit. That's when i was made aware of the GPO. (Government Pension Offset) The rule that says a government (federal, state or local) employee who earns a pension, and you DON'T contribute to SS... My issue is I've been contributing to SS while working at this same job for nearly 40 years. I never stopped contributing to SS and it was never offered to me as an option to stop. Am I missing something? I've since submitted a "reconsideration" application, but I've not heard from SS yet.

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

We did a show on GPO: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gHanhpRoetOVq5osi=0tu82MY3CVWC-t3v. However, if you put into SS for 30 years on a job outside of your government pension job, you are not subject to GPO.

[@firefeethok_tui2355]

She didnt pay into SS so why would you think you would get a benefit from your SS from your spouse, who didnt participate in the SS system? That wouldnt be fair. Youre alive and cant use your own SS for that benefit.

[@catherinewagner7023]

My late ex-husband passed away at 47. We were married for 19 years. I'm 54 now and it is my understanding I'll be able to collect when I turn 60. How can I get a copy of his SS statement so I can know what to expect?

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

@@catherinewagner7023 you need to contact the SSA and request the information.

[@sharon268]

My spouse passed at 49 was on SSDI for a year before his death the death was accidental so do I receive his PIA or the SSDI amount he was receiving he worked since he was 16 I’ll be 60 this year is there a cap ???

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

Those claiming for disability are getting their full PIA anyway, so the cap doesn't apply even though they claimed before their full retirement age.

[@esteeb42]

Not sure what CAP doesn't apply means here.. my husband started collecting SSA disability at 62.. my understanding is that when I turn 62 and 4 months I should start to collect because I will only ever get 82.5% and that is what I would get at age 62 and 4 months..? Thankyou

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

@@esteeb42 You may want to wait until your full retirement age to get 100% of your Survivor Benefit. Your spouse did NOT get a REDUCED benefit by claiming early because he was disabled. Therefore the cap doesn't apply. Here is the language from SSA "When a deceased number holder (NH) received reduced retirement insurance benefits (RIB), that benefit amount is the maximum the surviving spouse or surviving divorced spouse may receive." secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0200204045

[@esteeb42]

@@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl thank you I really appreciate your answer

[@nancyrae3525]

I started drawing at 62 from my account. My ex has just passed. Will my surviver benefit be reduced because of my early retirement? Im 81 and ex was 84. We were married for 26 years.

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

No - your Survivor Benefit will be based on your ex-spouses SS record. You are past full retirement age, so your age won't impact the benefit. Contact the SSA and ask for a Survivor Benefit determination.

[@keithmachado-pp6fv]

So if I wait till 70 and get 124% of my PIA of $3000, so $3720 and my wife claims hers at 62 at 70% of her benefit, what does she get when I pass.

[@randolphh8005]

She gets your full check as long as she is FRA

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

That depends on her age at the time she claims the survivor benefit. If she is her full retirement age or older, then she gets the full survivor benefit, including the delayed retirement credits and cost of living adjustments.

[@TinaThompson-bh6kw]

I’m 59 1/2 my husband passed at 55 he made 200,000 a year I filled for disability while he was alive and was turned down he told not to worry he would take care of me, I have filed again for disability and widow, it’s been over a year and now answer yet on decision , I been without income for two years but was trying to wait for disability so I wouldn’t be cut for drawing early, about how much would I draw if I drawed before being approved for disability and do I draw both

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

About 71.5% at age 60. And you only get one benefit at a time.

[@joycepetty2264]

What if your deceased husband received SSDI....... what is there a widow's limit in that case?

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

Those claiming for disability are getting their full PIA anyway, so the cap doesn't apply even though they claimed before their full retirement age.

[@cindybosch1126]

I started drawing my ss at 62. I get a little more from my spouse for spousal benefits. If he were to die does ss automatically switch me to survivor benefits or do I have the option to wait to draw until I’m full retirement age and can get his full amount?

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

It switches automatically: www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/ifyou.html#:~:text=If%20you%20already%20receive%20benefits,you%20have%20an%20additional%20option.

[@cindybosch1126]

Got it! Thank you

[@mariamanuta8560]

Smart kids talking keep it up kido.

[@alma4743]

How about if the husband took social security at age 64 due to disability? Will that affect how much the widow receives?

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

Disability of deceased would not impact Survivor Benefits. Your age would still be the main driver of benefit amounts.

[@jjoutback]

Assuming both husband & wife have individual work history. spouse (husband) draws @ 62, and dies 1st, wouldn't the survivor benefit carry the spouse (wife) to their PIA? Why coukdn't the wife, not delay claiming her own benefit to age 70 THEN draw off of her own work record claim ?

[@Dolphinfinancialgroupfl]

You can delay your own record to 70 while also claiming survivor benefits. This assumes your own amount at 70 is higher than survivor benefit.

[@ReallyBarb]

All of this standard stuff is on the ss website. You stop right at the point where I need to k ow if ss is going to further cut my widow benefit via gpo. Also, you guys sit here all smug and armchair quarterbacking and acting amused that people took their pension at 62, I would say that every person that did that, did it because they had to, they didnt take it early just to piss off their wife. You guys make people feel bad and you act like the choice they were forced to make makes us stupid. We all worked hard, sometimes you have to do things out of necessity. If you are making these hal-ass videos thinking you will get future customers breaking your door down because you think you are smarter than them, you are sadly mistaken. Provide some amswers that can't be read straight off the ss website, stop sneering, act compassionate.