Social Security Surviving Spouse Benefits Calculator – Social Security is already a mess. Navigating Social Security benefits after the death of a loved one can seem overwhelming. But you don’t have to go by economics and benefits alone. We break down everything you need to know about the benefits of survival. Understanding how the Social Security Administration distributes benefits to families after a job loss can help ease the financial burden of the loss, so you can focus on what matters.

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Social Security Surviving Spouse Benefits Calculator

While many people associate Social Security benefits with payments to retired workers, the Social Security Administration actually distributes different types of benefits. This includes benefits to the families of deceased workers as well as benefits to the disabled and those unable to work.

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Social Security survivor benefits (often called “widow’s benefits”) provide an important source of income for family members of deceased workers. As long as the deceased employee was eligible to collect Social Security benefits after retirement, his or her family members can collect them instead.

As a worker pays into the Social Security system during their lifetime, they accumulate credits. A worker can earn up to four study credits per year. For example, in 2020 workers will receive one credit for every $1,410 they earn. Once your spouse earns $5,640, they have received their four credits for the year.

To claim pension, a worker needs 40 credits. However, the number of credits required to provide survivor benefits to the worker’s family depends on the worker’s age at the time of death. This means that when someone is young when they die, their family members will need to receive survivor benefits.

When someone retires, or when they die, the benefit is calculated based on their lifetime earnings. This is the amount that the survivor will receive in whole or in part. To calculate their benefits, Social Security adds the worker’s earnings in the years they earned the most. They then index this amount against the average salary across the country during those years. This results in the worker’s “Average Indexed Monthly Earnings” (AIME). The Social Security Administration only covers the worker’s share of income up to the maximum taxable income limit. This is the amount that is taxed for Social Security — in 2020, it’s $137,700. If your spouse earns more than that, the higher income is not included in the calculation because that amount is not taxed by Social Security.

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Social Security then applies a formula to the monthly amount to determine how much your spouse will receive in full retirement. In 2020, the motto is:

The resulting figure is the worker’s Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). This is the amount they would have claimed in retirement benefits when they reached full retirement age – not before or after.

Then there is the (current) monthly Social Security benefit. This benefit is based on Social Security benefits that the worker has (or may receive).

Your spouse can benefit up to 100% of what they would have received in full retirement. If the benefit you would like to receive as a survivor is greater than the benefit you would receive on your own, Social Security will pay you the greater of the two amounts, not both together. However, unlike spousal benefits, survivor benefits do not need to be claimed at the same time

How Social Security Survivor Benefits Work

Retirement benefits. In most cases, you can receive one benefit for a period of time and then apply for another. This is a common strategy for widows to increase their benefits.

The earliest a widow or widower can apply for survivor benefits is age 60. (Note that if a widow is disabled and began receiving disability payments within seven years of the worker’s death or death, they can apply at age 50. The same definition of disability is used for survivors as for for workers.)

Widows can claim benefits at any time between 60 and their full retirement age. However, if a widow applies for benefits before reaching Full Survivor’s Retirement Age (FRA), those benefits will be reduced by one percent for each month “earlier” claimed. (Calculate your survivor’s FRA using the table below. Note that your full retirement age is different from your full retirement age.

The Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) is the number used by Social Security to determine survivor benefits. If you claim before your survivor’s full retirement age, you will receive between 71.5% and 99% of your spouse’s benefit (PIA). A disabled widow or widower between the ages of 50 and 59 receives 71.5% of the spousal benefit. The percentage increases each month you wait until the survivor reaches full retirement age. However, if you wait to claim survivor benefits until the survivor reaches full retirement age, you are entitled to 100%.

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If you have reached full retirement age, you can receive any amount without affecting your Social Security benefits.

At full retirement age, your benefits will decrease. In 2020, that amount is $18,240. For every $2 you earn above this amount, Social Security will reduce your benefit by $1 (although this amount will change when you reach full retirement). So if you took the survivor benefit at age 60 but earned $50,000 a year, you would have earned $32,000 over the limit. Social Security will reduce your benefits by $16,000. If your earnings are less than $16,000 a year, you will not receive benefits.

If your spouse dies and you have children under the age of 16, you can receive up to 75% of your spouse’s benefit (regardless of your own age). Similarly, if your spouse has children under 16 from a previous marriage, that spouse can receive up to 75% of the spouse’s benefit. In addition, any child, up to 18 or 19 years old if still in secondary school or disabled – can get up to 75%.

A family can get up to 180% of the worker’s PIA. If the ex-spouse receives benefits, this does not in any way affect the amount the current spouse will receive (and vice versa). However, if you are eligible because you have a worker’s child in your care, your benefit will affect the amount of benefits for others on the worker’s record.

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If the spouse or ex-spouse does not care for the deceased worker’s children, they can apply for their benefits even if they are at least 60 years old (or 50 if they are disabled).

A former spouse is eligible to receive the same benefits as a current spouse if they were married to the deceased worker for at least 10 years and are not currently married. However, if the surviving ex-spouse remarries before age 60, they lose their right to their ex-spouse’s Social Security benefits — unless the subsequent marriage ends in death, divorce or annulment. If the surviving ex-spouse remarries after age 60, this rule does not apply.

How much money a spouse or ex-spouse receives depends on many factors, including when they apply for benefits and whether they are still working and earning.

Many people ask, “Can I claim my deceased spouse’s Social Security and my own at the same time?” In fact, you can’t just add

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A survivor’s benefit and your retirement benefit. Instead, Social Security will pay the higher of the two amounts. While it may seem unfair to not be able to claim both full benefits, there are claiming strategies you can use to maximize the total Social Security benefits you receive. It involves switching from one benefit to another. See an example directly below from one of our users.

Making the right decisions about how to maximize your benefits is your retirement benefit. There will be survival benefits, and how long you think you will live and need the money. It depends on whether you are working. Below we outline a few more scenarios, and different strategies and ideas for each.

A widow, widower or surviving divorced spouse cannot apply online for survivor benefits. You should call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY number at 1-800-325-0778.) Alternatively, you can go in person to your local Social Security office.

Applying for and making sure you claim the right benefits at the right time for your personal finances can be confusing. When you’re ready to apply, we recommend using the checklist to make sure you’re taking the right steps and have the right documents.

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Many Americans rely on Social Security as an important source of income, especially in retirement. This especially applies to people who have lost their spouses. But if you don’t know the facts about Social Security benefits, it’s easy to lose money when you file a claim. But while Social Security may seem complicated, you’re not alone. Our team of experts is here to help. when

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