Social Security After the Death of a Spouse

Losing a spouse is one of life's most difficult experiences. In the midst of grief, you're suddenly faced with a series of financial decisions that can shape your security for decades to come. Among the most consequential of these decisions is what to do about Social Security.

The good news is that Social Security provides a meaningful safety net for surviving spouses. The rules, however, are detailed and often misunderstood — even by some professionals. This guide walks through what you need to know so you can approach these decisions with clarity and confidence.

Immediate Steps After a Spouse's Death

In the first days after your spouse passes, Social Security may not be the first thing on your mind — and that's understandable. But there are a few time-sensitive items to be aware of.

Notify the Social Security Administration. In most cases, the funeral home will report the death to the SSA if you provide the deceased's Social Security number. However, it is wise to confirm that the SSA has been notified. You can contact them at 1-800-772-1213.

Return any benefits received for the month of death. Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month they are earned. If your spouse passed away in March, the payment received in April (which covers March) must be returned. If benefits were paid via direct deposit, contact the bank to return the funds. This catches many families off guard, so it's important to be aware of it early.

Apply for the lump sum death benefit. The SSA provides a one-time death benefit of $255 to a surviving spouse who was living with the deceased at the time of death, or to a spouse who was receiving benefits on the deceased's record. This amount has not been adjusted since 1954, so it is modest — but it is available and must be applied for within two years of the death. You can apply by calling the SSA or visiting your local office.

Who Qualifies for Survivor Benefits?

Survivor benefits are available to several categories of family members, but the most common recipient is the surviving spouse. To be eligible, you generally must meet one of the following criteria:

• Age 60 or older — You can claim reduced survivor benefits starting at age 60.
• Age 50 or older and disabled — If you became disabled within seven years of your spouse's death (or within seven years of when you last received survivor benefits as a caregiver), you can claim as early as age 50.
• Any age, caring for a child under 16 — If you are caring for the deceased's child who is under age 16 (or who is disabled), you can receive benefits regardless of your own age.

In most cases, you must have been married to the deceased for at least nine months at the time of death, although exceptions exist for accidental death or certain military service situations. Divorced surviving spouses may also qualify if the marriage lasted at least 10 years.

How Survivor Benefit Amounts Are Calculated

The survivor benefit amount is tied directly to the deceased spouse's earnings record and when they began collecting benefits. Here is how it works at a high level:

• If the deceased had reached their full retirement age (FRA) and had not yet claimed, the survivor benefit equals 100% of the deceased's primary insurance amount (PIA) — the full benefit they would have received at FRA.
• If the deceased had already claimed benefits and was receiving a reduced amount (because they claimed before FRA), the survivor benefit is based on the higher of the reduced amount the deceased was receiving or 82.5% of the deceased's PIA. This floor is known as the RIB-LIM (Retirement Insurance Benefit Limitation).
• If the deceased had delayed claiming past FRA, the survivor benefit includes delayed retirement credits — up to 8% per year of delay, maxing out at age 70.

This last point is critically important. If your deceased spouse delayed benefits to age 70, the survivor benefit will reflect that larger amount. Conversely, if they claimed at 62 and received a significantly reduced benefit, the survivor benefit will be constrained by that decision — though the RIB-LIM provides a partial floor.

Survivor Benefits by Claiming Age

Surviving spouses can claim survivor benefits as early as age 60, but claiming before your full retirement age for survivors results in a permanent reduction. Note that the FRA for survivor benefits may differ slightly from the FRA used for retirement benefits. For those born in 1962 or later, the survivor FRA is 67.

The table below shows the approximate percentage of the full survivor benefit you would receive at each claiming age, assuming a survivor FRA of 67:

As the table illustrates, claiming at 60 rather than waiting until 67 reduces the benefit by roughly 28.5%. For a benefit of $3,000 at FRA, that's a difference of $855 per month — or over $10,000 per year — for the rest of your life. However, claiming early also means receiving payments for seven additional years, so the decision involves weighing longevity, other income sources, and financial need.

The Widow(er) Bridge Strategy

One of the most powerful — and least understood — Social Security strategies available to surviving spouses is the ability to claim one type of benefit now and switch to a different, higher benefit later. Unlike standard Social Security rules (which generally force "deemed filing" on both spousal and retirement benefits simultaneously), survivor benefits and retirement benefits are treated as separate elections.

This opens the door to two versions of the bridge strategy:

Option A: Claim survivor benefits early, switch to your own retirement benefit at 70. If your own retirement benefit at age 70 (with delayed retirement credits) would exceed the survivor benefit, you can begin collecting the survivor benefit at 60 and then switch to your own higher benefit at 70. This provides income during the bridge years while allowing your own benefit to grow by 8% per year from FRA to 70.

Option B: Claim your own retirement benefit at 62, switch to the survivor benefit at FRA. If the survivor benefit is the larger of the two, you can take your own reduced retirement benefit early to generate income, then switch to the full survivor benefit at your survivor FRA. This works best when the deceased spouse's benefit is substantially larger than your own.

Bridge Strategy Example

Consider Linda, age 60, whose husband recently passed away. Her own PIA at FRA (67) is $1,800. Her husband's benefit at his death (including delayed retirement credits) would entitle her to a survivor benefit of $3,200 at her survivor FRA.

*Linda's own benefit at 70 with delayed credits would be approximately $2,491 (her $1,800 PIA increased by 24% for three years of delay). In this scenario, the survivor benefit of $3,200 at FRA is actually higher than her own benefit at 70, so Option B — claiming her own reduced benefit at 62 and switching to the full survivor benefit at 67 — is the stronger path. The right strategy depends on the specific dollar amounts involved.

The bridge strategy can add tens of thousands of dollars in lifetime income. But it requires careful analysis of both benefit amounts, your health, other income sources, and tax implications.

How the Deceased's Claiming Age Affects Your Benefit

This is one of the most important — and often overlooked — aspects of survivor benefits. The amount your deceased spouse was receiving (or was entitled to) directly determines your survivor benefit ceiling.

If the deceased claimed early: Suppose your spouse claimed Social Security at age 62 and received a reduced benefit of $1,680 instead of their full PIA of $2,400. After their death, the RIB-LIM rule sets a floor: you would receive the higher of the reduced benefit ($1,680) or 82.5% of their PIA ($1,980). In this case, you'd receive $1,980 at your survivor FRA — not the full $2,400.

If the deceased delayed past FRA: If your spouse delayed claiming to age 70, their benefit would have grown to approximately $2,976 (assuming an FRA benefit of $2,400 and 24% in delayed retirement credits). Your survivor benefit at your FRA would be that full $2,976.

This creates an important planning dynamic for married couples: the higher-earning spouse's decision about when to claim can have a profound impact on the surviving spouse's financial security for decades.

Remarriage Rules

Remarriage can affect your eligibility for survivor benefits, but the rules are more forgiving than many people assume:

• Remarriage before age 60: You generally lose eligibility for survivor benefits on the deceased spouse's record (though benefits may resume if the later marriage ends by death, divorce, or annulment).
• Remarriage at age 60 or later: You remain eligible for survivor benefits on the deceased spouse's record. You can also potentially claim spousal benefits on your new spouse's record — and collect whichever is higher.
• Remarriage at age 50 or later (if disabled): Disabled surviving spouses who remarry at 50 or later also retain eligibility.

This is a point worth emphasizing: if you are 60 or older, remarriage does not cost you your survivor benefits. Many people delay remarriage unnecessarily out of concern for losing benefits. While there are always personal and financial factors to weigh, the Social Security rules themselves should not be a barrier.

Government Pension Offset (GPO)

If you receive a pension from federal, state, or local government employment where you did not pay Social Security taxes, the Government Pension Offset may reduce or eliminate your survivor benefit. The GPO reduces your Social Security survivor benefit by two-thirds of your government pension amount.

Example: If you receive a government pension of $2,100 per month, the GPO would reduce your survivor benefit by $1,400 (two-thirds of $2,100). If your survivor benefit would otherwise be $2,000, you would receive only $600 per month after the offset.

The GPO applies broadly to survivor benefits and spousal benefits but does not apply to benefits earned on your own work record. If you worked in both covered and non-covered employment, the calculation becomes more complex, and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) may also apply to your own retirement benefit. This is an area where professional guidance is especially valuable.

Practical Scenarios

Understanding how these rules interact is easier with concrete examples.

Scenario 1: Both Spouses Claimed at FRA

Robert, age 72, was receiving $2,800 per month when he passed away. His wife Karen, age 68, is receiving her own retirement benefit of $1,500 per month. Karen is entitled to a survivor benefit equal to Robert's $2,800. Because she is past her survivor FRA, she receives the full amount. However, she does not receive both — she receives the higher of the two. Karen's monthly benefit increases from $1,500 to $2,800, a net increase of $1,300 per month. Simultaneously, household income drops from $4,300 to $2,800.

Scenario 2: Younger Surviving Spouse

David passed away at age 65 with a PIA of $3,000. He had not yet claimed benefits. His wife Sarah is 58. Sarah cannot claim survivor benefits until age 60. If she claims at 60, she would receive approximately 71.5% of David's PIA — about $2,145 per month. If Sarah's own retirement benefit at 70 would be $2,600, the bridge strategy makes sense: claim the survivor benefit at 60, then switch to her own higher benefit at 70.

Scenario 3: Deceased Claimed Early

Tom claimed Social Security at 62 and was receiving $1,750 per month (his PIA was $2,500). When Tom passes away, his wife Margaret, age 64, applies for survivor benefits. Under the RIB-LIM rule, Margaret's survivor benefit at her FRA is the higher of $1,750 or 82.5% of $2,500 ($2,063). Margaret would receive $2,063 at her FRA — not the full $2,500 that Tom would have received had he waited.

What to Do: First 30 Days and First Year

In the First 30 Days

• Confirm the SSA has been notified of the death (usually through the funeral home).
• Return any Social Security payments received for the month of death or after.
• Apply for the $255 lump sum death benefit by calling 1-800-772-1213 or visiting your local SSA office.
• Gather key documents: death certificate (order multiple certified copies), your marriage certificate, both Social Security numbers, and the deceased's most recent Social Security statement.
• Do not make hasty claiming decisions. You can apply for survivor benefits retroactively for up to six months (12 months in some cases). Taking a few weeks to evaluate your options is almost always worthwhile.

In the First Year

• Evaluate the bridge strategy with a qualified financial advisor. Determine whether claiming survivor benefits early and switching to your own benefit later (or vice versa) makes sense for your situation.
• Understand the earnings test. If you are under your FRA and still working, the Social Security earnings test applies to survivor benefits. In 2025, benefits are reduced by $1 for every $2 earned above $23,400 (this threshold adjusts annually). The withheld benefits are not lost permanently — they are recalculated into a higher benefit once you reach FRA.
• Review your tax situation. Going from a married-filing-jointly tax return to single can push you into a higher bracket and affect how your Social Security is taxed. Up to 85% of Social Security benefits can be subject to federal income tax depending on your combined income. Coordinate your claiming decision with your broader tax plan.
• Revisit your overall financial plan. The loss of a spouse's income — whether from Social Security, pensions, or other sources — changes your financial picture dramatically. Updating your investment strategy, withdrawal plan, and budget is essential.

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or legal advice. Social Security rules are complex and subject to change. Consult with a qualified financial advisor to evaluate your specific situation.