Collecting on deceased spouse benefits - what they dont tell you.

[TeresaJ471709]

I had just turned 60 and I called the local SS office to collect on my late wife's SS benefits. The first question they asked me was how much I made per year. I told them (about 80k /yr) and they said that I would only be eligible if I were fully retired and making no more than 21k per year. They dont tell you this on the SS website at https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/ifyou.html. 

So it looks I will never get to collect... 

Anyone else run into this?  

[GailL1]

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@TeresaJ471709 wrote:

I had just turned 60 and I called the local SS office to collect on my late wife's SS benefits. The first question they asked me was how much I made per year. I told them (about 80k /yr) and they said that I would only be eligible if I were fully retired and making no more than 21k per year. They dont tell you this on the SS website at https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/ifyou.html. 

So it looks I will never get to collect... 

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YES it is shown on the page you linked in a hyperlink - 

See the hyper link under Other Things You May Need To Know

Then it says:  There are limits on how much survivors may earn while they receive benefits.

Follow that hyperlink to the info.

Sure you can get these Survivor Benefits IF conditions and income warrant eligibility.

You Can get them IF:

• you stop working and file for Survivors Benefits but at 60 without a dependent / disabled child, the Survivors Benefit would be reduced because you aren’t FRA.
• In fact, if you stop working now - file for Survivors benefits, even if they are reduced due to your age (less than FRA).  Then when you reach FRA or up to 70, stop the Survivors benefits and switch to your own benefit.  If you wait til 70 to draw your own benefit, you will have Delayed Retirement Credits in your own Benefit. 
• you had a dependent / disabled child or if you were disabled yourself - in fact, you could even file for Survivors Benefits if you had either of these conditions at 50 and you wouldn’t have a reduction in Survivors benefits.

Sounds like you are working on heightening your own benefits at the present time by continuing to work - But if there were a need, you could get those Survivors benefits.

For people that retire or get survivors benefit before FRA, there is an earnings test - For 2023, it is a bit over $ 20, 000 a year ( $ 21, 240) - go over this earnings limit and the benefit they are or would be receiving is reduced by $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit

SSA.gov - Receiving Benefits while working

[TeresaJ471709]

thanks!