Calculator
Widow(er) benefit calculator
Based on the deceased worker’s full benefit (PIA), when they claimed, and when you start.
Survivor benefit at 67$2,000100% of the survivor base
| Deceased’s full benefit (PIA) | $2,000.00 |
|---|---|
| Survivor base | $2,000.00 |
| Your survivor full retirement age | 67 (June 2030) |
| Reduction factor | 100% |
| Monthly survivor benefit | $2,000 |
Survivor benefits can start at 60 (71.5% of the base) and reach 100% at your survivor full retirement age. If the deceased had already claimed early, a widow(er)’s limit of the larger of their benefit or 82.5% of their PIA can apply. You can take a survivor benefit first and switch to your own retirement benefit later (or the reverse).
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How survivor benefits are calculated
A surviving spouse's benefit starts from the deceased worker's primary insurance amount, plus any delayed retirement credits they had earned[cfr338]. If you start before your survivor full retirement age, the benefit is reduced by 28.5% spread evenly over the months from 60 to that age, so it is always 71.5% at 60[cfr410]. The SSA's own summary: payments "start at 71.5%" and reach up to 100% at full retirement age for survivors[survamt].
| You start at | % of the base | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 60 | 71.5% | $1,430 |
| 61 | 75.6% | $1,511 |
| 62 | 79.6% | $1,592 |
| 63 | 83.7% | $1,674 |
| 64 | 87.8% | $1,755 |
| 65 | 91.9% | $1,837 |
| 66 | 95.9% | $1,918 |
| 67 | 100% | $2,000 |
Survivor full retirement age runs two birth years behind the retirement table: 66 for survivors born 1945–1956, rising two months a year to 67 for those born 1962 or later[cfr409].
The widow(er)'s limit when the worker claimed early
If the deceased started their own benefit before full retirement age, your survivor benefit is limited to the larger of what they were receiving or 82.5% of their PIA[cfr338]. This limit (called RIB-LIM) matters mostly when you claim at or near your survivor FRA:
- Deceased PIA $2,000, claimed at 62 → they received $1,400. At your FRA you would otherwise get $2,000, but the limit is the larger of $1,400 or $1,650: $1,650.
- Deceased waited to 70 → they received $2,480 with delayed credits, and your survivor benefit at FRA is $2,480.
- Deceased died before claiming → the base is their PIA ($2,000), and you get $2,000 at FRA or $1,430 at 60.
This is why the higher earner's claiming age, examined in the break-even calculator, affects the spouse who outlives them. Estimate the worker's PIA with the Social Security calculator.
Worked example: the SSA's rounding
The regulation's own example: Ms. Bogle's unreduced widow benefit is $785.70 and she starts at 64, 16 months before her survivor FRA of 65 and 4 months (64 months after 60). The reduction is $785.70 × 16 × 0.285 ÷ 64 = $55.98, rounded up to $56.00, so she receives $729.70[cfr410]. The calculator applies the same rounding, then drops the cents from the payment.
Who can get survivor benefits
- A widow or widower at 60 or older (50 if disabled), married at least 9 months unless the death was accidental.
- A surviving divorced spouse if the marriage lasted 10 years, at the same ages.
- A surviving spouse at any age caring for the worker's child under 16; unmarried children under 18 (75% of the PIA each); dependent parents at 62.
- Remarrying before 60 ends eligibility; remarrying at 60 or later does not.
The SSA also pays a one-time $255 death payment to an eligible spouse or child[survamt]. Before full retirement age, the earnings test applies to survivor benefits too.
Common mistakes with survivor benefits
- Assuming you get both. You receive the higher of your own retirement benefit or the survivor benefit, not the sum.
- Missing the switch strategy. You can take a reduced survivor benefit at 60 and switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 with delayed credits, or take your own early and switch to an unreduced survivor benefit at survivor FRA.
- Using the spousal formula. A living spouse gets at most 50% of the worker's PIA (see the spousal benefits calculator); a survivor can get 100% or more.
Report a death promptlyBenefits are not paid for the month of death, and a payment received for that month must be returned. The funeral home usually reports the death to the SSA.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a widow get from Social Security?
100% of the deceased spouse's benefit (including delayed credits) at survivor full retirement age, and as little as 71.5% at 60. If the deceased claimed early, the amount is capped at the larger of what they received or 82.5% of their full benefit.
Can I collect my own Social Security and survivor benefits at the same time?
Not both in full. The SSA pays the higher of the two. You can, however, start one first and switch to the other later.
What is the survivor full retirement age?
66 for survivors born 1945–1956, then 66 and 2 months for 1957 up to 66 and 10 months for 1961, and 67 for survivors born in 1962 or later.
At what age can a widow collect survivor benefits?
At 60, or at 50 if disabled, or at any age while caring for the deceased worker's child under 16.
Sources
- 20 CFR § 404.338, Widow’s and widower’s benefits amounts
- 20 CFR § 404.410, How does SSA reduce my benefits when my entitlement begins before full retirement age?
- 20 CFR § 404.409, What is full retirement age?
- Survivor benefits: How much you could get
- POMS RS 00615.305, Estimating reduced widow(er) benefits