Social Security Survivor Benefits
A Critical Consideration in Coordinated Filing for Married Couples
When planning Social Security filing strategies for married couples, survivor benefits are one of the most important—yet often overlooked—factors. Survivor benefits determine how much income continues when one spouse passes away, making them a key element of long-term retirement planning.
How Survivor Benefits Work
If a spouse passes away, the surviving spouse is eligible to receive the higher of:
Their own Social Security benefit, or
The deceased spouse’s benefit
This means that after one spouse passes, the household does not continue to receive both benefits.
Instead: One benefit continues—the higher one.
This is why survivor benefits often play an important role when determining which spouse should delay filing, and how long that delay should last.
Why Survivor Benefits Influence Filing Strategy
Because the surviving spouse may step into the higher-earning spouse’s benefit, it is often advantageous for the higher-earning spouse to delay filing until Full Retirement Age (FRA) or even age 70.
Delaying benefits increases:
The amount the higher-earning spouse receives during life
andThe surviving spouse’s benefit if they outlive them
This approach can significantly strengthen long-term income security—particularly in households where one spouse expects to live longer or has substantially lower lifetime earnings.
For many couples, the question is not just When should I file? It’s What filing strategy provides the greatest lifetime benefit to both spouses?
Key Considerations When Evaluating Survivor Benefits
Factors that may influence survivor benefit planning include:
Differences in life expectancy
Health considerations
Age differences between spouses
Earnings history of both spouses
Pension or other guaranteed income
Investment assets and drawdown strategy
Tax considerations
Long-term income needs
We help couples understand the trade-offs of filing early versus delaying, especially when survivor income protection is a priority.
Common Questions We Help Couples Answer
Should the higher-earning spouse delay benefits to maximize the survivor benefit?
Is FRA or age 70 a better target?
What happens if one spouse has little or no work history?
How heavily should the survivor benefit be weighed versus other benefits associated with turning on social security at an earlier age?
There is no universal answer—the right strategy depends on each household’s unique circumstances.
Our Approach
Our goal is simple:
Ensure your Social Security decisions support both spouses—and that your filing strategy support the other financial objective that make up your overall financial plan.
Next Step
If you are approaching retirement or reviewing Social Security options as a couple, we can help you understand how survivor benefits should factor into your filing strategy.
Thoughtful survivor-benefit planning can provide lasting security for the spouse who lives longest.
Our Social Security Blog Articles
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“The spousal and survivor benefits are more complex than I thought, especially the ‘widow’s benefit’ strategy.”
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“The survivor benefit point is so important.”
This endorsement provided for Greenbush Financial Group, LLC on YouTube was a non-solicited and non-paid comment by a non-client.
FAQs: Social Security Survivor Benefits
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What are Social Security survivor benefits?Survivor benefits allow a surviving spouse to receive the higher of their own Social Security benefit or their deceased spouse’s benefit, providing continued income after a spouse passes.
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Who is eligible to receive Social Security survivor benefits?A surviving spouse is generally eligible if they were married to the deceased worker for at least 9 months (with some exceptions) and are age 60 or older (or age 50 if disabled). Eligible children may also qualify.
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How much will a surviving spouse receive?A survivor typically receives the higher of the two benefits—either their own or the deceased spouse’s benefit. The surviving spouse does not receive both benefits simultaneously.
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Does delaying Social Security increase the survivor benefit?Yes. When the higher-earning spouse delays benefits to Full Retirement Age (FRA) or age 70, both their lifetime benefits and the survivor benefit available to the surviving spouse increase.
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Can a surviving spouse claim survivor benefits before age 60?Generally no, except in special cases such as disability or caring for the deceased spouse’s minor child, where earlier eligibility may apply.
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What happens if the surviving spouse has little or no work history?They may still receive the deceased spouse’s benefit, which is why coordinating timing for the higher-earning spouse is often critical to maximizing lifetime household benefits.
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Are Social Security survivor benefits taxable?Yes. Survivor benefits follow the same federal tax rules as retirement benefits—up to 85% may be taxable, depending on the survivor’s provisional income.
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Should the higher-earning spouse delay filing to maximize the survivor benefit?Often, yes. Delaying to FRA or age 70 generally increases the survivor benefit and can improve long-term household income security—especially when one spouse is expected to outlive the other.
Contact Us . . . .
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About Our Firm: Greenbush Financial Group is an independent registered investment advisory firm based in Albany, New York, that provides four main services to clients: fee-based financial planning services, investment management, employer-sponsored retirement plans, and retirement planning services. The firm serves clients locally in the Albany region and virtually across the United States.
