How survivor benefits work
- At your survivor full retirement age you get 100% of what your spouse was getting, or of their full benefit if they hadn't started. If they waited past full retirement age, the extra they earned carries over to you.
- Starting early, from 60, lowers it on a straight line down to 71.5% at 60.
- If your spouse claimed early, your benefit is capped at the larger of what they were getting or 82.5% of their full benefit.
- You can switch. Take a reduced survivor benefit early and switch to your own at 70, or the other way around, whichever pays more over time.
- Remarriage before 60 generally ends survivor benefits; remarrying at 60 or later doesn't.
Survivor full retirement age
| Year of birth | Survivor full retirement age |
|---|---|
| 1945–1956 | 66 |
| 1957 | 66 and 2 months |
| 1958 | 66 and 4 months |
| 1959 | 66 and 6 months |
| 1960 | 66 and 8 months |
| 1961 | 66 and 10 months |
| 1962 and later | 67 |
Born on January 1? Use the year before. This calculator doesn't cover disabled widows and widowers (from 50), children, or the one-time $255 death payment.
Questions
How much Social Security does a widow get?
At survivor full retirement age, 100% of the deceased spouse's full benefit, or more if they waited past full retirement age. Claiming as early as 60 pays 71.5%. If the deceased claimed early, the survivor's benefit is limited to the larger of their benefit or 82.5% of their full benefit.
Can I get my own benefit and a survivor benefit?
Not both in full: you get the higher one. But you can take one first and switch later, for example a reduced survivor benefit at 60 and your own benefit at 70, which is something spouses who aren't widowed can't do.
What is the survivor full retirement age?
66 if you were born from 1945 through 1956, rising by 2 months a year to 67 for anyone born in 1962 or later. It's on a different schedule from the retirement full retirement age.
Updated November 6, 2026. Sources: SSA, Survivors Benefits (Publication 05-10084); 20 CFR 404.409; SSA, Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance Program Reference; SSA, Receiving Survivors Benefits Early. Estimates, not financial advice. Not affiliated with the Social Security Administration.