I an my husband receive SSI, he is 82 y/o and I am 79 y/o. When one of us dies, what part of the spouses SSI does the survivor get, I can't seem to get an answer anywhere.
Thank you in advance.

Hi,

First of all, I'm assuming that by SSI, you mean Social Security benefits and not Supplemental Security Income. Supplemental Security Income (https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/) is a needs based benefit with no survivor entitlement.

If you're both drawing Social Security benefits on your own records, the surviving member of the couple receives the higher of the 2 benefits upon death of one of the spouses. Technically, the survivor continues receiving their own benefit, and receives an excess widow(er)'s benefit equal to the difference in their benefits if the deceased's benefit was higher. If the spouse with the higher benefit took reduced benefits and dies first, the surviving spouse could even receive a somewhat higher total benefit than the deceased spouse received.

Best, Jerry