Hi Larry, My husband was on s.s.disability due to extreme illness and inability to work for 30 years, and I who was married to him for 41 years was his caregiver and took care of him full time. After he died in Nov. of 2021, it took until February to finally get approved for survivor's benefits. Unfortunately because I had just turned 60 yrs old, they only give me 71% of what my husband's monthly disability amount was when he died. But I cannot understand or find any situation like ours where he was on disability for 30 years, and then died, and my survivor benefits are only 71%. Shouldn't it be like his FRA and at least 82% or more since he was unable to work for 30 years and I took care of him? Something doesn't seem right and I only get $1439 a month! Not only that, but when they gave the new cola raises, I didn't receive a single penny more. Please help!!

Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. I can't say sure without access to your Social Security records, but it sounds like you're probably getting the correct amount. If a widow starts drawing benefits effective with the month they turn 60, they are paid a reduced rate equal to 71.5% of the deceased worker's primary insurance amount (PIA). A person's PIA is equal to their Social Security retirement benefit rate if they start drawing their benefits at full retirement age (FRA), or their full Social Security disability (SSDI) benefit rate.

SSDI benefits are calculated based on a modified version of the same formula that's used to calculate retirement benefits. Social Security retirement benefits are calculated based on an average of the worker's highest 35 years of wage-indexed earnings. The modified SSDI calculation formula accounts for the fact that a person who becomes disabled at a younger age isn't likely to have a lengthy work history, so fewer earnings years are typically used in the calculation of SSDI benefits. The number of earnings years used to calculate SSDI benefits can be anywhere from 2 years to 35 years depending on the worker's age when they became disabled. That means people who qualify for SSDI benefits aren't penalized for not being able to work more years as a result of becoming disabled.

Full SSDI benefits are paid at a rate equal to 100% of the worker's PIA. In order for you to receive 100% of your husband's full amount, you would need to wait until your full retirement age (FRA) to start drawing widow's benefits. You couldn't get more than 100% of your husband's PIA, or full SSDI rate, as a widow even if you waited past FRA to claim widow's benefits. But, if you start drawing widow's benefits prior to FRA, the benefit rate is reduced for age. And, starting widow's benefits effective with the month you reach age 60 results in the maximum percentage reduction of 28.5%, resulting in a reduced monthly rate equal to 71.5% of the deceased worker's PIA.

Best, Jerry