Dear Larry,
My wife passed on February 14, 2021 and she was collecting Social Security Disability, I did receive her last Social Security deposit just last month June.
My question is what benefits am I entitled to?
She was 64 when she passed and I was 59 just turned 60 on 7/10.
I have called social security to find out but twice now when they tried calling me for my appointment they kept calling her old phone number which I have asked them to change to mine, and instead of just taking care of my situation they tell me I have to reschedule and it’s always 30 - 45 days later!
I’m really frustrated and just ready to give up and move on!
Thank you, Carlos…

Hi Carlos. I'm sorry for your loss. You'd likely qualify for at least a one-time death benefit of $255, but since you're now age 60 you could also potentially qualify for reduced widower benefits. If you start drawing widower benefits effective with the month you reach 60, your benefit rate would be calculated at 71.5% of your wife's primary insurance amount (PIA). Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits are calculated at 100% of a person's PIA, so it sounds like you'd probably qualify for roughly 71.5% of the gross amount that your wife was receiving. If you waited instead until your full retirement age (FRA) to start drawing widower benefits, your benefit rate would be equal to 100% of your wife's PIA.

There is an earnings test that applies to benefits prior to a person's FRA, though. So, if you're still working and if you'll earn more than $18,960 this year then Social Security would likely need to withhold $1 of your 2021 benefits for each $2 that you earn in excess of $18,960.

It sounds like your best strategy for claiming benefits would likely be one of the following:
1) File for reduced widower benefits at age 60 or as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then switch to your own record at age 70; or,
2) File for reduced retirement benefits on your own record at age 62 or as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then file for unreduced widower benefits at full retirement age (FRA).

Normally, you would want to start out drawing the lower benefit first and then switch to the higher benefit when it reaches it's highest potential rate. Our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) could help sort all of this out for you so that you can determine the best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry