Hi Larry: My relative is currently age 86 and his wife is age 84. He started collecting Social Security at age 65, and receives a current monthly benefit amount of $2,481.90, and she filed early, at age 62, for her Social Security benefit; her current benefit amount is $996.90.

Our question relates to the spousal benefit that his wife will receive if my relative passes away before his wife does. Basically, will his wife receive a net monthly benefit amount that is LOWER than my relative's total monthly amount because his wife claimed her benefit early, or will it be the SAME amount that my relative receives monthly?

I've looked around on the internet for an answer to this question, and we tried the Social Security website with no luck either.

Hi,

Since this wife is now over full retirement age (FRA), she'll be paid her husband's full benefit rate if he dies before her. The reduction for age applied to her Social Security retirement or spousal benefit rate does not carry over to her survivor benefit rate. Just to be clear, though, the wife in your question couldn't get both her own benefit rate and her deceased husband's rate, just the higher of the two.

Best, Jerry