"Spousal benefits allow you to collect up to 50% of your spouse's primary insurance amount (PIA) or standard Social Security benefit Survivor benefits allow you to collect up to 100% of your deceased spouse's PIA or 100% of the claimed amount if your spouse had already started their benefits before passing away."
"Obviously, this means survivor benefits can be much larger than the spousal benefits you were collecting while your spouse was alive. For example, if your spouse's PIA was $2,448, your maximum spousal benefit at your full retirement age would generally be $1,224 per month. But if your spouse dies, then your survivor benefit could increase to as much as $2,448 per month if you claim survivor benefits at your survivor full retirement age."
"That's $1,224 per month extra for life. Form SSA-10 allows you to claim survivor benefits when your husband or wife passes, so make sure you understand and fulfill the requirements to apply for benefits."
Social Security benefits are a major income source for many retirees, but rules can be complex for married people. Spousal benefits can provide up to 50% of a spouse’s primary insurance amount (PIA) at full retirement age. Survivor benefits can provide up to 100% of a deceased spouse’s PIA, or up to 100% of the claimed amount if the deceased had already started benefits before passing. Because survivor benefits can be based on a higher percentage of the spouse’s benefit, payments may increase substantially after a spouse dies. For example, a spouse with a $2,448 PIA could yield a $1,224 spousal benefit, but survivor benefits could rise to $2,448 per month at survivor full retirement age. Claiming requires meeting application requirements.
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