Social Security survivor benefits from my late husband are not enough. Can I claim more on his record?

By Alessandra Malito

'My ex-husband passed away four years ago. We were married for 20 years.'

"Is there any way I can claim some of his benefits other than the death benefits?" (Photo subject is a model.)

Dear Help Me Retire,

My ex-husband passed away four years ago. We were married for 20 years. I'm going to be 66 in May. I would let the death benefits go if his Social Security was more generous.

I already get death benefits but it's only $360 a month, along with my disability Social Security benefit. Is there any way I can claim some of his benefits other than the death benefits?

I know I can't keep the death benefits because the system doesn't work that way. It's not made so people can live comfortably and I have to find a job when I'm 66 and 10 months.

Stressed Survivor

Related: A financial firm gave me the wrong advice about my inherited IRA. Should I get a lawyer?

Dear Stressed,

When a person dies, there are no other monthly benefits to claim under Social Security except for survivor benefits. The individual's own benefits cease, and the spousal benefits switch to survivor benefits. As a divorced survivor, you are eligible for survivor benefits, but nothing more.

The amount you can get as a survivor depends on a few things - the deceased's own benefit, what you're already receiving (if anything) from Social Security and the claiming age of the person filing the application as a survivor (in this case, you).

The earliest a divorced spouse can get survivor benefits is 60 years old, or 50 if the person is disabled, but claiming early does come with a caveat - a big one. The earlier you claim, the more reduced your monthly benefit will be.

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For example, someone who claims at age 61 could get 75% of the deceased's benefit, compared to someone age 65 who could get more than 90%, according to the Social Security Administration. If you had waited until your Full Retirement Age, you'd get 100%. One of the reasons your benefit is lower than you wish might have to do with when you claimed.

The Social Security Administration gives beneficiaries the higher of the two benefits, so you wouldn't be getting Social Security Disability Insurance and a survivor benefit. Instead, the agency would opt for whichever is more.

The Disability Help Group, a disability advocacy group, gives this example: if you were receiving $1,360 a month in Social Security Disability benefits when you became eligible for survivor benefits, and the latter was $1,900 a month, you'd get your disability benefit plus the additional $550 per month to bring you to the higher benefit amount for which you qualify. "You won't receive the full amount of each benefit, and the survivor benefits won't replace the lower SSDI benefit," the group said.

I'm not sure if that's what you meant when you said you get $360 a month from a survivor benefit - as in, that $360 a month is the additional portion to boost your benefit to the higher of the two options for which you're eligible - but you can always reach out to the Social Security Administration to ask to review your situation.

You can either call them directly, or you can make an appointment to go to a local office. You can also review all of the pertinent information the agency has on you and your benefits by making a "my Social Security" account on the SSA's website.

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Have a question about your own retirement savings? Email us at HelpMeRetire@marketwatch.com

-Alessandra Malito

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11-05-25 0606ET