Social Security Survivor Benefit Calculator

Estimate your survivor (widow or widower) benefit at age 60 and your own survivor full retirement age. Based on official SSA survivor benefit rules.

Your survivor Social Security benefit can be up to 100% of your deceased spouse's benefit amount, if you claim at your own survivor full retirement age. You can start as early as age 60, though claiming that early permanently reduces the amount to about 71.5% of the full benefit.

Survivor benefits work differently from spousal or retirement benefits. You can start as early as age 60, two years earlier than the usual minimum, and the maximum benefit reaches 100% of what your spouse was receiving, not 50%. Survivor full retirement age also follows its own schedule, separate from the standard retirement age chart. Enter your date of birth and your deceased spouse's monthly benefit amount below to see your estimated survivor benefit at different claiming ages.

Estimate Your Survivor Benefit

Calculate Survivor Social Security Benefit

Survivor benefits are based on what your deceased spouse was receiving, or what they would have received at their own full retirement age if they hadn't yet claimed. You can receive up to 100% of that amount, but only if you claim at your own survivor full retirement age. That age follows a separate schedule from the standard retirement full retirement age chart, and it runs about two years earlier through the transition birth years. You can start survivor benefits as early as age 60, two years before the minimum age for retirement or spousal benefits. Claiming at exactly 60 always reduces your benefit to 71.5% of the full amount, no matter your birth year. The reduction gradually shrinks the closer you get to your survivor full retirement age, reaching 0% at that age. Like spousal benefits, survivor benefits do not earn delayed retirement credits: waiting past your survivor full retirement age does not increase the amount further. If you're also entitled to your own retirement benefit, Social Security pays you whichever is higher, not both combined.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much Social Security survivor benefit will I get?

Up to 100% of your deceased spouse's benefit amount, if you claim at your own survivor full retirement age. Claiming earlier, as early as age 60, permanently reduces the amount.

What is the earliest age I can claim survivor benefits?

Age 60, or age 50 if you're disabled. This is earlier than the minimum age for retirement or spousal benefits, which is 62.

Is survivor full retirement age the same as regular full retirement age?

No. Survivor full retirement age uses a separate schedule that runs about two years earlier through the transition birth years. Check your specific birth year to find your survivor FRA.

Does my survivor benefit increase if I wait past my survivor full retirement age?

No. Survivor benefits do not earn delayed retirement credits. The maximum is 100% of your deceased spouse's benefit, reached at your survivor full retirement age, with no further increase for waiting.

Can I get both my own retirement benefit and a survivor benefit?

No, not added together. Social Security pays you the higher of the two amounts. In some cases, you can claim one first and switch to the other later — talk to the Social Security Administration about your specific options.

Does remarriage affect my survivor benefits?

If you remarry before age 60, you generally lose eligibility for survivor benefits based on your deceased spouse. If you remarry at age 60 or later, you keep that eligibility.

This calculator provides a general estimate based on current Social Security Administration survivor benefit rules and does not constitute financial or legal advice. It does not account for every situation, including the widow(er) limit rule that can apply if your deceased spouse claimed their own benefit early, remarriage timing, or eligibility based on caring for a child under 16. Social Security's rules for switching between survivor and retirement benefits are also complex and depend on your specific circumstances. For a personalized, accurate benefit determination, contact the Social Security Administration directly or create a free account at ssa.gov/myaccount. We're sorry for your loss, and we hope this tool helps you plan with a little more clarity during a difficult time.