Social Security: Can you collect both SSDI and Survivors benefits?

Understanding Social Security benefits can be rather complicated, especially when there are multiple different types of benefits a person might qualify for.

Some, for instance, may be eligible for both Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and survivors benefits, also known as widow or widower benefits.

How SSDI benefits work

First of all, SSDI pays monthly benefits to people who are unable to work at a level the Social Security Administration (SSA) considers “substantial gainful activity” because of a severe medical condition that is expected to last for at least a year or result in death.

To qualify, you must have accumulated enough work credits by working and paying Social Security taxes. In general, a person needs 40 credits, with 20 of them earned in the 10 years before their disability began, although younger workers may qualify with fewer credits.

SSDI benefits are awarded based on the applicant’s own work record, regardless of whether they are a widow or widower. However, a person who receives SSDI may also qualify for survivor benefits based on a deceased spouse’s work record.

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How Survivors benefits work

Survivors benefits are based on the deceased worker’s Social Security record rather than the surviving spouse’s. A surviving spouse may qualify if they are at least 60 years old, or at least 50 and have a disability. Generally, they must also have been married to the deceased for at least nine months and meet other eligibility requirements.

The age requirement does not apply to a surviving spouse who is caring for a child of the deceased worker who is under 16 or has a disability and is receiving Social Security benefits.

Surviving spouses can receive reduced survivors benefits from age 60, or from age 50 if they have a disability. They can receive the maximum survivor benefit when they reach their full retirement age for survivors benefits, which is between 66 and 67 depending on their birth year.

How SSDI and survivors benefits work together

So, what happens if someone qualifies for both?

They generally do not receive the full amount of both benefits. Instead, Social Security pays the benefit that provides the higher amount. The payments are not simply added together.

For instance, if someone receives $1,600 per month in SSDI and qualifies for $1,700 per month in survivors benefits, they would generally receive the $1,700 survivors benefit rather than $3,300 from the two programs combined.

The rules can also allow someone to switch between benefits later if doing so would result in a higher payment. Because the best option can depend on an individual’s circumstances, the Social Security Administration recommends discussing the available options with the agency.

In other words, qualifying for two types of Social Security benefits does not mean receiving two full monthly checks. The important question is which benefit provides the higher payment, and whether the person may benefit from switching between them at a later date.

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