Hello Larry.

Can you please explain it to me,what it's Certificate of Election for Reduced widow(er)'s and surviving divorce spouse's benefits? Ex-husband passed away recent. Why I need it to sign this form, for a Reduced surviving divorce benefits.?Been married for 23 years, divorce more than 10 years.My FRA will be this coming September.I think I'm entitled to full surviving benefits. I have been on SSDI and SSI for some time, but this will change to retirement in September of this year. My deceased ex husband's prior to his past, was collecting early social security retirement total of $1440 a month. SC reduced to $840 for me.. why ? Any advice/info, would be appreciative. Thank you!

Hi,

The form you describe (https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-4111.pdf) allows Social Security to switch a person's auxiliary (i.e. spousal or divorced spousal) benefits to survivor benefits without requiring a full application. It's used only when a person is receiving spousal or survivor benefits and the worker on whose record they're being paid dies prior to when the spouse or former spouse has reached their full retirement age (FRA).

If you receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income) benefits and you don't accept the survivor benefits effective with the earliest possible month, then your SSI benefits will stop. SSI is a needs based program, and in order to remain eligible you're required to file for any Social Security benefits for which you can qualify. Your SSI benefits will stop anyway when your survivor benefits start, though, assuming that your total Social Security benefits amount to at least $803. That would put you over the income limit for SSI eligibility.

Even if you weren't getting SSI, however, it sounds like it would be advantageous in your case to claim the survivor benefits as soon as possible. You can do so using the form that Social Security sent you to sign. Although your survivor rate may be slightly reduced for starting the benefits prior to your full retirement age (FRA) of 66, since you're already drawing Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits any reduction for age applied to your survivor rate will only be temporary and will be removed effective with the month you reach FRA.

I don't have sufficient information to be able to tell you exactly how much you'll end up being paid, but you'll continue to receive your SSDI benefits and you'll also qualify for a partial survivor benefit equal to roughly the difference between your SSDI rate and your ex-husband's full rate. So, between the 2 benefits it should add up to roughly the full amount that your ex-husband was getting.

Best, Jerry