Retirement Social Security

Here’s How Much More Widowed Retirees Will Get From Social Security in 2027

Survivors have a claiming option many retirees don't get.

By David Maina, CPA , Edited by Laura Hohenstein

Updated Nov. 13, 2026

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Losing a spouse can mean going from two Social Security checks to one, while many of the household bills barely change.

That's why the 3.6% raise coming in January 2027 is great news for widowed retirees, with the average surviving spouse in a one-person household set to receive about $69 more a month.

If you're living on just Social Security, you may already have plans for that extra cash. But the size of your monthly check could have more to do with a decision your spouse made years ago about when to claim benefits, and the effects of that choice can last for the rest of your retirement. Here's what to know.

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How much more you could receive from the 3.6% raise

The 3.6% increase applies to your current survivor benefit, so the amount you get depends on the size of your monthly check. Here's what the raise could look like at different benefit levels:

Current monthly benefit	Monthly increase	New monthly benefit
$1,500	$54	$1,554
$2,000	$72	$2,072
$2,500	$90	$2,590
$3,000	$108	$3,108

These amounts are before any Medicare premiums or other deductions.

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How your spouse's claiming age affects your survivor benefit

Your survivor benefit is built on your late spouse's earnings record, not your own. When the higher earner in a couple dies, Social Security lets the survivor move up to the larger of the two checks the household was getting. So if your spouse's benefit was bigger than yours, you step up to that amount, and if yours was already the larger one, you simply keep it.

How much you can receive also depends on when your spouse started collecting Social Security. Claiming before full retirement age generally reduces the benefit available to a survivor, while waiting beyond that age can increase it. Future cost-of-living raises then build on the amount you're entitled to.

Waiting to claim could increase your monthly survivor benefit

You can start collecting survivor benefits as early as age 60, although claiming that early could reduce your payment to as little as 71.5% of the full amount. Waiting until your survivor full retirement age allows you to receive up to 100% of the benefit you're eligible for.

If you qualify for benefits on both your own record and your spouse's, Social Security generally pays you the higher amount rather than combining two full checks.

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Survivors can choose which benefit to start collecting first

You may be able to collect survivor benefits while letting your own retirement benefit grow until age 70, when it reaches its maximum. Or you could start with your own retirement benefit and switch to a higher survivor benefit once you reach your survivor full retirement age.

The order you choose could affect how much you receive each month for the rest of your life, so it's a good idea to ask Social Security to compare both options before you file.

A bigger survivor check can still mean less household income

Suppose your spouse received $2,000 a month from Social Security while you collected $1,000, giving you a combined $3,000. If your spouse passes away and you're eligible for their full survivor benefit, your household would lose your smaller $1,000 payment.

After the 2027 COLA, your survivor benefit would rise to about $2,072. Had both of you been collecting benefits in 2027, your combined payments would have totaled roughly $3,108, leaving a difference of $1,036 a month.

Financial planners sometimes call this the "widow's penalty," and it can be especially tough when housing costs and other household bills haven't changed much. Even with the annual raise, you may need to adjust your spending to account for the lost income.

Filing as single could leave you with a higher tax bill

You can generally still file a joint tax return for the year your spouse dies, but after that, you'll usually file as single. With a smaller standard deduction and narrower tax brackets, you could end up owing more tax even though your household income has fallen.

Your Medicare premiums could also rise despite having less income, since the income limits for higher premiums are roughly twice as high for married couples filing jointly as for single filers.

Medicare's standard Part B premium is also expected to rise from $202.90 a month in 2026 to around $209.50 in 2027, according to the latest Trustees Report. The final amount hasn't been announced yet, but any increase deducted from your Social Security check would leave you with less of your 3.6% raise to spend.

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How remarrying could affect your survivor benefits

If you remarry before age 60, you generally lose eligibility for survivor benefits on your late spouse's record while your new marriage continues. Remarrying at 60 or older, however, usually lets you keep those benefits.

For surviving spouses who qualify because of a disability, the age cutoff is 50 instead. Even a few months can affect your eligibility, so checking with Social Security before setting a wedding date could help you avoid losing benefits.

Bottom line

After losing a spouse, Social Security paperwork may be the last thing you want to deal with. But it's worth checking whether you're getting the full survivor benefit you're entitled to, since Social Security doesn't always switch you over automatically. You should also ask about the one-time $255 death payment if you haven't already claimed it.

To avoid money mistakes, check your personalized 2027 benefit notice in your my Social Security account in late November if you've signed up for electronic notices. Pay attention to what's left after Medicare deductions so you can plan your monthly spending around the money actually coming into your account.

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