When a widow(er) contacts us to inquire about delaying his or her widow(er) benefits,
we must inform the claimant of the month that her or his widow(er)’s benefits will
be at the maximum amount payable. Although we provide this information, the claimant
must still choose his or her MOEL.
The normal retroactivity rules apply when the RIB LIM is involved. For more information
on retroactivity and RIB LIM, see GN 00204.030D.
We consider if RIB LIM applies when we review the form SSA-4111 (Certificate of Election
of Reduced Widow(er)'s and Surviving Divorced Spouse’s Benefits) submitted by a claimant.
For more information on the SSA-4111, see RS 00207.025. If the claimant did not select the month that maximizes his or her benefits, we
contact him or her to explain the MOEL benefit options.