My mom is reliant on my dad's SS income but he's dying. Is there anyway I can keep part of my dad's income for her when he passes?

Worried is correct. Your Moms is higher so she will get nothing of Dads.

When we retired, my husband was getting 1500 in SS, I was getting 750 based on my work experience. My 750 was already 50% of my husbands. If he had made more, lets say 2000 I would have been brought up to 1000. Now when he dies, since he made more than me, I will get his 1500 and mine will drop off. I was told there is a formula, but that is pretty much how it is.

Another poster on the forum looked at it another way. That I keep my 750 which is 50% of my husbands and will receive 50% of his. Which still comes out 1500.

Best thing, call ur SS office or try online.

It is good that you are looking into this ahead of time so you can investigate programs for low income seniors and help your Mom to adjust her expectations.

Social Security has a lot of useful information on their website, and you are right that she can only keep the higher of her worker or widow benefit.

https://www.aarp.org/retirement/social-security/questions-answers/survivor-and-retirement-benefits.html

There is a podcast that I listen to that often does deep dives into obscure Social Security rules. If you'd like to try giving them a chance to look at your question, you could do it at http://www.theretirementandirashow.com/ Be sure to give them information on your parents ages when they claimed and whether your Mom is on SS or SSDI. It can take a number of months before they answer a question, though.

Your mom won’t get anything except a one time death benefit of around $255. Since her social security is higher than your dads she will continue to receive her social security and nothing from his. When he dies, her social security should convert to the survivors benefit which would be 100% of your dads IF it is higher than her own SS but since the survivors benefit is lower, she’ll continue to receive her own SS payout. She might be eligible for SSI after your dad passes, if her income drops low enough.

Call Social Security they can calculate what her new benefit will be if your dad dies first.