Will My Widow’s Benefit Replace My Own SS?

Considering the above, if your eventual benefit as your husband’s widow will be the highest benefit you will be entitled to, then claiming your personal SS benefit at age 62 may be a prudent strategy. It allows you to collect your own benefit earlier (albeit reduced) until your higher survivor benefit kicks in to replace the smaller amount. However, your plans for working prior to your full retirement age are key to deciding if you should claim benefits earlier. If you exceed the earnings limit ($18,960 for 2021), SS will take away some of your benefits, which could mean you go without benefits until they recover what you owe. Indeed, if your earnings are high enough, you may find that you would get no SS benefits because the amount you owe for exceeding the earnings limit would completely offset your Social Security benefit. So, as you can see, if you are working with a high income, the earnings limit might imply that waiting until your FRA to claim any SS benefit is the smartest move. But if you don’t work after you claim SS then taking your own benefit early and later switching to your higher widow’s benefit at or after your FRA would be a sound choice.   This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation.org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org.