My spouse passed away in 2005 at age 55. He had been receiving SS Disability. I turned 60 in 2021. I am trying to determine whether I am eligible to receive a SS/Survivor while I continue to work. My expectation is to work to age 70. I currently earn in excess of $50,000/year.

Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. If you apply for benefits this year, Social Security would need to withhold $1 of your benefits for every $2 that you earn in excess of $19,560. Whether or not that would allow you to still be paid any benefits would depend on your benefit rate.

It sounds like your best strategy for claiming benefits would likely be one of the following:
1) File for reduced widow's benefits now or as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then switch to your own record at age 70; or,
2) File for reduced retirement benefits on your own record at age 62 or as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then file for unreduced widow's benefits at your full retirement age (FRA).

Normally, you would want to start out drawing the lower benefit first and then switch to the higher benefit when it reaches its highest potential rate. Our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) could help sort all of this out for you so that you can determine the best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry