I am 61 years old. I was widowed at 43 - my late husband was 46 and never filed for social security. I remarried at 49. That marriage ended in divorce last year. Can I collect my own early (62) social security benefit and then at my full retirement age (66) switch to my late husband's full benefit?

Hi,

Essentially the answer is yes, but you wouldn't actually switch to widow's benefits. Instead, you would continue to receive your own reduced benefit, plus the difference between that amount and your husband's full benefit amount. The total would add up to his full benefit, though.

It sounds like your remarriage lasted for at least 10 years, so you may also qualify for divorced spousal benefits at some point. Or, you may be better off starting reduced widow's benefits now and switching to your own record at age 70. The best filing strategy depends on the relative benefit amounts payable on your record and those of your husbands. You may wish to consider running the maximization software available on this website to get a better idea of your filing options.

Best, Jerry