Hi, my wife passed while working for the postal service approximately 6 years ago and I have been collecting a survivor annuity since which is about $600 per month. I also work for the postal service and am currently 59 with 29 1/2 years of service. I plan on retiring when I have 30 years which will leave me at 59 1/2. My question is am I entitled to the SRS along with my pension an still collect my survivor social security at age 60 until I reach 62 which is when my social security will take over because it is a greater amount? And just to be clear, my survivor annuity will not be touched under any circumstances even if my supplement is reduced or negated? Thank you

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

I don't know what your options are with regard to receiving pensions from your and your wife's postal service work, but I can tell you that your civil service survivor pension won't have any effect on any type of Social Security benefits for which you may be eligible. However, a civil service pension based on your own work could affect your Social Security benefits, but only if some or all of your civil service earnings were exempt from Social Security taxes. For more information on these provisions, refer to these Social Security publications: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf & https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf.

Assuming that you will be potentially eligible for Social Security benefits on both your own record and your wife's record, your best strategy is likely one of the following:
1) File for reduced widower's benefits at age 60, then switch to your own record at age 70; or,
2) File for reduced retirement benefits at age 62, then file for unreduced widower's benefits at full retirement age.

The maximization software available on this website can help you determine which of these strategies is best in your case.

Best, Jerry