I have been to my local SS office and have talked to several SS Reps but keep getting conflicting information. I am 62 and a widower. I recently lost my job.Here is my situation: I would like to collect my SS benefits now at age 62 and at age 66 collect my late husbands at full retirement age. My benefit is around $600 a month. His will be around $2000 if I wait to age 66. My benefit will never be as much as his and I want to make sure I get the most that I can. I was told that if I do that , that his benefit will be reduced. Is that true? Another person told me that I would be entitled to "Dual Entitlement"and that I would be able to receive both benefits and the amount will come to his full retirement age amount which is good. Also, if I were to take mine now and take his earlier than age 66, how would that work? I am told that most people take widows first and continue to work but since mine will never be as high as my husbands that is not good for me. I really need someone to explain all this to me. Also, Is there something is writing that explains these laws so I don't make a BIG mistake? Please help. Thank you so much.

Hi,

Assuming that your husband did not receive reduced Social Security benefits prior to his death, the person who told you that you would be dually entitled if you take your own benefit now and widow's benefits at age 66, and that you would receive both benefits and the amount will come to your husband's full retirement age amount is absolutely correct.

If you are not working now, you should file for reduced retirement benefits on your own account ASAP. You will simply be leaving money on the table the longer you wait. The reduction that you take on your own account now will not carry over to your combined benefit when you apply as a widow, so you want to get as much as you possibly can on your own account before filing for your widow's benefits.

As long as your husband did not receive reduced retirement benefits prior to his death, you should try to wait until age 66 to apply for your widow's benefits. That's when they will be at their highest point. If you take them before that, they will be permanently reduced. However, if your husband did receive reduced retirement benefits, your widow's benefit would top out sooner than when you reach age 66. If that's the case, you will need to consult with Social Security regarding when to apply, or you may want to consider running the maximization software available on this website.

Best, Jerry