Hi Larry, My husband passed away unexpectedly in April 2022. He was at FRA but was still working and we were not collecting any SS benefit. I turn 65 in December of this year. SS told me I cannot collect my own retirement benefit then switch to the survivor benefit at age 66 and 6 months. They said my only option is to collect reduced survivor benefits now.
Is this correct? I had a couple different reps tell me I can only take survivor first, continue working then collect my retirement benefit at FRA. My husband made significantly more money than I. I also read on your site that widow"s
FRA is actually 66 and 2 months even though they tell me 66 and 6 months. What do you recommend I do?

Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. No, assuming that you are insured for benefits on your own record, then what you were told by Social Security is wrong. If you're insured, you can claim your own retirement benefits now and then file for unreduced widow's benefits at your full retirement age (FRA). And, that may well be your best filing strategy if your own retirement benefit rate would be lower than your unreduced widow's rate even if you waited until age 70 to claim your own benefits.

You can't actually switch from your own benefits to widow's benefits at a later date, but even if you take your own benefits early you can still claim your full widow's rate at FRA. Assuming that your widow's rate is higher than your own amount, what Social Security would then do is continue to pay your own reduced benefit plus a partial widow's amount equal to the difference in your benefit rate and your higher widow's rate, resulting in a combined benefit amount equal to your full unreduced widow's rate.

If you were born in 1957, then your FRA for widow's benefits is 66 & 2 months (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/404/404-0409.htm). Your widow's benefit rate wouldn't get any higher if you waited past then to claim your widow's benefits. Therefore, even though your FRA for retirement benefits is 66 & 6 months, the latest that you'd want to claim widow's benefits is effective with the month you reach your widow's FRA of 66 & 2 months.

You don't mention whether or not you're working, but if you are there is an earnings test that could affect your ability to be paid benefits prior to your FRA (https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/whileworking.html). Whether or not that's a factor in your case depends on whether you're working, and if so, how much you're earning. Regardless, though, it sounds like you should strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully analyze all of your options so that you can determine your best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry