I am 62 this year (2016). My husband passed away Dec. 1 2013. Can I receive Social Security based on his work history until I am 70 and then switch to my work history (allow SS to accumulate to full amount). I was told by a SS representative (by phone) that I could use his SS until I was 66 and then switch to mine. I am confused by this. I am still working and I do have other saving and a Simple IRA. I was told by a financial advisor to spend my accounts first and then switch to SS at 70. I guess maybe I am being greedy but that means that any money that I may have been able to leave to my grown child will have been spent and the government will not give what's left of my SS to my child if I pass away after 70. It's not that my child can't take care of himself, it's just that my husband and I worked hard for what we have been lucky enough to save and put into the SS accounts. I would like to fully retire by age 66. I can do this, but I don't want to be wasteful of any resources.

Hi,

Yes, you can receive reduced widow's benefit as early as age 60, and still allow the benefit amount on your own account grow until age 70. However, the Social Security earnings test could limit your ability to receive benefits prior to full retirement age, which is age 66 in your case (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/whileworking2.html).

You are potentially entitled to 2 separate benefits, widow's benefits and retirement benefits on your own record. What you want to do is to save the highest benefit for last, and file for the other one as soon as your earnings will permit payment, even if that is before you reach full retirement age. The reason that taking a reduction on the lower record won't hurt you in the long run, and will in fact help you, is that the reduction won't carry over to your benefit rate when you later apply for benefits on the higher record.

Your potential widow's benefits will max out effective with the month you reach age 66, assuming that your husband did not receive reduced Social Security benefits prior to his death. If he did, your maximum widow's rate would be reached at some point sooner than that. Your own retirement benefit will be at it's highest rate if you start it at age 70.

So, if your age 70 retirement benefit amount would be higher than your unreduced widow's benefit, you should file for reduced widow's benefits as soon as your earnings will permit payment. On the other hand, if the widow's benefit would be higher, you would want to start out with reduced retirement benefits and then file for widow's benefits when they reach their highest point.

You may want to consider running the maximization software available on this website. It takes into account the Social Security earnings test, and can identify the best dates for you to apply for your widow's benefits as well as your own retirement benefits.

Best, Jerry