My husband died in 2016 at age 59 while on Social Security Disability; I was age 58. I am age 60 and qualify for reduced survivor benefits at this point. Because I spent many years as a stay at home mom, my own retirement benefits will never be larger than my survivor benefits from my husband if I wait to take the survivor benefits until age 66 years 2 months. My question:. Can I take my own retirement benefits, reduced, at age 62 and then switch to full survivor benefits at age 66 2 months? Or would taking my own benefits result in not being able to take the higher survivor benefits at age 66-2 months?

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

Yes, it sounds like you can and probably should file for your own retirement benefits at age 62 and then file for unreduced widow's benefits at your full retirement age (FRA). Drawing reduced retirement benefits at age 62 would have no adverse effect on your widow's benefit rate. Technically, though, you wouldn't actually switch to survivor benefits at FRA. Instead, you would continue to receive your own reduced retirement benefits, plus an excess survivor rate equal to the difference between your reduced retirement rate and your unreduced survivor rate. The net result would be that you would end up with a combined benefit rate equal to your unreduced survivor benefit rate.

That said, I really don't have enough information to be able to give you any definite advice. Your actual best filing strategy depends on your relative benefit rates, as well the amount of earnings (if any) that you will have between ages 62 & FRA. You may want to strongly consider using our maximization software to make sure that you choose the best possible strategy for claiming your benefits.

Best, Jerry