Dear Liz: I am 61 and retired. My husband recently died at age 61 and he was still working at the time of his death. He’s always made more money than I did. I’ve been told that I can start getting Social Security after I turn 62 and when I turn 67 I can apply for survivor benefits. Is this correct?
Answer: You can start survivor benefits as early as age 60 and retirement benefits as early as age 62. Most people should delay their applications for Social Security benefits, because an early start typically means a smaller lifetime payout. You’re one of the exceptions since you’re allowed to switch between survivor benefits and your own.
Because the survivor benefit is much larger than your own, you’ll want to maximize your payout by not taking it early. That means waiting to start until your full retirement age. You can start your own benefit at 62 and switch to survivor benefits at 67.
An early start means being subject to the earnings test until full retirement age. If you’re not working, though, that’s a moot point.
Social Security is complicated and the right claiming strategy depends on the details of an individual’s situation. Consider using one of the paid Social Security claiming strategy sites, such as Maximize My Social Security or Social Security Solutions, to find the best approach.
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