One final clarification that might help: If you're receiving your own reduced retirement benefit now and later become eligible for survivor benefits, you have options: 1. You can continue receiving your reduced retirement benefit and wait until your FRA to apply for unreduced survivor benefits ($2,150) 2. You can apply for reduced survivor benefits now (you'd get less than $2,150) and switch from your own benefit The optimal strategy depends on the difference between your current benefit and the survivor benefit you'd receive now vs. at FRA. SSA should be able to tell you the exact amounts to help you decide which option is best when the time comes.

I went through a similar situation when my husband passed two years ago. I had filed early at 62, and he had filed at his FRA. The key thing to remember is that you have flexibility in timing when you apply for survivor benefits - you don't have to take them immediately when your husband passes. In my case, I continued receiving my own reduced benefit for a few more years and then switched to his full survivor benefit when I reached my FRA. This gave me the maximum survivor benefit without any reduction for early claiming of survivor benefits. One practical tip: when the time comes, make sure to ask the SSA representative to calculate both scenarios for you - taking survivor benefits immediately vs waiting until your FRA. They should be able to show you the exact dollar amounts to help you make the best decision for your situation.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Diego. Losing your spouse after so many years together is incredibly difficult, and having to figure out Social Security benefits on top of everything else must feel overwhelming. You've received excellent advice from this community, and I want to reinforce that you're making the absolutely right financial decision. Your strategy of taking survivor benefits now while letting your own retirement benefit grow until 70 is textbook optimal planning. One thing I'd like to add that might help with your long-term planning: once you do switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 (if it's higher), that higher monthly amount will be your base for any future cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). So not only will you get the maximum benefit from delayed retirement credits, but all future increases will be calculated on that higher amount too. Also, I know you mentioned the SSA website being confusing - you might find it helpful to use the retirement estimator tool on ssa.gov. It can give you a rough projection of what your benefit would be at 70, which will help you compare it to your current survivor benefit amount. Hang in there, and don't hesitate to ask if you have more questions as you approach 70. This community is really supportive and knowledgeable.

I'm so deeply sorry for your loss, Diego. Losing your husband after 44 years of marriage is heartbreaking, and trying to navigate these complex Social Security rules while grieving just adds another layer of difficulty to an already overwhelming time. You've received absolutely excellent advice from this community, and I want to echo what everyone has said - you're making the optimal financial decision with your current strategy. The disappointment about not being able to collect both benefits is completely understandable, as this is one of the most common misconceptions about Social Security. I wanted to add one practical tip that might help as you continue working until 70: consider requesting a Social Security Statement annually to track how your continued earnings are affecting your projected benefit. Since Social Security calculates your benefit based on your highest 35 years of indexed earnings, these final working years could potentially replace some lower-earning years from earlier in your career, further increasing your eventual benefit at 70. Also, when you do reach 70, I'd recommend contacting SSA about 60 days before your birthday rather than waiting until the month of. This gives them time to process the review and ensures there's no delay in implementing the higher benefit amount if your retirement benefit exceeds your survivor benefit. You're handling this incredibly difficult situation with such wisdom and strength. This community will continue to be here to support you through this journey.

I've been a representative payee for my disabled adult child for over 10 years, and while the situation is a bit different, the core responsibilities are the same. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here is to take photos of any major purchases you make for the kids using their benefits - things like school clothes, computer for schoolwork, medical expenses, etc. It's not required, but having visual documentation has been helpful when filling out those annual reports, especially when you're trying to remember what you spent months ago. Also, if either of your teenagers has any special needs or medical expenses, make sure to keep detailed records of those - SSA considers medical care a priority use of benefits. The learning curve is real, but you'll get the hang of it quickly. Just remember that as their parent, you're already making decisions in their best interest - being a rep payee just means documenting it a bit more formally.

As a newcomer to this whole Social Security thing, I'm really grateful for all the detailed advice everyone has shared here! I'm in a similar situation - just turned 60 and starting to think about retirement planning. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational. One question I haven't seen addressed yet: if you're divorced and your ex-spouse also has custody/visitation rights with the kids, does that complicate the representative payee situation at all? I'm wondering if both parents can be co-payees or if it has to be just one person handling everything. Also, for those who mentioned keeping spreadsheets and taking photos - do you store these digitally or keep physical copies? I'm trying to figure out the best system before I potentially find myself in this situation in a couple of years. Thanks again to everyone for being so helpful and thorough with your explanations. This community is amazing!

Great discussion here! One thing I'd add - make sure to apply for benefits about 3 months before you want them to start (so around April for July benefits). The SSA needs time to process your application, and you don't want delays that could push your start date later than planned. Also, keep detailed records of your monthly earnings once you start benefits. SSA will ask for wage statements during their annual review, and having everything organized will make that process much smoother. I learned this the hard way when I had to scramble to find pay stubs from months earlier! The strategy outlined by QuantumQuasar sounds solid for your situation. Just remember that the monthly limits can change each year, so double-check the 2025 numbers when they're officially announced.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact scenario in 2023. I was 64, earning about $45k/year, and decided to start benefits in August. The monthly earnings test was a game-changer for me! Here's what actually happened: I worked full-time Jan-July, then negotiated with my employer to go to 25 hours/week starting in August. My monthly earnings dropped to about $1,500, which was well under the monthly limit. I received my full SS benefit every month from August-December while still earning decent part-time income. One thing nobody mentioned - when you reduce your hours, make sure your employer understands it needs to be a permanent change in your work arrangement, not just a temporary reduction. SSA looks at your "substantial services" to an employer, not just earnings. If they think you're still working full-time but just getting paid less temporarily, it can complicate things. The whole process worked out great financially. I maximized my work income for 7 months, then got both part-time wages AND full SS benefits for 5 months. Definitely recommend this approach if your employer is flexible!

I went through something similar when my ex-husband passed two years ago. I was 64 and still working part-time. One thing that really helped me was creating a spreadsheet to compare different scenarios with actual dollar amounts. Here's what I wish someone had told me upfront: get your benefits estimates IN WRITING from SSA, not just verbal estimates over the phone. The representatives sometimes give conflicting info, but the written estimates are more reliable for planning. Also, since you mentioned your ex had much higher earnings, make sure to ask SSA about his actual benefit amount at the time of death vs. what his benefit would have been at his FRA. Sometimes the survivor benefit calculation can be different than you'd expect, especially if he died before claiming. The earnings test is definitely a pain, but remember that if you do decide to claim early and have benefits withheld, you're essentially getting an interest-free loan from the government that gets paid back with the recalculation at FRA. Some people find that helpful for cash flow even if the math doesn't look great on paper initially.

I'm a newcomer here but have been researching this exact situation for my own planning. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the "do-over" option that Social Security offers. If you claim survivor benefits early and then realize the earnings test is eating up too much of your benefit, you can withdraw your application within 12 months and pay back any benefits received. This essentially gives you a one-year trial period to see how the numbers work out in practice. Also, since you're planning to work until 70 anyway, have you considered the tax implications? Survivor benefits are taxable income just like regular Social Security benefits, so that $68k salary plus survivor benefits might push you into a higher tax bracket. Sometimes the after-tax math changes the decision significantly. Another strategy some people use is to file a "restricted application" for survivor benefits at FRA while letting their own retirement benefit continue to grow until 70. This way you avoid the earnings test entirely but still get some Social Security income before retirement. Just make sure to verify this option is still available - the rules have changed several times in recent years!