Just wanted to add my experience - we were in almost the same boat last year. Wife is 14 months younger than me. What we decided was for me to take benefits at my FRA (66+8mo) so she could start collecting spousal right when she hit her FRA. Made more sense for our situation than waiting for those extra delayed credits. Every month we both collected was better than waiting for a slightly bigger check down the road. Run the numbers for your specific situation!

One thing that might help with your decision is to calculate the breakeven point. If you're both in good health, delaying might still make sense for the survivor benefit protection, but if you need the income now or have health concerns, claiming at FRA could be better. Also double-check if your wife has enough work credits for her own Social Security - sometimes people assume they need spousal benefits when their own benefit might actually be higher. The SSA estimator tool can help you compare scenarios, but definitely get official confirmation from SSA before making your final choice.

One other thing to consider is that if some of your benefits are withheld due to the earnings test, they're not lost forever. Once you reach your full retirement age, SSA will recalculate your benefit amount to give you credit for the months when benefits were withheld. So even if you do have some reductions in 2025 or 2026, you'll get that money back in the form of a higher monthly payment starting at your FRA.

Just wanted to add that it's really important to report your estimated earnings to SSA when you apply for benefits. They'll use this to calculate any potential withholdings throughout the year rather than hitting you with a big overpayment at the end. I made the mistake of not updating my earnings estimate when I started working more hours, and ended up owing them back a chunk of money. You can update your earnings estimate online through your my Social Security account or by calling them. It's much easier to have them adjust your monthly payments as you go rather than dealing with overpayments later!

For the death certificate, they usually want to see the original but they'll make a copy and give it back to you. At least that's what happened when my sister applied for survivor benefits. And yes, having his Social Security number would definitely help speed things up when you contact them, but if you don't have it, they should be able to find his record with enough other information.

One more important thing to consider: If you're working and planning to apply for survivor benefits at 60, be aware of the earnings test. In 2025, if you earn more than $23,000 (approximate figure), SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit until you reach your Full Retirement Age. This earnings test can significantly reduce or eliminate your survivor benefits if you have substantial income. However, once you reach FRA, the earnings test no longer applies, and you can earn any amount without reduction in benefits.

Congratulations on getting through and getting approved! That's a significant monthly benefit that will definitely help with raising your daughter. Just wanted to add a couple of things others haven't mentioned: 1) If your situation changes and you and your husband legally separate or divorce, you may still be eligible for divorced spouse benefits later when you turn 62 (as long as your marriage lasted at least 10 years, which yours has). 2) Keep good records of all the paperwork you submit to SSA. Sometimes documents get lost in their system and having copies can save you time if you need to resubmit anything. 3) The benefits should be retroactive to when you first became eligible (likely when your daughter started receiving benefits), so you might get a lump sum back payment. It's really encouraging to see someone navigate the SSA system successfully and get the help they're entitled to. Your story will definitely help other parents in similar situations!

This thread has been so helpful! I'm in a somewhat similar situation - my ex-husband is collecting disability benefits and our 12-year-old receives benefits on his record. I'm 45 and have primary custody. I had no idea I might be eligible for mother's benefits too. The information about it not mattering that we're divorced (as long as I'm caring for the child) is news to me. Gabriel, thank you for asking this question and sharing your successful outcome - it's given me hope that I can navigate this process too. The tip about Claimyr.com might be a lifesaver since I've also had terrible luck getting through to SSA by phone. Going to look into applying for these benefits this week!

random but does anyone know if the OP would get the ex-husbands COLA increases too when on his survivor benefits? or just the fixed amount from when he died?

This is such valuable information! I'm actually in a very similar situation - divorced after 22 years, currently 68 and planning to wait until 70 to claim my benefits. Reading through all these responses has really helped clarify the process. It's reassuring to know that the "maximize and switch" strategy is a legitimate approach and that survivor benefits maintain COLA adjustments. I'll definitely bookmark this thread and keep those required documents handy. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise!