Welcome to the community! I'm a newcomer here too and have been quietly following this discussion with great interest. As a recently widowed person myself (lost my spouse 6 months ago at age 55), I've been wondering about these same questions for the future. The information shared here has been incredibly valuable - I had no idea about the age 60 rule either! It's comforting to see how supportive and knowledgeable this community is. Miguel, congratulations on finding love again, and thank you for asking the question that so many of us needed answered. The detailed responses, especially Paolo's regulatory citation, have given me a much clearer understanding of how survivor benefits actually work. This kind of practical, real-world information is exactly what those of us navigating these situations need most.

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm currently 59 and widowed for 2 years, and like many others here, I had completely wrong assumptions about remarriage and survivor benefits. Reading through these responses has been such an eye-opener - especially learning about the age 60 rule. I had been avoiding even considering dating because I thought any future marriage would automatically terminate my benefits. It's both frustrating and relieving to discover that I've been operating under false information for so long. The detailed regulatory information from Paolo and the real-world experiences shared by Zainab and others have given me so much clarity. It's wonderful to see how supportive this community is in sharing accurate information rather than perpetuating myths. Miguel, I hope your conversation with SSA goes smoothly and congratulations on finding happiness again! For those of us still learning to navigate this new reality, discussions like this are invaluable.

Just to clarify one more point in your original question: The concept of "switching" from one's own benefit to a spousal benefit at age 70 was eliminated by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 for anyone born after January 1, 1954. That strategy (called "file and suspend" or "restricted application") is no longer available for most people. However, survivor benefits operate under different rules. Your neighbor can switch between her own retirement benefit and survivor benefits at any age, choosing the higher of the two. This flexibility is unique to survivor situations and remains available despite the 2015 law changes.

I'm so sorry for your neighbor's loss. This is such a difficult time to have to navigate these complex rules. From what everyone has shared, it sounds like the key points for her are: 1) She can't get what her husband would have received at 70 - survivor benefits are based on what he was actually receiving when he died, 2) She should apply for survivor benefits right away since his $2,100 is higher than her $1,650, 3) She needs to return any Social Security payment for the month he died, and 4) She should gather all her documents (death certificate, marriage license, etc.) before going to SSA. The retroactive payment option up to 6 months makes applying quickly even more important. I hope she can get through to someone at SSA without too much hassle during this already stressful time.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I finally got through to Social Security (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned - worked great). The agent confirmed what you all said - we each get our own benefits regardless of the divorce. She also showed me the difference in my benefit amounts: at 62 I'd get about $1,875 monthly, but if I wait until my FRA at 67, it jumps to around $2,650! That's a huge difference. Since my soon-to-be-ex makes less than me, she might be better off taking the spousal benefit eventually. I'm going to work a couple more years and then decide when to file. Really appreciate all the advice here - saved me a lot of confusion!

That's fantastic that you got through to SSA and got concrete numbers! The difference between $1,875 and $2,650 per month really puts it in perspective - that's almost $800 more monthly or about $9,300 extra per year just for waiting until FRA. And you're absolutely right about your ex potentially benefiting from spousal benefits if your earnings history is significantly higher. One thing to keep in mind as you plan those couple extra working years - your highest 35 years of earnings are used to calculate your benefit, so if you're still earning well, those additional years could potentially increase your benefit amount even further. It sounds like you're making a really informed decision now with all the facts!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I think I understand now - the $1,950 monthly limit only applies to what I earn from working, not my SS benefit amount. My benefit check is completely separate from that limit. So I can receive my $1,400 SS benefit AND earn up to $1,950 from my part-time job without any reduction. That's a big relief and makes planning my retirement budget much easier. I'm definitely going to be careful not to exceed that monthly limit during my first year of retirement. After reading your experiences, I'll be tracking my earnings closely to avoid any surprises!

You've got it exactly right! It's great to see you understand the distinction now. Just wanted to add a quick tip from my experience - I keep a simple spreadsheet tracking my monthly earnings to make sure I stay under that $1,950 limit. It's saved me from accidentally going over several times when I was tempted to pick up extra hours. Also, don't forget that if you do accidentally go a bit over one month, those "lost" benefits aren't gone forever. Once you reach your Full Retirement Age, SSA will recalculate and give you credit for any benefits that were withheld due to the earnings test. So while you want to avoid going over the limit, it's not a complete disaster if it happens occasionally. Good luck with your part-time work in retirement!

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I feel much better about my decision to wait until my FRA next July before claiming. To summarize what I've learned: 1. At FRA, there is NO earnings limit whatsoever 2. Since I'll be claiming at 67 (my FRA), I can keep working and earning $32,000 with no reduction in SS benefits 3. I should still be aware of possible tax implications Really appreciate all the explanations - this community is incredibly helpful!

Great summary Connor! You've got it exactly right. Just wanted to add one more tip since you mentioned tax implications - when you do your taxes next year, keep in mind the "combined income" formula SSA uses to determine if your benefits are taxable. It's your Adjusted Gross Income + nontaxable interest + half of your SS benefits. If that total is over $25,000 (single) or $32,000 (married filing jointly), some of your benefits become taxable. With your $32,000 work income plus whatever your SS benefit will be, you'll likely cross that threshold, so just plan accordingly when setting aside money for taxes. But the good news is your benefits themselves won't be reduced at all!