When you apply for retirement benefits, the SSA will ask if you've ever been married and if any spouse has died. Be honest about this, but you can explain that you want to apply for your own benefits now and potentially survivor benefits later. They'll make a note in your record. Just be clear about your intention, and they'll process your retirement claim without waiting for the survivor documentation.

Just wanted to add a practical tip from my own experience - when you do apply for your retirement benefits, ask the SSA representative to put a note in your file about your potential future survivor benefit claim. This can help streamline the process later when you're ready to apply for survivor benefits, since they'll already have context about your situation. Also, since your husband worked mostly in state government jobs, you might want to check if he had a state pension that could affect your survivor benefits through the Government Pension Offset. Even if the survivor benefit ends up being small, having all the information will help you make the best decision when the time comes. Good luck with your application process!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses. I'm going to suggest to my wife that we wait until her FRA to maximize her spousal benefit. Those reduction amounts really add up over time! Neither of us has previous marriages over 10 years, so we don't need to explore that angle. I appreciate all the insights - this forum has been way more helpful than trying to decipher the SSA website.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - while waiting until FRA definitely maximizes the monthly benefit amount, don't forget to factor in the "break-even" analysis. If your wife claims at 65, she'll receive 12+ months of benefits before she would have received anything by waiting until FRA. Those early payments can add up to around $11,000+ (using the $917/month example from earlier). It takes about 11-12 years of receiving the higher FRA payment to "break even" with taking the reduced benefit early. If she's in good health and expects to live well into her 80s, waiting makes sense. But if there are health concerns or you need the income now, claiming at 65 might still be the right choice. Just make sure you're looking at the complete picture, not just the monthly payment difference!

my mom went thru this last year with my dad...the hospice social worker helped her with all the ss paperwork before he passed which was super helpful maybe ask if they have someone who can assist you?

I'm sorry for what your family is going through. One additional thing to keep in mind - if your mom was receiving spousal benefits based on your dad's record instead of her own work record, the situation would be different. But since she's already receiving her own higher benefit ($2,450 vs $1,750), she'll continue getting that amount. Just make sure when you contact SSA to report the death, you specifically ask them to confirm that her payments will continue uninterrupted. Sometimes there can be brief processing delays, so it's good to get written confirmation of what to expect.

One additional consideration: tax implications. Since both of you are working and potentially drawing Social Security, be aware of how this might affect the taxation of your benefits. Up to 85% of your Social Security benefits can be taxable depending on your combined income. This is another reason why delaying benefits while you continue to work can be advantageous - you avoid having benefits that would be subject to higher taxation during your working years.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact scenario two years ago. I was born in 1958 (so subject to the new rules) and my spouse had already maximized her benefit at 70. I initially thought I could be clever and collect spousal benefits first, but quickly learned that's no longer possible for our birth year cohort. What really helped me make the decision was running the break-even analysis. Even though waiting until 70 meant giving up 3+ years of benefits, the higher monthly amount ($600 more in your case) meant I'd break even around age 82-83. Given life expectancy and the fact that we didn't immediately need the income, it was a no-brainer to wait. Also worth mentioning - I kept working part-time until 70, and those continued earnings actually boosted my final benefit calculation slightly since they replaced some lower-earning years from earlier in my career. The SSA recalculates your benefit annually if you continue working, so that's a nice bonus on top of the delayed retirement credits. The peace of mind knowing I maximized our household's guaranteed income for life was worth the wait. Best of luck with your decision!

Just remember that these webinars are designed to give you the BARE MINIMUM information! They DON'T tell you about all the loopholes and special filing strategies that could get you thousands more in benefits. My financial advisor showed me how to optimize my benefits in ways the SSA never mentioned. They're not going to tell you how to maximize your payout!

I attended the webinar about 6 months ago when I was 62 and considering early retirement. It's definitely worth the hour, especially if you're new to Social Security planning like I was. They do a good job explaining the relationship between your full retirement age and benefit amounts, and the breakeven analysis for early vs delayed filing was eye-opening. One thing I found particularly useful was their explanation of how continuing to work affects your benefits - both the earnings test limits and how additional earnings can potentially increase your benefit amount if they're higher than previous years in your top 35. My advice: attend with specific questions ready. The Q&A portion was where I learned the most, including details about Medicare enrollment timing that I hadn't considered. Even though it's basic level, it gives you a solid foundation to build on when you start diving deeper into your personal strategy.