She asked her accountant for a recommendation. Be careful though - make sure they're a fiduciary (legally obligated to act in your best interest) and not just someone selling retirement products!

One more thing to consider - if you're still working, you might want to delay claiming until you fully retire or reach your FRA. Benefits claimed at 62 are reduced by about 30% permanently compared to claiming at 67 (your FRA). However, if you wait until 70, you get an 8% increase for each year after FRA. That's a potential range from 70% of your full benefit (claiming at 62) to 124% (claiming at 70). This is why getting a personalized analysis is so important. For some people, claiming early makes sense; for others, waiting is better. It depends on your health, longevity in your family, other income sources, and immediate financial needs.

I think you all are making this WAY more complicated than it needs to be. Just take the survivor benefits now AND keep working. Then when you hit 70, switch to your own benefit. That way you get the most money overall. My financial advisor told me Social Security is all about getting the most money over your lifetime.

To summarize the excellent points made here: 1. Due to the earnings test, with your income level, you'd have most or all survivor benefits withheld until you reach FRA anyway 2. Waiting until FRA means you get 100% of your husband's benefit amount versus a reduced amount now 3. You can take survivor benefits at FRA and then switch to your own higher benefit at 70 (this is still allowed) 4. When you eventually collect survivor benefits, they'll be taxed based on your overall income; potentially less tax impact if your income is lower by then Given these factors, waiting until FRA to apply for survivor benefits appears to be the optimal strategy in your specific situation.

One other aspect to consider if your own benefit is low: have you checked if you qualify for SSI (Supplemental Security Income)? If your resources and income are below certain limits, you might qualify for SSI now, even while waiting to claim your retirement benefit at 70. Another option worth exploring: if you worked fewer years than your ex-spouse, you might want to calculate whether claiming at 68 (now) might actually be better than waiting until 70. The extra 2 years of payments might outweigh the 16% increase you'd get by waiting, depending on your life expectancy and financial needs. I'd recommend using the calculators on ssa.gov or scheduling an appointment with a claims specialist to run different scenarios.

This is exactly why Social Security rules need to be reformed. The arbitrary 10-year cutoff for divorce benefits hurts many people who fall just short. After all, 6 years is still a significant relationship, and your ex contributed to the system his entire career. Unfortunately, until Congress changes these rules, SSA representatives have to follow them exactly as written. For now, I agree with the suggestion to look into SSI while waiting for your retirement benefits. Also consider whether you might qualify for any state-based assistance programs that could help bridge the gap until age 70.

One more important thing to consider: If you switch to retirement benefits at 62, that reduced amount becomes your permanent benefit (except for COLA increases). You won't suddenly get a higher amount when you reach 67. So you need to weigh the advantage of switching sooner (no asset limits, potentially higher than SSI) against the disadvantage of locking in a permanently reduced retirement benefit. This is why getting your exact numbers from SSA is so important before deciding.

After dealing with SSI's ridiculous restrictions for years, I'd take a slightly lower permanent payment just to be FREE of those asset limits!!! Being able to save money without fear of losing benefits is worth its weight in gold. My mother-in-law chose early retirement at 62 instead of continuing disability benefits and says it's the best decision she ever made - the peace of mind was worth WAY more than the extra money would have been.

Will your daughter be going to college? My friends kid still got survivor benefits during college so maybe look into that too!

Thank you all for the helpful information! I think I'm going to encourage her to take the job since she won't lose all benefits, just a reduction. We'll definitely report it to SSA right away and I'll make sure to keep track of her annual earnings. I appreciate everyone's advice!