Can I collect Social Security survivor benefits if I delay my retirement benefits until 70?

Yes, you absolutely can collect survivor benefits while delaying your own retirement benefits until 70. This is actually a smart strategy in your situation. You can claim the survivor benefit when your wife passes away, and then switch to your own retirement benefit at age 70 when it reaches its maximum amount. The survivor benefit won't affect your own retirement benefit's delayed retirement credits.

i did smthing similar after my husband died. took survivors at 66 then switched to my own at 70. worked out great for me but sorry about your situation with your wife.

This is one of the few remaining "claim now, claim more later" strategies still available after the 2015 law changes. Since you're at FRA already, you can receive 100% of your wife's benefit as a survivor benefit without any reduction, while letting your own retirement benefit continue to grow by 8% per year until age 70. When you apply for the survivor benefit, make absolutely sure that SSA understands you are ONLY applying for the survivor benefit and NOT your retirement benefit. Be very explicit about this or they might accidentally file for both, which would prevent your retirement benefit from growing to its maximum at 70. Also, I'm very sorry about your wife's health situation. Make sure to keep all her Social Security information (number, benefit amount) accessible for when you need to apply for survivor benefits.

The same thing happened to me last year - I was waiting till 70 to claim when my wife passed. When I went to the SSA office to apply for survivor benefits, they tried to file both my survivor AND retirement benefit! I had to stop them and insist I only wanted the survivor benefit. The agent seemed confused and had to talk to a supervisor. I wish I'd known about Claimyr back then - my brother just used their service (claimyr.com) to get through to Social Security without the endless hold times. He showed me the video of how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Might be worth checking out when you need to make this call, especially for something complicated like this where you need to make sure they process it correctly.

CAREFUL!!! The rules changed in 2015 with that budget bill!! You might not be able to do this strategy anymore!!

I'm so sorry about your wife's health. My aunt went through something similar last year. The SSA actually made her pay back some benefits they said she shouldn't have received when her husband died - even though THEY told her to apply for them! The whole system is just designed to confuse people. Hope things work out better for you.

When my dad died, my mom tried this but the SS office told her she HAD to take her own retirement instead of just the survivors?? They said the law says you have to take the highest benefit you qualify for. Is that wrong?

wait i'm confused. his wife is on disability not SS retirement? does that make a difference? aren't survivor benefits different for disability?

I want to thank everyone for the helpful advice. This has clarified a lot for me. I'll definitely be careful to specifically request ONLY survivor benefits when the time comes, and make sure they don't accidentally file for my retirement benefits too. I'll probably try to get an appointment at the local office rather than doing it online, based on everyone's suggestions. This has been really helpful during a difficult time.

I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's situation. What you're going through must be incredibly difficult. Just wanted to add one more practical tip that might help - when you do need to apply for survivor benefits, consider bringing a trusted family member or friend with you to the appointment. Having someone else there can help ensure nothing gets missed or misunderstood, especially during such an emotional time. They can also help take notes and ask questions you might not think of. Also, if your wife has any other benefits or accounts (like a pension, 401k, or life insurance), make sure you understand how those might interact with Social Security survivor benefits. Sometimes there are coordination rules that could affect your overall financial picture. Wishing you and your wife peace during this challenging time.

I'm really sorry about your wife's condition - this must be such a difficult time for you both. I wanted to add something that might be helpful: make sure you have copies of your wife's Social Security award letter and any recent statements showing her benefit amount. When you apply for survivor benefits, having this documentation readily available can help speed up the process and ensure they calculate your survivor benefit correctly. Also, since your wife's SSDI will convert to retirement benefits in February 2026, you might want to contact SSA around that time to confirm what her "retirement" benefit amount will be, as this could affect your potential survivor benefit calculation. One more thing - if you haven't already, consider getting a my Social Security account set up online now while things are relatively calm. It will make it easier to access your records and track your own benefit projections as you get closer to age 70. Stay strong, and I hope the advice here helps you navigate this complicated situation.

I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's health situation. What you're facing is incredibly difficult, and I admire your thoughtfulness in planning ahead during such a challenging time. Everyone here has given you excellent advice about the survivor benefit strategy. I wanted to add one important timing consideration: since your wife's SSDI converts to retirement benefits in February 2026 and your FRA is April 2026, you'll have a brief window where you could potentially optimize things further. If your wife passes after February 2026 but before you reach 70, you'll want to compare her converted retirement benefit amount to what your survivor benefit would be based on her SSDI record. Sometimes the calculation can work out differently, and you want to make sure you're getting the maximum survivor benefit possible. Also, don't forget that as a surviving spouse, you may be eligible for a one-time death benefit of $255 when the time comes. It's not much, but every bit helps with final expenses. The strategy of taking survivor benefits while delaying your own retirement benefit until 70 is still completely valid and can be very beneficial financially. Just make sure to be crystal clear with SSA about your intentions when you apply. My thoughts are with you and your wife during this difficult journey.

I'm deeply sorry about your wife's situation - you're facing something incredibly difficult with such grace and thoughtfulness. I want to emphasize something that several others have touched on: the importance of getting everything documented properly when you do apply for survivor benefits. In addition to being explicit about wanting ONLY survivor benefits, I'd recommend asking for a written summary of what was processed after your application is complete. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're currently receiving any spousal benefits on your wife's record (which it doesn't sound like you are, but just in case), those would end when you become eligible for survivor benefits. The survivor benefit is typically higher, so this usually works in your favor, but it's worth understanding the transition. Also, since you mentioned your wife is in hospice care, you might want to ask them if they have a social worker who can help coordinate some of these benefit applications when the time comes. Many hospice programs have staff who are familiar with Social Security procedures and can provide additional support during what will already be an overwhelming time. Your strategy of delaying your own benefits until 70 while collecting survivor benefits is financially sound and perfectly legal. You're doing all the right research now when you can think clearly. That preparation will serve you well.

I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's condition - my heart goes out to you both during this incredibly difficult time. I want to add one more resource that might be helpful: consider reaching out to your local Area Agency on Aging. Many of them have benefits counselors who specialize in Social Security and Medicare issues, and they often provide free consultations. They can sometimes even accompany you to SSA appointments or help you practice what to say when applying to make sure you get exactly the benefits you're entitled to. Also, since you're planning this strategy carefully, you might want to run some numbers on what your survivor benefit amount would actually be compared to your own benefit at 70. If your wife's benefit is relatively small compared to what yours will be at 70, the financial advantage might be less significant - though every bit helps, and it's still a valid strategy. One final thought: make sure you understand the Medicare implications too. When you become eligible for survivor benefits, it might affect your Medicare enrollment timeline or options, especially since you're not currently receiving any Social Security benefits. The Medicare and Social Security systems sometimes interact in unexpected ways. You're asking all the right questions and planning thoughtfully during an unimaginably difficult time. That preparation will serve you well when you need to navigate these systems while grieving.

I'm so sorry to hear about your wife's health situation. My thoughts are with both of you during this incredibly difficult time. I wanted to share something that might be helpful from a practical standpoint - when you do need to apply for survivor benefits, consider bringing a notebook or folder with you that contains all the key information organized in one place. Include things like your wife's Social Security number, her current benefit amount, copies of any award letters, and a written list of the specific language you want to use (like "I am applying ONLY for survivor benefits and want to EXCLUDE my retirement benefits"). Also, since you mentioned you're 66 now and your FRA is April 2026, that timing actually works in your favor. You'll be past FRA when you potentially need to apply for survivor benefits, which means you'll get 100% of the survivor benefit without any age-related reductions. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you understand what happens to any Medicare coverage your wife currently has. When you become eligible for survivor benefits, you might need to make some decisions about Medicare coordination that could affect your overall healthcare costs. You're being incredibly thoughtful in planning ahead during such a challenging time. Having this strategy mapped out will give you one less thing to worry about when you're dealing with everything else.

I'm so sorry about your wife's situation - what you're both going through is heartbreaking, and I admire how thoughtfully you're planning during such a difficult time. I wanted to add one more perspective that might be helpful. Since you're currently 66 and not receiving any Social Security benefits yet, you're in a unique position to maximize this strategy. The fact that you can collect 100% of the survivor benefit (once you're past FRA in April 2026) while still earning delayed retirement credits until age 70 is really one of the best remaining optimization strategies available. Just to reinforce what others have said - when you do apply for survivor benefits, I'd strongly recommend calling rather than applying online. The phone representatives can better handle the complexity of restricting your application to only survivor benefits. And don't hesitate to hang up and call back if you get someone who seems confused about this strategy - not all SSA representatives are equally familiar with these rules. One small additional tip: keep a copy of your wife's most recent Social Security statement or award letter in an easily accessible place. You'll need her exact benefit amount and Social Security number when you apply, and having that information ready will help the process go more smoothly during what will already be a stressful time. Your research and preparation now will really pay off when you need to navigate this system while grieving. Wishing you both peace.