Can I collect my deceased husband's Social Security at 60 while still working until retirement?

I'm sorry for your loss. The SSA rep you spoke with wasn't giving you accurate information. For the annual earnings test, ALL earnings in 2025 count toward the limit, even if you stop working mid-year. Since you've already exceeded the 2025 earnings limit, any survivor benefits you'd be eligible for in 2025 would be completely withheld. You'd need to wait until January 2026 to start receiving survivor benefits if you want to avoid the earnings test reduction. And yes, your strategy of taking reduced survivor benefits at 60 (or in your case, at 60.5 when you'll be eligible in January 2026) and then switching to your own retirement benefit at 70 is called 'restricted application' and is still allowed for survivor benefits.

So sorry about your husband. The exact same thing happened to my sister last year. She was told THREE different things by three different SSA people! Its crazy how they give different answers. She ended up just waiting till January to avoid the whole earnings test mess and it worked out better for her taxes anyway.

I went thru this 5 years ago when my husband died. The ANNUAL earnings test is what matters - they look at your W2 for the whole year, not just the months you work. Since your already over the limit for 2025 they'll withhold your benefits for the rest of the year. Just wait till January. But here's another thing - do you know if your own SS benefit at 70 will be higher than your husbands? Because if not, you might want to take your own reduced benefit now and save the survivor benefit for later. Have they told you the benefit amounts?

First, please accept my condolences on your loss. You've received good advice already about the earnings test applying to the full calendar year. To add a bit more technical detail: The 2025 annual exempt amount for someone your age (under Full Retirement Age) is projected to be around $22,320. For every $2 you earn above that limit, $1 is withheld from benefits. Since you mentioned exceeding the cap significantly by June, you're correct that waiting until January 2026 makes the most sense. Your strategy of claiming survivor benefits first (at a reduced rate) and then switching to your own retirement benefit at age 70 is financially sound if your own benefit will ultimately be larger. This approach is still permitted for survivor benefits even after the law changes from the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act. One other consideration: If your husband's work was subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO) due to his teaching career, this could impact the benefits. You might want to request a detailed calculation of your survivor benefit amount.

wait i'm confused... if she's retiring completely in June why does she have to wait until NEXT January?? shouldn't she be able to get benefits after she stops working in June?? the whole system is so complicated i swear they make it confusing on purpose

I had almost the exact same situation when my husband passed two years ago. I tried for WEEKS to get through to Social Security on the phone and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real SSA agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It was worth it because when I finally talked to the right person, they explained exactly how the earnings test would impact my survivor benefits and helped me plan the right filing strategy. Saved me from making a costly mistake based on incorrect info from the first agent I spoke with.

You CANNOT collect when you're over the earnings limit, period! The SSA rep gave you WRONG info! My cousin tried to do this and they made her PAY BACK $7,000!!! Wait until January!!!

Based on all the advice you've received, here's a summary of your best path forward: 1. Wait until January 2026 to apply for survivor benefits (you'll be 60.5 by then) 2. Let your own retirement benefit grow until age 70 3. Switch to your own higher benefit at age 70 Also, don't forget that you may be eligible for a one-time death benefit of $255, and if you have any children under 18 or disabled adult children, they might qualify for benefits too. When you do apply, bring your marriage certificate, husband's death certificate, both your Social Security cards, and your birth certificate. You'll save time if you have all documents ready.

I'm so sorry for your loss. What a difficult situation to navigate during such a hard time. You've gotten excellent advice here - the SSA representative definitely gave you incorrect information about the earnings test. The annual earnings limit applies to your entire calendar year earnings, not just the months you're actively working. Since you've already exceeded the 2025 limit, waiting until January 2026 is absolutely the right call. I wanted to add one more consideration: when you do apply in January 2026, make sure to ask about the "file and suspend" option timeline. Since your own benefit at 70 will be significantly higher ($3,700 vs $1,850), you're making the smart choice to take the smaller survivor benefit first. Just be aware that you'll need to actively switch to your own retirement benefit when you turn 70 - Social Security won't automatically give you the higher amount. Also, consider meeting with a Social Security representative in person at your local office when you apply. Given the misinformation you received over the phone, an in-person appointment might help ensure you get accurate guidance and proper documentation of your filing strategy.