Can I collect my deceased husband's Social Security at 60 with pension income limits? How will it affect my own SS benefits?

Yes, you CAN collect survivor benefits at 60, but there are several factors to consider: 1. The earnings test will apply until you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA). For 2025, if you're under FRA, SSA will deduct $1 for every $2 you earn above $23,520. Your combined income of $63,000 means you'll face a substantial reduction. 2. Your teacher's pension may trigger the Government Pension Offset (GPO) which can reduce survivor benefits by 2/3 of your pension amount if your teaching job didn't pay into Social Security. 3. Taking survivor benefits early (at 60 instead of your FRA) will permanently reduce them by about 28.5%. The good news: You can switch to your own higher retirement benefit later without penalty. This strategy (taking reduced survivors now, own benefit later) often works well despite the earnings test.

When my husband passed away I was 58 and tried to get his benefits at 60 too. BIG MISTAKE!!! The SSA took FOREVER to process my application and then told me I couldn't get anything because I made "too much money" from my job!!! They never explained this earnings limit before I applied!!! I wasted 4 months going back and forth with them and got NOTHING. The whole system is a SCAM designed to keep widows from getting what they deserve!!!

I went through this exact situation last year. Here's what you need to know based on my experience: 1. Yes, you can file for survivor benefits at 60, but with your income ($48K pension + $15K part-time), you'll hit the earnings limit hard. For every $2 you earn above the $23,520 limit, they'll deduct $1 from your benefits. 2. Since your teaching position paid into Social Security, the GPO won't apply to you (that's a relief!). 3. The smart strategy is exactly what you're thinking - claim survivors at 60 (or whenever you stop working if that makes more sense), then switch to your own higher benefit at your Full Retirement Age. 4. You can run calculations on the SSA website using their estimator tools, but with your income level, you might not see much benefit until you either reduce work hours or reach FRA when the earnings test disappears. Pro tip: When you apply, make absolutely sure they understand you're only claiming SURVIVOR benefits and want to claim your own retirement benefit later. They sometimes confuse this and it can cause major problems.

my sister went thru this 2 yrs ago and found something interesting. the earnings limit only applies to WAGES not pension!! the ssa only counts the $15k part time job against the limit not your pension. At least thats what they told her. anybody else hear this??

After struggling to reach SSA for weeks about a similar survivor benefit question, I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). It got me connected to a real SSA agent in under 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I finally spoke with a representative, they confirmed what others here are saying - only your work income ($15K) counts toward the earnings test, not your pension. The agent calculated my specific reduction and helped me decide if filing early made sense. Sometimes having your exact numbers from SSA makes the decision clearer than general advice.

wait i'm confused... so do you get to collect both your pension AND your husbands social security at the same time? or do they reduce one because of the other? how does that work exactly?

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I'm relieved to learn that my pension doesn't count toward the earnings test - that changes everything. Based on your advice, it seems like I should: 1. Apply for survivor benefits right at 60 2. Understand I'll face some reduction due to my $15K part-time income 3. Later switch to my own retirement benefit at my FRA I'm going to try using that Claimyr service to get specific numbers from SSA before making my final decision. It's so helpful to hear from others who've been through this complicated process!

BE CAREFUL!! Even with the pension not counting, they'll still reduce your survivors benefit by 28.5% for taking it at 60 instead of waiting till your full retirement age!!! That's a PERMANENT reduction!!! The SSA doesn't make this clear until AFTER you apply!!!

I'm in a very similar situation - lost my spouse 8 months ago and turning 60 next year. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea that pension income doesn't count toward the earnings test - I was almost ready to give up on applying early because I thought my teacher's pension would disqualify me completely. One question for those who've been through this: how long did the application process actually take once you submitted everything? I keep hearing horror stories about months-long delays, and I'm wondering if I should apply a few months before I turn 60 to account for processing time. Also, did anyone have issues with SSA trying to auto-enroll you in Medicare Part B when you applied for survivor benefits? I'm still on my employer's health plan and want to avoid the Medicare penalty later. Thanks to everyone sharing their real experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to decipher the SSA website!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Connor. Navigating Social Security after losing a spouse is overwhelming, especially when you can't even get through to speak with someone at SSA. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like you're actually in a better position than you initially thought! Since only your $15K part-time work income counts toward the earnings test (not your $48K pension), you'd only be about $8,500 over the $23,520 limit. That means roughly $4,250 would be deducted from your annual survivor benefits - much more manageable than if your entire $63K income counted. The strategy of taking survivor benefits at 60 and then switching to your own higher benefit at FRA makes a lot of sense financially, even with the early filing reduction. You're essentially getting something now while preserving your own higher benefit for later. One thing I'd add: consider whether you might reduce or eliminate that part-time work in a year or two. If you could get below the earnings limit, you'd receive your full (though reduced for early filing) survivor benefit amount. Sometimes the math works out better to reduce work income and collect more in benefits, depending on your specific situation. The Claimyr service mentioned by Oliver sounds like it could really help you get the specific calculations you need to make an informed decision. Good luck!

I'm really sorry for your loss, Connor. This is such a challenging situation to navigate while you're grieving. Based on the excellent advice shared here, it sounds like you're in a much better position than you initially thought! The key insight that your pension doesn't count toward the earnings test is huge - it means only your $15K part-time income matters for the calculation. Here's what I'd suggest as next steps: 1. Use that Claimyr service to get actual SSA calculations with your specific numbers 2. Consider whether reducing your part-time hours to get under the $23,520 limit makes financial sense 3. Apply about 2-3 months before you turn 60 to account for processing delays 4. Make absolutely clear you want SURVIVOR benefits only, not your own retirement benefits The strategy everyone's describing - taking reduced survivor benefits now, then switching to your own higher benefit at FRA - is exactly what financial planners often recommend for widows in your situation. Even with the early filing reduction on the survivor benefit, you're maximizing your lifetime benefits. One more thought: keep detailed records of everything throughout this process. The SSA can be inconsistent, and having documentation helps if you need to clarify anything later. You've got this! The community here has given you a great roadmap to follow.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Connor. Losing a spouse is devastating, and having to navigate these complex Social Security rules while grieving makes it even harder. Reading through all the responses here, I think you've gotten some excellent guidance! The key revelation that only your $15K part-time income (not your pension) counts toward the earnings test really changes your situation significantly. I wanted to add one consideration that might be helpful: since you mentioned you're still working part-time and earning $15K annually, you might want to think about the timing of when you actually file for survivor benefits within your 60th year. If there's a chance you could finish out a work contract or project early in the year and then reduce your hours, you could potentially minimize the earnings test impact even further. Also, don't let the horror stories about processing delays discourage you. While some people do experience long waits, many others (like Victoria mentioned) get through the process in 6-8 weeks. The key is having all your documentation ready and being persistent but polite with follow-ups. The strategy you're considering - survivor benefits now, your own retirement benefit later at FRA - is textbook smart financial planning for your situation. You're essentially maximizing your lifetime Social Security income while still maintaining your pension and some work income. That's a solid foundation for your financial security going forward. Best wishes as you navigate this process!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Connor. Having been through a similar situation myself, I understand how overwhelming it can be to navigate these decisions while grieving. You've received some truly excellent advice here, and I want to emphasize a few key points that really stood out to me: 1. **The pension income revelation is huge** - Only your $15K part-time work counts toward the earnings test, not your $48K pension. This completely changes your situation from what you initially thought. 2. **Your teaching job paying into Social Security is a major advantage** - No GPO to worry about, which means you can collect your full survivor benefit (minus any earnings test reduction). 3. **The timing strategy makes perfect sense** - Taking survivor benefits at 60 and switching to your own higher benefit at FRA is exactly what many financial advisors recommend for widows in your situation. One additional thought: since you mentioned trying to call SSA multiple times without success, you might also consider visiting your local SSA office in person if the phone service continues to be problematic. Sometimes face-to-face appointments can move things along more smoothly, especially for complex situations like yours. The fact that you're researching this thoroughly and asking the right questions shows you're going to make informed decisions. Your husband would be proud of how thoughtfully you're handling this difficult situation. Take care of yourself through this process!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Connor. What a difficult situation to navigate while you're grieving. After reading through all these responses, I wanted to add one more perspective that might be helpful. As someone who works in benefits administration (not SSA, but similar programs), I've seen how important it is to get everything documented properly from the start. When you do apply - whether through Claimyr or directly with SSA - I'd strongly recommend asking for written confirmation of a few key points: 1. That only your $15K work income (not pension) counts toward the earnings test 2. That your application is specifically for SURVIVOR benefits only 3. The exact monthly benefit amount you'll receive after any reductions 4. Confirmation that you can switch to your own retirement benefit later without penalty Also, consider asking about "protective filing" - you can establish your filing date even while gathering documents, which can be important for benefit calculations. The strategy everyone's outlined here really is sound financial planning. You're maximizing your lifetime benefits while maintaining your current income sources. That's exactly what you should be doing in this situation. Wishing you all the best as you move forward with this process!