Can I collect my deceased husband's Social Security while letting mine grow until 70?

Yes, this strategy is absolutely legitimate and is called the "restricted application" for survivor benefits. You can collect survivor benefits as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled) while letting your own retirement benefit grow until 70, then switch to your own if it's higher. For 2025, the earnings limit for people under FRA is $22,320 for the entire year. Since you're making $19,800, you're under the limit, but just barely. If you go over, they'll deduct $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above the limit. Once you reach your Full Retirement Age, there is no earnings limit. This is one of the few remaining "claim now, claim more later" strategies after the 2015 rule changes. It ONLY works for survivor benefits now, not for spousal benefits unless you were born before January 2, 1954.

My condolensces on your loss. I did the exact sane thing when my hubby passed. Just be SUPER careful about that earnings limit - they dont tell you when youve gone over it and then BOOM they want all the money back! Happened to my cousin and it was a disaster for her finances!

Just to add some clarity to what others have mentioned: This strategy is called the "survivor strategy" and it's one of the most valuable claiming options available. The earnings limit for 2025 is $22,320 for people under Full Retirement Age (FRA), and SSA will deduct $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit. The survivor benefit is based on what your husband was receiving from SSDI. Since he was already receiving disability benefits, your survivor benefit would be roughly equal to his SSDI amount. Here's what makes this strategy powerful: your own retirement benefit continues to earn delayed retirement credits of 8% per year from your FRA until age 70. That means your benefit at 70 could be 24-32% higher than at your FRA. It's worth noting that survivor benefits taken before your FRA are reduced based on your age. At 62, you'd receive about 71.5% of your husband's full benefit amount.

i think ur overthinking this just go to ur local SS office & they'll tell you what to do. thats what i did. waited 3 hrs but the lady was super nice & set everything up 4 me.

I've been trying to get clarity on a similar situation for WEEKS. Called SSA 14 times and either got disconnected or was on hold for 2+ hours before having to hang up for other obligations. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent in 20 minutes. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed that yes, you can absolutely collect survivor benefits while letting your own benefit grow. They also explained that if you earn over the limit, SSA doesn't immediately cut you off - they calculate the overage and reduce benefits accordingly after you report your annual earnings. Sincere condolences on your loss. Navigating these benefits while grieving is incredibly difficult.

THEY DON'T WANT US TO KNOW THIS STRATEGY!!! My husband died in 2019 and NO ONE at Social Security told me I could do this even though I specifically asked about my options!! I found out TWO YEARS LATER from my financial advisor that I could have been collecting survivor benefits while letting mine grow!!! By then I had already claimed my own benefits early and PERMANENTLY reduced them. I'm so ANGRY about this still!!!

my friend was doing this but she worked retail during christmas and went over the limit by like $300 and they made her pay back a bunch of money so just be super careful with the math!! maybe stay like $1000 under the limit to be safe??

I think what you're describing is the restricted application strategy, and it's actually one of the few really good deals left in the Social Security system! I was able to do something similar after my wife passed. Just make absolutely sure you specify that you're applying ONLY for survivor benefits when you fill out the application. If you don't clearly indicate this, they might automatically process it as applying for all benefits you're eligible for, which would mean you'd get your own retirement benefit if it's higher and lose the ability to let it grow until 70. Also, definitely schedule an appointment rather than just walking in. The wait times have been absolutely insane lately.

does this work if ur ex husband dies too? we were married 12 years before divorce

I'm so sorry for your loss, Nora. What you're describing is absolutely a legitimate strategy and one of the smartest moves you can make in your situation. You can collect survivor benefits starting at age 60 (earlier if disabled) while allowing your own retirement benefit to continue growing until age 70. A few important points to consider: - At 62, your survivor benefit would be reduced to about 71.5% of your husband's full benefit amount - Your current earnings of $19,800 are safely under the 2025 limit of $22,320 - Your own retirement benefit will earn 8% delayed retirement credits each year you wait past your Full Retirement Age until 70 Since your husband was receiving SSDI, your survivor benefit would be based on his disability benefit amount. The key is to be very specific when applying - clearly state you want to apply ONLY for survivor benefits and exclude your own retirement benefits from the application. I'd strongly recommend getting a benefit estimate from SSA to compare what your survivor benefit would be now versus waiting until your FRA, and also get an estimate of what your own benefit would be at age 70. This will help you determine the optimal timing for your situation.

I'm sorry for your loss, Nora. Yes, this is absolutely a valid strategy! You can collect survivor benefits while letting your own retirement benefit grow until 70. At 62, you'd get about 71.5% of your husband's SSDI amount as a survivor benefit. Your earnings of $19,800 are safely under the 2025 limit of $22,320, so you should be fine. Just be cautious about any overtime or bonuses that might push you over - they reduce benefits by $1 for every $2 over the limit. One important tip: when you apply, be very specific that you want ONLY survivor benefits. Say "I wish to exclude retirement benefits on my own record" to prevent them from automatically filing for your own benefits too. The beauty of this strategy is that your own retirement benefit will continue earning 8% delayed retirement credits each year from your FRA (67) until age 70. So at 70, you could potentially switch to your own benefit if it ends up being higher than the survivor benefit. I'd suggest calling SSA or visiting an office to get benefit estimates for both scenarios so you can see the actual dollar amounts and make the best decision for your situation.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Nora. This is indeed a legitimate and very smart strategy! You can absolutely collect survivor benefits starting at age 60 (you're already 62) while letting your own retirement benefits grow until age 70. A few key points for your situation: - Your current earnings of $19,800 are safely under the 2025 earnings limit of $22,320 for people under Full Retirement Age - Since your husband was receiving SSDI, your survivor benefit would be based on his disability benefit amount - At 62, you'd receive about 71.5% of his full benefit amount due to early claiming reduction - Your own retirement benefit will continue earning 8% delayed retirement credits each year from your FRA (67) until age 70 The most critical thing when you apply: be very specific that you want ONLY survivor benefits. Tell them "I wish to exclude retirement benefits on my own record" to prevent automatic filing for your own benefits. I'd strongly recommend getting benefit estimates from SSA for both your potential survivor benefit now and your projected retirement benefit at age 70. This will help you see the actual numbers and confirm this strategy makes sense for your specific situation. This is one of the few remaining "claim now, claim more later" strategies available after the 2015 rule changes, and you're in the perfect position to use it effectively.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Nora. What you're describing is absolutely legitimate and one of the smartest Social Security strategies available today. You can definitely collect survivor benefits while letting your own retirement benefit grow until age 70. A few key considerations for your situation: - At 62, you'd receive approximately 71.5% of your husband's SSDI amount as your survivor benefit - Your earnings of $19,800 are comfortably under the 2025 limit of $22,320, so you should qualify for full benefits - Your own retirement benefit will earn 8% delayed retirement credits each year from your FRA (67) until age 70, potentially increasing it by 24% The most important thing when you apply: be extremely specific that you want ONLY survivor benefits. Use the exact phrase "I wish to exclude retirement benefits on my own record" to prevent SSA from automatically processing your own benefits, which would eliminate this strategy. I'd recommend calling SSA or visiting a local office to get written benefit estimates for both scenarios - your survivor benefit now and your projected retirement benefit at 70. Having these actual dollar amounts will help you make the most informed decision. This is one of the few remaining "file and suspend" type strategies after the 2015 rule changes, and you're in an ideal position to take advantage of it. Take your time with the decision and don't let anyone pressure you into claiming your own benefits early.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Nora. What you're asking about is absolutely a legitimate strategy and you're smart to research it thoroughly before making any decisions. You can indeed collect survivor benefits starting at age 60 (you're already 62) while allowing your own retirement benefits to continue growing until age 70. This is one of the few remaining "claim now, claim more later" strategies that survived the 2015 Social Security rule changes. Here's what you need to know for your specific situation: - At 62, your survivor benefit would be about 71.5% of your husband's full SSDI amount due to early claiming reductions - Your current earnings of $19,800 are safely under the 2025 earnings limit of $22,320 for people under Full Retirement Age - Your own retirement benefit will earn 8% delayed retirement credits each year from your FRA (67) until age 70, potentially increasing it by 24% The most critical part of this strategy is being extremely specific when you apply. You must tell SSA that you want to apply ONLY for survivor benefits. Use this exact phrase: "I wish to exclude retirement benefits on my own record." If you don't specify this, they might automatically process your application for all benefits you're eligible for, which would eliminate your ability to let your own benefit grow. I'd strongly recommend getting written benefit estimates from SSA before making your final decision - both for your survivor benefit now and your projected retirement benefit at 70. This will help you see the actual dollar amounts and confirm this approach makes financial sense for your situation. Take your time with this decision and don't let anyone pressure you into claiming your own benefits early. You're in a great position to maximize your lifetime Social Security income.