Can I collect reduced survivor benefits from disabled husband's SS while letting my own benefits grow until FRA?

First, I'm very sorry for your loss. To answer your main question: Yes, you can claim survivor benefits now at a reduced rate (since you're under FRA) and then switch to your own retirement benefits later at FRA or beyond. The fact that your husband was on SSDI doesn't reduce your survivor benefit - when a disability beneficiary passes away, their disability benefit converts to a survivor benefit for the eligible spouse. The reduction comes from claiming before your FRA, not from him being on disability.

when my wife died i got only like 70% of her benefit cause i took it at 60!!! they penalize you BIG TIME for taking early but sometimes u just need the $$$

To give you more specific information: If you claim survivor benefits at age 62, you'll receive approximately 71.5% of what you would get at your full retirement age. And yes, survivor benefits are subject to the earnings test if you're under FRA. For 2025, you can earn up to $22,750 without reduction, but they'll withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that threshold. The key advantage of your strategy is that survivor benefits and retirement benefits are treated separately, so you can take one reduced and the other at full value later. Your own retirement benefits will continue to grow until age 70 if you wait that long (adding 8% per year after FRA).

@confusedcommenter Yes, survivor benefits are different from regular retirement benefits. The "restricted application" rules that limited switching between spousal and personal benefits don't apply to survivor benefits. A widow/widower can still choose to take reduced survivor benefits early and then switch to their own retirement benefit later if it would be higher.

I just went through something similar last year when my husband died after being on disability. The SSA was IMPOSSIBLE to reach by phone - I tried for WEEKS. I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual SSA agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. Seriously saved me so much stress during an already difficult time. The agent I talked to confirmed everything people are saying here - I could take survivor benefits early and switch to my own later. They helped me analyze which option was best for my specific situation.

@angrycommenter Yes, it absolutely worked for me. After spending hours on hold multiple times, I was skeptical too, but it connected me directly to an agent. So much better than waiting for hours only to get disconnected. The SSA agent I spoke with was able to look at both my record and my late husband's record to show me exactly what my benefit amounts would be under different scenarios.

One thing nobody mentioned yet - make SURE you get the $255 death benefit!!!! SSA doesn't automatically give it to you, you have to ask for it!!!!!!

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that you should make an appointment at your local SSA office. While getting someone on the phone is difficult, in-person appointments can be scheduled online. I found it much more helpful to sit down with someone who could look at all my options. For survivor benefits, they often prefer to handle these cases in person anyway. When my sister was widowed, she tried doing everything by phone and ended up with incorrect information.

Thank you all for the helpful information. I think my best strategy is to take the reduced survivor benefits now since I need the additional income, and then switch to my own retirement benefit when I reach FRA. I'll try to get an appointment at the local office and also check out that Claimyr service to speak with someone sooner. I definitely want to make sure I understand exactly how much I'll receive and how my part-time work will affect things before making any decisions. This community has been so helpful!