Can I switch from ex-spouse's survivor benefits to my own SS retirement at 70 after starting at FRA?

Yes, you absolutely can do this! This is actually a smart strategy. You can claim survivor benefits based on your ex-husband's record at your FRA (67) and then switch to your own retirement benefits at 70 when they've reached their maximum value. Since you're waiting until your full retirement age to claim the survivor benefits, you'll get the full survivor benefit amount, and your own retirement benefits will continue to grow with delayed retirement credits until 70. Just make sure when you apply at 67 that you're specifically applying for survivor benefits ONLY, not your retirement benefits. Be very clear about this with SSA.

This won't work! They make you take the highest benefit amount available to you when you apply. My sister tried something similar and they automatically gave her the higher amount and said she couldn't switch later. The SSA doesn't let you pick and choose benefits that way - it's an either/or situation.

I did exactly what you're planning to do. I took my deceased ex-husband's survivor benefits at my FRA (which was 66 in my case) and then switched to my own higher benefit when I turned 70. It worked perfectly and increased my monthly income by almost $900. The key is making it very clear when you apply that you are ONLY applying for widow's benefits and you want to delay your retirement benefit. I recommend getting an appointment at your local SSA office - don't try to do this online or just by phone as it can get confusing. Bring your marriage certificate, divorce decree, and ex's death certificate to the appointment.

my mom tried to do this exact thing last year and the ssa rep she talked to had no idea what she was asking about!!! took her 3 different calls to finally get someone who understood the rules. definitely be persistent if the first person says no.

I had the WORST time trying to reach anyone at Social Security to discuss my benefits. After getting disconnected 4 times and waiting on hold for over 3 hours total, I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an SSA agent in under 20 minutes. It was a lifesaver for getting my survivor benefits questions answered! Check out their demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU or go to claimyr.com. Much better than spending your whole day on hold only to get disconnected.

THIS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE SS SYSTEM!!! Why do we need special "strategies" just to get our benefits? The whole system is designed to confuse people so they claim early and get less money. My cousin lost out on thousands because no one told her she could do what you're planning. The SSA should be required to tell people ALL their options instead of making us figure it out ourselves!!!

Thanks everyone for all this helpful information! I'm feeling much more confident about my plan now. One more question - when I eventually switch to my own benefits at 70, will I need to submit a completely new application, or just notify them that I want to switch?

Just wondering... what happens if you take your own benefit at 67 and then try to switch to survivor benefits later? Can you do it that way too?

make sure u have all ur documents!!! birth certificate, marriage license, divorce papers, death certificate for ex, etc. i forgot my divorce decree and had to reschedule my whole appointment and wait another 6 weeks!!

One other important thing to know - when you're receiving survivor benefits from 67-70, you can still work without any earnings limit penalties. The earnings test doesn't apply after you reach your full retirement age. So if you want to work part-time during those years, your survivor benefits won't be reduced no matter how much you earn.