Can I work while collecting my deceased husband's Social Security survivor benefits?

Yes, you can work while collecting survivor benefits, but since you're under your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you'll be subject to the earnings limit. For 2025, if you earn more than $21,850 (approximately), SSA will deduct $1 from your benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. When you reach your FRA (probably 67 in your case), there will be no earnings limit at all. You might want to calculate whether it makes financial sense to claim now with the reduction or wait until you're closer to FRA.

Are you SURE you want to claim now??? I started my husbands survivor benefits at 58 too and I COMPLETELY REGRET IT!!! The reduction for claiming early is PERMANENT and I'm stuck with a much smaller check for the rest of my life. And the SSA people never explained this clearly to me when I applied!!!

Sorry about your husband. Been there. One thing nobody mentioned yet - if your own retirement benefit might be higher than your survivor benefit, you could take the reduced survivor benefit now and then switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 when it maxes out. That's what I did. Best of both worlds.

You can create an account at my.ssa.gov to see your estimated benefits. It will show your own retirement benefit at different ages. Compare that to what you'd get as a survivor (which would be your husband's benefit amount if he was at FRA, or what he was receiving if he had already started benefits). The strategy of taking reduced survivor benefits while working and then switching to your own retirement later can be smart if your own benefit at 70 would be higher than the survivor benefit at your FRA.

I had a lot of trouble reaching SSA when I was trying to apply for my survivor benefits last year. After getting disconnected multiple times and waiting on hold for hours, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Made a huge difference in getting my questions answered about the earnings limits and how the reductions would affect me personally.

Yes, it worked for me! I was skeptical too, but after spending two whole days trying to get through on my own, I was desperate. They connected me to an actual SSA agent who was able to give me specific information about my case. Much better than trying to piece together information from websites or waiting months for an in-person appointment.

i got widow benefits at 60 and still work full time. they take a bunch out each month but i get it back at tax time i think?? atleast that's what my son says lol. the rules r so confusing but im just happy to get something since my husband only had medicare when he passed, no other insurance.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I'm going to create that my.ssa.gov account today to look at my numbers. I think I might try the strategy of taking the reduced survivor benefit now (even with the earnings limit reduction) and then switching to my own benefit later if it would be higher. I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!

Make sure u ask for a WRITTEN BENEFIT ESTIMATE before you decide!! My neighbor got totally different amounts than what the website calculator said she would get!

I'm so sorry for your loss. I went through this same decision process last year at age 59. One thing that really helped me was scheduling an appointment at my local SSA office rather than trying to do everything online or over the phone. The representative walked me through the exact calculations with my real numbers - showing me what I'd get now versus waiting, how the earnings limit would affect me specifically, and what my own retirement benefit would look like at different ages. It took about an hour but was worth it to see everything laid out clearly. They also explained that if I change my mind about working more or less, I can always update my earnings estimate with them so the withholding is more accurate. Good luck with whatever you decide!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Luca. This is such a difficult situation to navigate both emotionally and financially. I went through something very similar when I lost my husband at 57. Based on what others have shared here, I'd strongly recommend getting that my.ssa.gov account set up first so you can see your actual numbers - it really makes a difference when you can compare your potential survivor benefit to your own retirement benefit projections. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier is that you can always change your mind about working levels later. If you find the earnings limit is taking too much of your benefit, you could reduce your hours temporarily, or if you need to work more, you can update your earnings estimate with SSA so they don't overwithhold. The most important thing right now is that you're already 2+ months into 2025 without any survivor benefits coming in while you're struggling financially. Sometimes the "good enough" decision made now is better than the "perfect" decision made months from now when you've missed out on help you desperately need. Hang in there - it does get easier to navigate once you get started with the process.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Luca. What a difficult situation to be in during an already challenging time. From everything shared here, it sounds like you have some really good options to consider. The strategy of taking survivor benefits now while working and potentially switching to your own retirement benefit later seems promising if your work record is strong. One practical tip that helped me when I was navigating Social Security - when you do call or visit the office, write down your questions beforehand and ask them to walk through specific dollar amounts with your actual earnings. Sometimes the general rules sound scarier than they are when you see your real numbers. Also, don't feel pressured to make a final decision in that first appointment - you can always ask them to mail you a written estimate to review at home. The community here has given you excellent advice about the my.ssa.gov account and being specific about applying for survivor benefits only. You've got this, and remember that getting some financial relief now while you figure out the longer-term strategy is completely valid. Take care of yourself during this process.