Social Security early claiming affects spousal benefits but not widow benefits?
I'm trying to understand how my early retirement decision might affect different benefits scenarios down the road. I just turned 60 and I'm weighing my options. From what I've researched so far: • If I claim my own Social Security retirement benefits early at 62, I'll take about a 30% reduction from my full retirement age amount. • If I later decide that my husband's record would give me higher spousal benefits, I think the early filing reduction from my own record would still affect what I could get as a spouse. • But if my husband passes away (hoping this doesn't happen for many years!), I believe I could get his full benefit amount as a widow regardless of when I started my own benefits. Can someone confirm if I've got this right? The SSA website is confusing me and I've heard different things from friends. The difference between spousal and survivor benefits is especially muddy to me. Thanks in advance!
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Omar Fawaz
You've got it exactly right on all points! The early filing reduction does stick with you if you later switch to spousal benefits (which max out at 50% of your husband's FRA amount). But for survivor benefits, you can get 100% of what your husband was receiving when he died, regardless of when you started your own benefits. One clarification though - for survivor benefits, if your husband hasn't claimed yet when he passes, you'd get what he would have received at his full retirement age, not including any delayed retirement credits he might have earned by waiting beyond FRA.
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Freya Thomsen
•Thank you so much! That's a relief to know. So just to be 100% clear - if I take my benefits at 62 with the 30% reduction, but then my husband passes away years later (he plans to wait until 70 to maximize his benefit), I would get his age 70 amount as my survivor benefit? The early filing penalty on my own record wouldn't affect that?
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Chloe Martin
ur slightly wrong about the spousal benfit part. when u claim early the reduction is based on YOUR age when YOU claim, not when u claim spousal. so if u claim at 62 and switch to spousal later its still reduced based on claiming at 62. but ur right about survivor- that's completely separate and not affected by when u claim ur own.
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Omar Fawaz
•Actually, that's exactly what the original poster said - that the reduction would "follow" them if they later switched to spousal benefits. So we're all in agreement here.
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Diego Rojas
You've got the main concepts correct. Here's the technical explanation: 1. Early retirement reduction: When you claim at 62, your benefit is reduced by approximately 30% from your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). 2. Deemed filing: When you file for your own benefits early, you're deemed to have filed for any spousal benefits you're eligible for at the same time. The reduction percentage is based on your age when you file. 3. Survivor benefits: As a widow, you're eligible for up to 100% of your deceased husband's benefit amount, including any delayed retirement credits he earned. Your own filing age for retirement benefits doesn't impact this. However, if you claim survivor benefits before your own full retirement age, those survivor benefits would be reduced based on your age when you claim them.
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Freya Thomsen
•Thank you for this detailed breakdown! So my early claiming only affects my retirement and potential spousal benefits, not survivor benefits. That's a huge relief since my husband's benefit will be substantially larger than mine.
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Anastasia Sokolov
NO NO NO! This is all WRONG! My sister claimed early and then when her husband died she got REDUCED survivor benefits! The SSA told her she was permanently reduced because she claimed early! They PUNISH you for claiming early no matter what!!!!!
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Diego Rojas
•That's not correct. Your sister's situation was likely different. If she claimed survivor benefits before her full retirement age, then yes, those would be reduced. But claiming her own retirement benefits early doesn't automatically reduce survivor benefits if she claims them at or after her full retirement age. When dealing with Social Security, the specific details of each case matter tremendously. The rules are complex but consistent.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•Well that's not what they told her!! The SSA people lie all the time and give different answers. She was in tears for weeks after this happened!
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StarSeeker
I went through this exact situation last year. I had claimed early at 62, then my husband passed away when I was 67. I was able to switch to his full benefit amount with no reduction whatsoever. In fact, I got both his delayed retirement credits (he waited until 68 to claim) AND a one-time $255 death benefit. The confusing part was having to physically go into the SSA office with his death certificate and our marriage license. The phone lines were impossible - I spent 3 hours on hold then got disconnected. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a real person. They got me connected with an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it really helped when I needed to confirm what I was eligible for before going to the office.
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Sean O'Donnell
•did that claimyr thing really work? ive been trying to get thru to ssa for WEEKS now. my uncle told me to just show up at the office but i work during all their open hours
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StarSeeker
•Yes, it definitely worked for me! I was skeptical too, but after trying for days to get through normally, I was desperate. The service connected me directly to an SSA agent who confirmed exactly what benefits I was entitled to as a widow. Saved me from taking time off work for potentially nothing.
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Zara Ahmed
One thing nobody mentioned is that you need to be married for at least 9 months to get widow benefits. My friend's husband died 8 months after their wedding and she got NOTHING. Also my mom was married to my dad for 40+ years and they gave her a hard time about proving the marriage even with her marriage certificate!
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Freya Thomsen
•Oh, I didn't know about the 9-month requirement! Thankfully we've been married for 35 years, so that won't be an issue. Good to know about having documentation ready though!
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Sean O'Donnell
just wanted to say im in the exact same boat! im 61 and trying to figure all this out too. i think im going to take mine early bc i need the money now, but its nice to know if my husband dies (hes got heart problems) i can still get his full amount. social security is so confusing!!
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Freya Thomsen
•It really is confusing! I've been reading about this for weeks and still don't feel 100% confident. I might take mine early too - we need to do what works for our individual situations.
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Omar Fawaz
Just to add one more point - when you're making these decisions, consider your life expectancy and health status. If you have reason to believe you'll have a shorter-than-average lifespan, claiming early often makes mathematical sense. If you expect to live well into your 80s or 90s, waiting until FRA or even 70 (for your husband especially) can be better in the long run. Also, don't forget that if both of you are collecting benefits and one passes away, the survivor keeps the higher of the two benefits, not both. That's why it can be a good strategy for the higher earner to delay claiming as long as possible.
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Freya Thomsen
•That's excellent advice. My husband is the higher earner and plans to wait until 70. I'm in good health with longevity in my family, but we could really use the extra income from my benefits soon. It's a difficult balance to strike!
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