Social Security survivor benefits after ex-spouse death - work until 70 or claim now with health issues?

Since you were married more than 10 years and didn't remarry, you DO qualify for survivor benefits from your ex-husband. This is completely separate from your own retirement benefit. The smart play might be to take the survivor benefit now at 64 (you'll get a reduced amount since you're before FRA) and then switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 when it's maximized with delayed retirement credits (32% increase over your FRA amount). This strategy lets you get some money now while still maximizing your own benefit later.

my mom went thru something like this!! she took her ex's benefit when he died but she waited til EXACTLY full retirement age so she didn't lose any money. but the SSA office gave her wrong info twice before someone finally told her the right thing. def go IN PERSON if u can, the phone ppl sometimes dont know what there talking about

You've got a great opportunity for maximizing benefits here. With the survivor benefit from your ex-husband, you're subject to the earnings test if you're working and under FRA. In 2025, you'll lose $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above $23,500 (approximate - they adjust annually). But here's the important part: those survivor benefits aren't lost forever. SSA recalculates your benefit once you reach FRA to credit back withheld amounts. For your own retirement benefit, waiting until 70 gives you an 8% increase for each year beyond FRA. That's a lifetime 24% increase over your FRA amount. Given your health concerns, I'd run the numbers both ways - calculate your break-even point (usually around 80-82 years old) to see if delaying makes sense for your situation.

I'm curious about this too - I'm in a similar situation but I'm 62 and working part time. Following for the responses!

After dealing with similar issues last year, I gave up trying to reach SSA by phone after spending weeks getting busy signals and disconnections. I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU For complex situations like yours involving survivor benefits plus your own record, speaking directly with an SSA representative is crucial. They can run calculations showing different filing scenarios based on your specific earnings record.

i think ur lucky ur still working! i had to quit at 61 cause of my back. if ur healths not good maybe u should just take the benefits now? my sister waited and then got cancer and only collected for 2 years before she passed

The ENTIRE system is designed to MAKE YOU WAIT and then you DIE before collecting what you're owed!!! That's their WHOLE PLAN! Take whatever you can RIGHT NOW. I've been fighting with these people for THREE YEARS over my husband's benefits. They keep "losing" paperwork and making "mistakes" in their calculations. DON'T TRUST THEM TO DO ANYTHING RIGHT!!!

Regarding your health concerns - this is something many people don't consider properly when planning. The standard advice to delay to 70 works best if you'll live well into your 80s. For someone with serious health issues, claiming earlier can make more sense. One approach: Get an appointment with SSA to calculate the exact survivor benefit amount you'd receive now. Then compare that to what your own retirement benefit would be at 67 (FRA) and at 70. If your own benefit at 70 would be substantially higher than the survivor benefit, the strategy of claiming survivor now and switching later makes sense. Also important: You can apply for survivor benefits up to 6 months retroactively from when you apply, so don't delay your appointment too long.

My husband worked at ssa before retiring and he always told folks that if you've got health problems don't wait til 70!!! The break even point is usually around 80-82 years old. So if you don't think you'll make it that long then take it earlier. Also check if your survivor benefit might be higher than your own benefit - it depends on what your ex was earning

Since you mentioned your health isn't the best, here's another strategy to consider: Apply for reduced survivor benefits now, but ALSO apply for SSDI (disability benefits). If approved for SSDI, you'd receive your full retirement benefit amount without reduction. The SSDI approval process is lengthy and often involves appeals, but it's worth pursuing if your health condition is documented and severe enough to limit your ability to work. You can apply for both benefits simultaneously. This approach gives you some income now through survivor benefits while potentially securing your full retirement rate through SSDI if your health deteriorates further.

Thank you all for the helpful advice. I've scheduled an appointment with SSA (took forever to get through) to review my specific numbers. Going to get documentation of all my options before making a decision. I think I'm leaning toward taking the survivor benefit now and then switching to my own retirement benefit at 70, but I want to see the actual dollar amounts first. Will update once I have more information!