Social Security survivor benefits at 63 while earning $60k - worth filing before FRA?

you need to check what your husbands benefit would be and what yours would be at FRA. if your going to make more on your own record then theres no reason to file for survivors now bc the earnings limit will reduce it anyway. but if his benefit is bigger it might be worth getting reduced survivors now and switching to your own at 67. just my 2 cents

This is a great question and actually more complex than most people realize. At age 63, you're subject to the earnings test if you claim survivor benefits while still working. For 2025, the earnings limit is around $22,600 (it increases slightly each year), and SSA withholds $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. With your $60,000 income, you'd be approximately $37,400 over the limit, which means about $18,700 would be withheld from your annual survivor benefit. If your husband's benefit (reduced for your early claiming at 63) would be more than this amount, you'd still receive something. However, there's another consideration: Any months where benefits are completely withheld due to earnings don't count as months of early claiming, which can work in your favor later. I'd recommend speaking directly with an SSA representative to run the actual calculations based on your specific earnings record and your husband's benefit amount.

I was in a VERY similar situation!!! My husband passed when I was 61 and I was still working making about $55k. I applied for survivor benefits at 63 (two years ago) and let me tell you it was NOT WORTH IT!!! After the earnings deduction I got like $120/month which is NOTHING compared to what I would have gotten if I wasn't working. The application was a NIGHTMARE and took MONTHS and all the paperwork and death certificates and marriage proof and everything... just to get that tiny amount!!! I wish I had just waited until my actual retirement. The stress of dealing with SSA wasn't worth the small benefit. Just my experience!!!

I tried calling social security for 3 WEEKS straight to ask this exact question last year! Either busy signals or on hold for hours then disconnected! Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with said in my case with similar earnings it wasn't worth claiming survivors until I retired or at least reduced my hours. The earnings test took almost all of it away. But your situation might be different depending on your husband's benefit amount.

The best strategy depends on your complete financial picture. Here's what you need to consider: 1. At 63, survivor benefits are reduced to about 87.75% of your husband's full benefit. 2. With $60,000 income, you'll lose approximately $18,700 of annual benefits to the earnings test (as someone mentioned above). 3. If your husband's benefit at his FRA was $2,800/month, for example, your reduced survivor benefit would be about $2,457/month. After the earnings test, that could be reduced by around $1,558/month, leaving you with about $899/month. 4. When you reach your FRA, you could switch to your own retirement benefit if it would be higher than the survivor benefit. 5. Importantly, any benefits withheld due to the earnings test are NOT lost forever. SSA recalculates your benefit when you reach FRA to credit back those months where benefits were completely withheld. Do you know what your husband's benefit amount was and what your own benefit would be at your FRA? Those are the key figures you need to make this decision.

I used Claimyr last month and it worked great! The SSA offices in my area were either closed or appointment-only with month-long waits. I was skeptical but it saved me so much time and frustration.

my mom tried to get survivors benefits while working but SSA messed up her application and she had to pay back THOUSANDS they overpaid her!!! be careful and double check everything they tell you!

has anyone mentioned restricted application? my brother did that with spousal benefits but im not sure if it applies for survivors benefits the same way

After reading through all these comments, I'd recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to get the exact numbers for your situation. The general advice here is helpful, but only SSA can tell you exactly what your benefit amounts would be with the earnings test applied. If your reduced survivor benefit after the earnings test would be at least a few hundred dollars per month, and your husband's benefit was significantly higher than your own, it might be worth applying now. You'd get some extra income for 4 years, and then switch to your own benefit at FRA. However, if the amount after the earnings test would be minimal, the paperwork and hassle of applying might not be worth it. Remember that you'll need to provide marriage certificate, death certificate, proof of your earnings, and potentially other documentation. Have you considered reducing your work hours to stay under the earnings limit? That might be another strategy worth exploring if it's feasible in your situation.