Taking SS at 62 vs 65 - how much survivor benefit will I get from husband's higher benefit?

What you're referring to is called survivor benefits. As a widow, you would receive the higher of either your own benefit or your husband's full benefit amount. You don't get both combined or "topped off" - you get whichever is larger. If you claim your own retirement at 62, it will be permanently reduced (about 30% less than your FRA amount). This reduction doesn't affect survivor benefits though. If your husband passes away, you would get his full benefit amount (assuming he waited until his FRA to claim). Waiting until 65 to claim your own retirement would mean a smaller reduction (about 13.3% less than your FRA), but wouldn't change what you'd get as a survivor.

my mom got widowed last year and ss is so confusing!!!! she got dad's benefit which was way higher than hers. But they dont ADD together like u were asking. she just gets the bigger one. good luck figuring it all out!

You're asking about survivor benefits, which is an important planning consideration. Here's a more complete picture: 1. If you claim at 62, your benefit is permanently reduced to $850 (about 30% less than your FRA amount) 2. If your husband claims at his FRA (67) and later passes away, you would receive his FULL benefit amount as a survivor benefit (the $1600-1900), replacing your smaller benefit 3. The age YOU claim your OWN retirement benefit does NOT affect the amount of survivor benefits you would receive later 4. However, if you are widowed BEFORE you've claimed any benefits, and you claim survivor benefits before YOUR full retirement age, those survivor benefits would be reduced This is why some financial advisors suggest the lower-earning spouse might claim early while the higher-earning spouse delays as long as possible - it maximizes the survivor benefit.

OMG the SSA makes this SOOO COMPLICATED!!! I went through this exact same question last year when deciding when to take my benefits. My husband makes way more than me too. I ended up just taking mine at 62 because who knows how long we have on this earth??!! I figured I'd rather have the money now to enjoy while I'm still healthy enough to travel. Just my two cents!

One important consideration that hasn't been mentioned: if your husband delays claiming BEYOND his FRA, he earns delayed retirement credits that increase his benefit by 8% per year up to age 70. This increased amount becomes the survivor benefit baseline. For example, if his FRA benefit would be $1600 but he delays to 70, it could grow to around $2000. If he predeceases you, you would then receive that higher amount as your survivor benefit. This strategy - where the lower earner claims earlier and the higher earner delays as long as possible - is often recommended specifically to maximize the eventual survivor benefit.

I spent 3 WEEKS trying to get someone at SSA on the phone to answer these exact questions last year when my husband passed. Constantly disconnected or on hold for hours. finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person at SSA in under 10 minutes. they have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU the SSA rep confirmed what others said - as a widow you get the higher of your benefit or your deceased spouse's, not both combined. in my case, taking my benefits early didn't affect what I got as a widow.

my sister said she thinks if u take ur SS early at 62 then it DOES affect ur survivors benefits later!! now im confused by what everyones saying here that its not affected???? anybody SURE about this??

Regarding your question about waiting until 65 instead of claiming at 62: Your own benefit would be approximately $150-200 higher per month if you wait until 65 vs. 62. But as others have pointed out, this won't affect what you'd receive as a survivor benefit later. However, those extra dollars could be significant if: 1. Your husband lives a long life and you never need to claim survivor benefits 2. You have other income that might make your Social Security taxable 3. You're still working between 62-65 and might face the earnings test I'd recommend using the calculators on SSA.gov to get exact figures for your situation.

One additional tip - when you're ready to apply, you can schedule an appointment at your local SSA office to discuss all these options. They can run calculations specific to your situation and help you understand all the implications. Just be aware that getting an appointment might take several weeks. Start that process well before you plan to claim benefits.