Widow's Social Security benefit timing - claim at 60, 62 or FRA after self-employed husband died at 53?

I'm so sorry for your loss. You're correct that survivor benefits work differently than regular retirement. Here's what you should know: - You can claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled) - If you claim at 60, you'll receive about 71.5% of your husband's full benefit amount - Each month you wait after 60 increases the percentage slightly - If you wait until your FRA (which is likely 67), you'd get 100% of what your husband would have received at his FRA Since you're not working, there's no earnings limit to worry about. The real question is whether you need the money now versus maximizing the monthly amount later. One strategy to consider: claim survivor benefits at 60, then switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 if your own benefit with delayed credits would be higher. Though in your case, if his earnings were substantially higher, this might not apply. I'd recommend making an appointment with SSA to get personalized calculations based on both your earnings records.

When SSA calculates survivor benefits for someone who died before receiving benefits, they use something called the "Death Primary Insurance Amount (PIA)." They look at your husband's actual earnings up to the point of death, but they don't require the usual 35 years of earnings that retirement benefits normally use. Specifically, they only count years from age 22 up to the year of death, and they can drop up to 5 years of low/no earnings from that calculation. This often results in a higher PIA than if they required all 35 years. So the amount is based on what he actually earned, but with a calculation method that's generally more favorable for younger deceased workers. At your FRA, you'd get 100% of this Death PIA. At 60, you'd get 71.5% of it.

sorry about your husband. when my wife died i was 58 and i waited till 60 to claim. honestly i wish i had waited longer cause money is tight now and that extra 28.5% would really help. just my 2 cents

i did some part time work but nothing serious. if i could go back i would have worked more and waited to claim. you lose alot by claiming early and it NEVER goes back up

Do you have any other sources of income? That's really the key question. If selling the business will give you enough to live on until FRA, definitely wait! The difference between 71.5% at 60 and 100% at FRA is HUGE over your lifetime. I claimed my husband's survivor benefits at 60 because I HAD to, but I regret it every single month when I look at that check. If you have other assets or income to bridge the gap, USE THEM and wait!!!

One thing nobody's mentioned is that the calculation for his benefit will be affected by whether he had any years with no/low income. If he worked consistently since college age with good earnings, his PIA calculation will be pretty strong despite dying at 53. Also, keep in mind that survivor benefits are separate from retirement benefits. You could potentially: 1. Take reduced survivor benefits at 60 2. Switch to your own retirement benefit at some point if it would be higher OR 1. Take your own reduced retirement benefit at 62 2. Switch to full survivor benefits at your FRA It really depends on your specific earnings records. The SSA can run these calculations for you, but getting an appointment can be nearly impossible these days. I finally got through using Claimyr.com which connected me to an agent after trying for weeks on my own. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU if you're interested. Totally worth it to get an actual person who could review both my deceased husband's record and mine to tell me the optimal claiming strategy.

My mom went thru something similar and she claimed at 60 because she NEEDED THE MONEY! But now shes 73 and really struggling because that check is so much smaller than it couldve been. Think long term if you can!!!

WHATEVER YOU DO don't trust what the SSA tells you on the phone!!!! I was told 3 DIFFERENT THINGS by 3 DIFFERENT PEOPLE when my husband died!!! One said I'd get 100% of his benefit, another said 71.5%, and another gave me some completely different calculation. The rules are so complicated even THEY don't understand them!!! Get EVERYTHING in writing and maybe even talk to a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security. The SSA people are OVERWORKED and UNDERTRAINED and will give you wrong info!!! Also be prepared for them to take MONTHS to process your claim when you do file. The bureaucracy is a NIGHTMARE.

Thank you all for the thoughtful responses. Based on your advice, I'm going to: 1. Try to secure an appointment with SSA to get exact benefit calculations 2. Look into part-time work options to potentially delay claiming until closer to FRA 3. Calculate exactly how long my business sale proceeds will last 4. Consider whether a 71.5% benefit at 60 would be adequate if I absolutely need it then The idea of potentially claiming my own benefit at 62 and then switching to his at my FRA is intriguing - I hadn't considered that option. I'll definitely ask about that when I speak with SSA. This is all so complicated, but I feel better equipped to make an informed decision now.

MAKE SURE to specifically ask for the exact dollar amounts for claiming at different ages!!! Don't let them rush you! And when you sell your business, be careful about investing that money so it lasts. My friend lost half her husband's business sale money in risky investments and now she's really struggling.

One last thing - if you do decide to try for an SSA appointment, do it soon. Their backlog is horrendous right now and it can take weeks or even months to get an in-person meeting. You can try calling too, but be prepared to spend hours on hold if you can even get through. And definitely write down all your questions beforehand so you don't forget anything important when you finally talk to someone.