Widow's benefits at 64 - Can I really get full FRA amount before turning 66 and 8 months?

the agent probably made a mistake. i took widow benefits at 64 too and got a reduced amount until i hit my FRA which was 66 and 4 months for me. SS reps sometimes get things wrong on the phone, happens all the time

There's actually a special rule with survivor benefits that might explain this. The earliest age you can claim reduced widow's benefits is 60, but the reduction percentage works differently than with retirement benefits. The reduction for widow(er) benefits is 0.396% per month before your FRA. So if your FRA is 66 and 8 months (80 months), and you'll be 64 in May 2026, that's 32 months early, which would be approximately a 12.7% reduction, not the full amount. There's definitely some misunderstanding here. I recommend speaking with a different SSA representative or requesting a detailed written explanation of your benefit calculation.

When I went through this last year, I got 3 different answers from 3 different SSA representatives! It was so frustrating trying to get accurate information. I wasted hours on hold only to get contradictory information each time. I eventually used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to SSA without the long wait. They connected me directly to an agent who finally explained everything correctly. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU That last agent confirmed I'd get a reduced amount until exactly my FRA month, then it would automatically increase to 100%.

NOBODY at SSA knows what they're talking about anymore!! I got told 3 different things and NONE were right. They even calculated my widows benefit wrong and I had to appeal for 8 months to get it fixed. Don't trust anything they say without getting it in writing!!

I think I can explain the confusion here. There are two different dates at play with widow benefits: 1. The actual calculation date of when you'll reach FRA (Sept 2026 in your case) 2. The payment date, which is based on the month before, but paid the following month Since Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month they're due, your September 2026 FRA-based payment would be received in October 2026. However, the May 2026 date mentioned might be when you're eligible for a specific percentage of the benefit as you approach FRA. The closer you get to FRA, the higher the percentage. I recommend requesting an official benefit verification letter that shows the exact amounts and dates. You can do this through your my Social Security account online.

Just to follow up on my previous comment, after using Claimyr to reach SSA without the usual wait, the agent I spoke with explained that widow benefits are reduced by a certain percentage for each month before FRA. They walked me through exactly how my specific reduction was calculated and emailed me a detailed breakdown. It's worth getting this information in writing so you can properly plan your finances.

one more thing - make SURE they understand ur wanting to take ONLY the widow benefit and let ur own retirement benefit grow until 70. sometimes they dont understand that and put u on retirement benefits instead of widows if that's higher. happened to my sister and it was a nightmare to fix!!

To clarify a key point here: Widow(er) benefits reach their maximum at your FRA - not before. If the SSA told you you'd get the full amount before your FRA, that information is incorrect. What makes this particularly important in your situation is that you're planning the common strategy of taking reduced survivor benefits while letting your own retirement benefit grow until age 70. This is often the optimal approach for widows/widowers with strong earnings records. I recommend calling the SSA back and specifically asking these questions: 1. What exact percentage of my deceased husband's benefit will I receive starting in May 2026? 2. When exactly will my survivor benefit reach 100% (this should be your FRA month)? 3. Can they document this information in writing for your records?