Will taking Social Security at 62 reduce my wife's future survivor benefits?

This is an important consideration. If you claim at 62 and pass away, your wife's survivor benefit would be based on your reduced benefit amount. However, there's a special rule that may help - if you die before your wife reaches her full retirement age, she would be eligible for a special minimum benefit called the "widow's limit" or RIB-LIM, which is generally 82.5% of your unreduced benefit. So while there is some reduction, it's not as severe as the 30% cut you'd personally take by filing at 62.

I was in almost this exact situation! My husband filed at 62 because of health issues, and I was worried about my future survivor benefits too. I ended up calling Social Security twice (different agents) to confirm how it would affect me. Both told me that if I wait until my full retirement age to claim survivor benefits, I would get 100% of what he would've received at HIS full retirement age - NOT his reduced amount. But if he had filed after his FRA with delayed credits, I would've gotten those increases too. The system is ridiculously complicated!

my dad took ss at 62 and when he passed my mom got way less than she should have. the ssa rep literally told her "he should have waited" when she applied for survivors. harsh but true

The previous answers aren't quite accurate. Here's the actual rule: If you claim early at 62, and your wife claims survivor benefits at her full retirement age or later, she would receive a benefit equal to what you would have received if you had reached your full retirement age (meaning your unreduced PIA - Primary Insurance Amount). However, if she claims survivor benefits before her FRA, her benefit would be reduced for her early claiming, not because of your early claiming. Bottom line: Your early claiming at 62 won't reduce her survivor benefits IF she waits until her FRA to claim them. But if she claims survivor benefits early, they'd be reduced based on HER early claiming.

I gotta disagree with some of the answers here. I think everyone's confusing regular spousal benefits with survivor benefits. They have different rules!!! When my husband died (he took SS at 63), I got his ACTUAL benefit amount he was receiving, not what he would've gotten at FRA. So YES taking early DOES affect survivor benefits. At least that was MY experience.

Trying to get accurate info from Social Security is SO frustrating. I've spent HOURS on hold trying to get answers about my widow benefits after my husband died (he took SS at 64). No one can give me a straight answer about the calculations. I finally have an appointment next month but it's been 6 weeks of waiting and confusing answers from different reps. Anyone have tips on actually REACHING someone who knows what they're talking about???

Based on my research and talking to a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security, here's the definitive answer: If you claim at 62 and pass away, your wife has these options for survivor benefits: 1. If she claims survivor benefits at her FRA or later: She gets 100% of your Primary Insurance Amount (what you would have received at your FRA), regardless of when you claimed. 2. If she claims survivor benefits before her FRA: She gets a reduced amount based on how early she claims, calculated from your PIA. 3. Special case: If you claim after your FRA and earn delayed retirement credits, those extra credits ARE passed on to her as a survivor. So claiming at 62 doesn't reduce her survivor benefits if she waits until her FRA to claim them!

the whole system is rigged anyway... they make it so complicated on purpose so people dont get what theyre owed

Here's a technical point that hasn't been mentioned: There's something called the "Retirement Insurance Benefit Limitation" (RIB-LIM) that specifically addresses survivor benefits when someone claims early. This is what protects your wife's survivor benefits from your early claiming decision. Specifically, the RIB-LIM ensures that if you claim early and pass away, your widow(er) will receive the HIGHER of: 1. Your reduced benefit amount you were receiving 2. 82.5% of your unreduced PIA And if your widow(er) waits until their FRA to claim, they get 100% of your PIA regardless of when you claimed. This is why your early claiming decision won't hurt your wife's survivor benefits as long as she waits until her FRA to claim them.