I turn 60 in two months, can I collect survivor benefits on my late wifes SS/benefit and continue to work my fulltime job up until I turn 66 ? I am guessing that there is a penalty (reduced amount) for filling at the early age of 60 and also for being a fulltime wage earner while collecting benefits. Is there a realistic approach to my situation? Thanks for your time

Hi. You can apply for widower benefits as early as age 60, but Social Security would need to withhold $1 of your benefits for each $2 that you earn in excess of $18,960 this year. The same would apply in future years until the year you reach full retirement age (FRA), although the exempt amount changes each year.

Your best strategy for claiming benefits would likely be one of the following:
1) File for reduced widower benefits at age 60 or as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then switch to your own record at age 70; or,
2) File for reduced retirement benefits on your own record at age 62 or as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then file for unreduced widower benefits at full retirement age (FRA).

Normally, you would want to start out drawing the lower benefit first and then switch to the higher benefit when it reaches it's highest potential rate. Our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) could help sort all of this out for you so that you can determine the best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry