My husband waited until age 70 to collect his benefits nearly two years ago. There is an 11 yr difference in our ages. I wilI turn 62 in six months and I was the low wage earner. I understand that if I file early it will be considered "deeming" and it will be a combination of my retirement and spousal. Can I remain on that status if my husband dies before my FRA, or does it automatically switch to survivor benefits?

Hi,

No, you couldn't continue drawing spousal benefits after your husband dies. If you're drawing both retirement benefits based on your own record plus an excess spousal benefit and your husband dies before you reach full retirement age (FRA), you would have the option to either a) convert your spousal benefits to reduced survivor benefits effective with your husband's month of death, or b) draw just your retirement benefits only and apply for survivor benefits later.

You should strongly consider using our software to explore and compare all of your filing options in order to determine your optimal strategy for claiming your benefits.

Best, Jerry