I am age 61 my husband of 35 years passed on Easter this year. We have been divorced for 7 years neither of us remarried. Am I able to draw full widows SS and work full time. Will I still receive IF I remarry.

Hi,

Yes, since you are over age 60 you could still receive surviving divorced spousal benefits even if you remarry. However, the Social Security earnings test may limit the amount of benefits you could receive until you reach full retirement age (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/whileworking2.html). If you continue working and file for benefits, you would lose $1 of benefits for each $2 that you earn in excess of $16,920 this year.

Your best strategy is likely one of the following:
1) File for reduced surviving divorced spousal benefits now or as soon as your earnings will permit benefits to be paid, then switch to your own record at age 70; or,
2) File for reduced retirement benefits at age 62 or as soon as your earnings will permit benefits to be paid, then file for surviving divorced spousal benefits at full retirement age, or sooner if your ex-husband received reduced retirement benefits.

The maximization software available on this website can help you determine which of these strategies is best in your case, as well as when to apply for each type of benefit.

Best, Jerry