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Is FRA For Widow's Benefits Different Than FRA For SS?
Is FRA for widows benefits different than FRA for SS? I believe that I read this in SSA web site under widows benefits for someone born in 1955 that FRA for widows benefits is 66 and for SS is 66 & 2 months.
Hi. Yes, but only for widow's born in the years 1940 through 1961. The full retirement age (FRA) for widow(er)'s benefits for people born in those years is either 2 or 4 months earlier than their FRA for Social Security retirement benefits. The following Social Security website has a chart showing the FRAs for widow(er)'s benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/survivorchartred.html.
Note, however, that even if a person's FRA for widow(er)'s benefits is earlier than FRA for retirement benefits, their FRA for retirement benefits is controlling for purposes of Social Security's earnings test. Therefore, even if a person has reached FRA for widow(er) benefits, there would still be a limit on the amount they could earn and collect widower's benefits until the month that they reach their FRA for retirement benefits.
Best, Jerry