Hi Larry, my husband is 67 and I am 58. We are both retired and he began SS at 66. His salary and working years were much higher than mine. If I take reduced SS on my work record at 62, will it reduce my potential widows? I have Get What’s Yours, but the answer to this evades me.

Hi,

No, regardless of when you start drawing your own Social Security retirement benefits your combined benefit rate as a widow would increase to your husband's full rate provided that you are at least full retirement age when you start drawing widow's benefits.

For example, say Bob files for his full retirement age benefit of $2000 at age 66. Bob's wife Cecilia files later for her retirement benefits at age 62 and receives a reduced rate of $800. If Bob dies after Cecilia reaches her full retirement age, Cecilia would continue to be paid her own $800 retirement benefit plus $1200 as a widow for a combined rate of $2000.

Best, Jerry