My husband was 57 he passed away 02/2009, he had been on ssd for about 6 years getting 1800 a month and also getting long term disability 800.00 monthly. I was 55 and working and still am working I will be 66 in 04/24/2020. I will retire Jan.31, 2020. I did not take the widows benefit at 60 because social security people said all I would get for life was 1649.00 unless I didn't take it and then at 66 I would get what my husband was getting at the time of his death. which would be 1800.00 or 2600? They didn't clarify that. So I didn't take the widows benefit. I feel that they lied to me. but reading on your website I feel like I'm missing something important should I go ahead and get widows benefits now and then take full retirement at 66 or just wait until 2020. I will continue to work until then if need be.
So if I retire in 2020 and take my lump sum retirement pension instead of monthly will social security penalize me for that? I am confused Thank You

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

If you receive retirement pay in a lump sum, Social Security would likely not count most of it as having been earned in the year in which you receive the lump sum. So, it's unlikely that it would affect your ability to receive benefits. I would need to know more details in order to be able to tell you for sure, though.

Your best strategy for claiming benefits depends on your potential retirement and widow's benefit rates, and the level of your earnings. You would likely want to do one of the following:
1) File for reduced widow's benefits 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 as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then file for unreduced widow's benefits at your full retirement age.

Generally, you would want to start out drawing the lower benefit first and then switch to the higher record when it reaches it's highest potential rate. The maximization software available on this website can sort this all out for you and help you determine your best overall filing strategy.

Best, Jerry