Hi, I am 55 years old and have full time employment. My husband of 27 years, died in 2011. He was 56. He had been on SS Disability for 10 years after having been injured at work in 1998. Prior to that he had a professional career. My question is how do I figure out what my options will be when I turn 60. I have read that getting information from the Social Security office is not always accurate. Thanks, Jean

Hi Jean, I'm sorry for your loss. You can file for your widow's benefit as early as 60 but it will be permanently reduced. You can also of course file for your retirement benefit. Without knowing your and your husband's earnings histories, it's not possible to guess at your maximized strategy. It might involve filing early or it might involve waiting until your full retirement age (FRA). Before your FRA, there's also the Earnings Test to consider. Our software can determine which benefit to file for and when to do so in order to maximize your lifetime benefits. Thanks, John