Ask Larry

Should I Sign Up For My Deceased Husband's SS?

been a widow for 15years i will be 60 in6 months ,i work income 38,000 a year should i sign on husband SS

Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. The answer to your question is possibly, but I there isn't enough information in your question for me to be able to advise you. Until you reach full retirement age (FRA) there is a limit on how much you can earn and still collect benefits, so whether or not you could be paid benefits depends on your potential benefit rate as well as your earnings (https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/whileworking.html).

It sounds like your best strategy for claiming benefits would likely be one of the following:
1) File for reduced widow's benefits now or 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 at age 62 or as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then file for unreduced widow's benefits at full retirement age (FRA).

Normally, you would want to start out drawing the lower benefit first and then switch to the higher benefit when it reaches its highest potential rate. Our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) could help sort all of this out for you so that you can determine the best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry

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Posted: 
Nov 29 2021 - 6:03pm
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