I am currently receiving my own reduced retirement benefit. My FRA is 66 and 2 months. I turn 66 next month and plan to switch to my survivor benefit, but my FRA for that benefit is 66. When I called to schedule the appt, the agent said I would be subject to the earnings test for the 2 months after I turn 66. I assumed that since FRA for the benefit I'm switching to is 66, that would be when the earnings test would go away. The agent gave me other incorrect info, so now I'm wondering. Which is the correct FRA used for the earnings test when the two FRAs are different?

Hi. For Social Security earnings test purposes, a person's full retirement age (FRA) for Social Security retirement benefits is controlling even if the person is filing for widow's benefits and a different FRA applies to their widow's benefits. Refer to section B.3 of the following section of Social Security's operations manual: https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0302501021. So, it sounds like what you were told by the Social Security representative was correct, although I'd need more details to know how that might affect you.

Best, Jerry