Switching from SS Survivor to Personal benefits

[Sandy & Shirley]

I have a friend who is turning 65 this year. Her husband died when she was 47, he never reached full retirement age and never started his benefits. She retired early and started her survivor benefits when she was 61 and 6 months at about 80% of what she could have gotten at his normal survivor age.


Social Security cracked down on taking spousal benefits then switching to your own benefits a few years ago, but, to the best of my knowledge that did not include switching from survivor to personal benefits.


Does anyone know if it is still the case that she will be able to switch to her maximum 129.33% personal benefits when she reaches age 70 in 5 more years? Also, it is my understanding that she will have to file for that change 4 months before she turns 70?

 

[RetireeRobert]

I believe she can still apply for her own SS benefit on her own record. I also believe she would get the higher of her own benefit or the survivor benefit. I do not see how SS could disallow anyone a benefit based on their own earning record, so as long as it was higher than survivor benefit she would be fully entitled to it.

Found this at SS website: "Widow Or Widower
If you are the widow or widower of a person who worked long enough under Social Security, you can:

Receive full benefits at full retirement age for survivors or reduced benefits as early as age 60.
If you qualify for retirement benefits on your own record, you can switch to your own retirement benefit as early as age 62....."

 

[MissMolly]

The crackdown was spousal/your own not survivor/your own. Two different sets of rules.

 

[Sandy & Shirley]

Robert, thanks for the reference to Widow Or Widower on the SS website.

Their website only says “a widow or widower can begin receiving one benefit at a reduced rate and then, at full retirement age, switch to the other benefit at an unreduced rate.”

It only says full retirement age, it does not say age 70. I called my local office and they confirmed that your personal benefit does continue to increase up to age 70.