survivor ss benefits
Hi Terry,
I’m 62. My wife passed away 5 years ago at 56.
I’m working full time making 140,000 a year.
Can I collect survivor benefits while working?
Terry Says
It’s a bit complicated.
Yes, after age 60, you can collect survivor’s benefits, assuming you were married 9 months, and have no remarried.
SS will calculate her benefit (based on 34 years of her work history because of her untimely death).
BUT if you start collecting her benefits now, they will be reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn in wages above $24,480 in 2026.
Smart move might be to wait till your full retirement age to take her benefit as a survivor, and let your own benefit grow until age 70, and assuming it will be much larger you can take your own then.
To really do the math on this go to MaxifyMySocialsecurity.com and pay the 449 for them to run the specific numbers.
