Ask Larry

Hi - thank you kindly for the explanation. I am looking for a clarification, in your answer below, her own benefit would have grown to $1,980 at age 70, however, would she still be eligible to full $2,000 of what the deceased husband was collecting? Own benefit $1980 + excess widowed $20 = $2000. Thank you. This is in response to "How Does Social Security Calculate Combined Benefits For A Widow?" answered on 11/11/2022, thank you very much.

"What the widow could instead do is file for her own reduced amount of $1125, then at FRA apply for unreduced widow's benefits. She'd then get a combined amount of $2000 (i.e. $1125 + $875) starting at FRA, instead of being stuck for life with a reduced combined monthly rate of $1530. Or, she could file just for reduced widow's benefits first at a reduced rate of $1620, then file for her own benefits at age 70 at which time her own rate with delayed retirement credits would be $1980."

Hi. No. If this widow's unreduced survivor rate would be $2000 at her full retirement age (FRA), if she instead starts drawing the survivor benefit 4 years prior to FRA her widow's rate would be permanently reduced to $1620. She could then switch at age 70 to her own higher retirement benefit amount, which would have then grown to $1980.

Best, Jerry