
23 Jun How are survivor benefits changed if I take them early?
Photo: pixabay.comQ. If my husband dies prior to my becoming of full retirement age, and I have not applied to receive Social Security benefits yet, am I eligible to receive his full benefit without any penalty even if this occurs prior to my full retirement age which is 67? If I apply earlier than my full retirement age and my benefit is at a reduced rate, would my spousal benefit be smaller? I’m 64 now and trying to hold off on taking benefits.
— Planning
A. Holding off on benefits means your check would grow, so that’s a smart strategy.
In terms of what happens if your husband dies, there are a lot of factors that go into how much you could receive from Social Security.
The benefit after a spouse dies is known as a survivor benefit, said Jody D’Agostini, a certified financial planner with The Falcon Financial Group in Morristown.
The benefit, though, would be reduced depending upon your age at the time of claiming, she said, noting the reduction would be permanent.
“If your husband reaches his full retirement age, and had not started collecting, you could receive up to 100% of that FRA benefit,” D’Agostini said. “You could later switch to your own retirement benefit presuming it is higher later.”
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This story was originally published in June 2025.
NJMoneyHelp.com presents certain general financial planning principles and advice, but should never be viewed as a substitute for obtaining advice from a personal professional advisor who understands your unique individual circumstances.