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When to Claim Social Security Benefits - The Mercury
Is it better to claim early at age 62 or wait until your maximum benefit at 70? There is no one size fits all answer. It depends on your own individual situation. The Mecury’s writer Janet Colliton gives some helpful insight into this decision. Read here…
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I started my SS benefits at 65 when my SSDisability ended. My wife deferred hers to age 70. Her benefit is greater than mine.
If she dies first, can I receive her benefit instead of mine, even though we started receiving our benefits at different ages?
Charles
Regardless of who the surviving spouse is, the surviving spouse will receive the highest of the two benefits, and the smaller benefit will stop. It doesn’t matter what age either one of you started your benefits at. As long as you have reached your full retirement age (FRA) at your spouse’s time of death, you will receive 100% of your spouse’s benefit at her time of death, if you are the surviving spouse, and your own smaller benefit will stop.
If you have any further questions, please contact our Social Security Advisory Service at 888-750-2622 or via email at SSAdvisor@AmacFoundation.org.
Thank you.
Sharon Kleczka
AMAC Foundation Social Security Advisor