Switching from Retirement Benefits to Survivor Benefits for a Divorced Spouse

divorce full retirement age (fra) hey marc! primary insurance amount (pia) surviving divorced spouse benefit Jun 04, 2024

Quick question. I have a client who will be turning 62 in January.  SS retirement benefit is around $750, and she makes around $16,000 a year income. Her ex-husband is deceased. They were married over 30 years. His death PIA is over $3,000 per month. Ex-husband had not filed for SSB before he died. The plan is for her to file for retirement benefit at age 62 and then switch to the survivor benefit at FRA. Is this doable?

Yes, your client's plan is indeed doable. She can start receiving her own Social Security retirement benefits at age 62 and then switch to the surviving divorced ex-spouse benefit when she reaches Full Retirement Age (FRA) for survivor benefits.

Here’s how it works:

1. Early Retirement Benefit: By starting her retirement benefits at age 62, your client will receive a reduced amount based on her work record. In this case, her Social Security retirement benefit will be approximately $750 per month, considering her early filing and the reduction that applies when taking benefits before FRA.

2. Switching to Survivor Benefits at FRA: When she reaches her FRA, she can switch from her retirement benefit to the survivor benefit based on her deceased ex-husband's record. The survivor benefit will be based on 100% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which in this case is over $3,000 per month. By waiting until FRA to switch to the survivor benefit, she will receive the full survivor benefit amount without any reductions.

This strategy allows your client to receive some income early on while maximizing her survivor benefits later. It's important to note that by waiting until FRA to switch, she avoids any reduction to the survivor benefit, ensuring she receives the maximum possible amount based on her ex-husband's earnings record.

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