MW I'm 65, widowed and collecting Social Security survivor benefits. Should I claim my own benefits now?

By Alessandra Malito

'I am concerned that benefits could be reduced or even discontinued if Social Security runs out of money in the coming years'

"What is the maximum amount I can expect to receive?" (Photo subject is a model.)

Dear Help Me Retire,

I am 65 years old. My husband died in 2014. Because I have health issues, I applied for survivor benefits when I turned 60. I also have rental and passive income, and my earned income does not exceed $22,000 per year. My full retirement age is 67.

I live quite modestly. Given my opinions about the current administration, I am tempted to begin collecting my own Social Security benefits now, before the administration either eliminates Social Security, reduces benefits, or increases the full retirement age.

I am concerned that benefits could be reduced or even discontinued if Social Security runs out of money in the coming years. I do not trust the current administration to look out for the interests of seniors. What is the maximum amount I can expect to receive?

My own Social Security benefit will likely be higher than the survivor benefit based on my late husband's record. Is it possible to receive survivor benefits while collecting my Social Security benefits, or to receive both my own benefit and my deceased spouse's benefit?

It is nearly impossible to get answers from Social Security. The phone is never answered.

Worried Widow

See: My late husband had a higher Social Security benefit. We both claimed at 62. Can I get more on his record?

Dear Worried,

You typically cannot receive both a full survivor benefit and a full retirement benefit simultaneously. Social Security coordinates the benefits and pays the higher amount for which you are eligible. If your own retirement benefit exceeds your survivor benefit, your monthly payment would increase to reflect that higher amount.

There is no single "right" age to claim benefits or to switch from survivor benefits to your own retirement benefit.

The best choice depends on several personal factors, including your health, financial situation and life expectancy. If you expect to live into your 80s or 90s, delaying until 70 may make sense because it would maximize your monthly benefit for the rest of your life.

On the other hand, if you do not expect to live that long and your retirement benefit is already higher than your survivor benefit, claiming sooner rather than later may be the better option for you.

As you are currently receiving survivor benefits, your own retirement benefit has continued to grow each year as you approach your Full Retirement Age $(FRA)$. If you delay claiming your retirement benefit beyond FRA, it will continue to increase until age 70.

As for the maximum benefit you could receive based on your own work record, you would be eligible for 100% of your retirement benefit at Full Retirement Age. If you delay claiming beyond FRA, your benefit would increase by approximately 8% per year until age 70.

Do you have questions about retirement, Social Security, where to live or how to afford it at all? We want to hear from you. Join the conversation in our Facebook community: Retire Better with MarketWatch.

As for the government interfering with your Social Security benefits, I know that is a major concern for many beneficiaries these days. While changes to the system are possible, they would most likely affect younger generations who are still decades away from retirement, rather than current retirees or those nearing retirement.

A relevant and historical example is the reforms to Social Security enacted in the 1980s. Congress made significant changes to Social Security, including raising the Full Retirement Age, but those changes were phased in gradually over many years so that younger workers - not current retirees - were the ones affected. That is why your Full Retirement Age is 67, while retirees in the 1980s generally had a Full Retirement Age of 65. The transition occurred gradually over more than two decades.

You are correct that Social Security's trust funds are currently projected to be depleted within the next decade. That projection has existed for some time, and if no action were taken before then, all beneficiaries - regardless of age or birth year - could face benefit reductions of roughly 20%, although those estimates can vary from year to year.

That said, Congress has historically acted when Social Security faced financing challenges, although there is no guarantee about how future lawmakers will address the program's long-term funding issues. Millions of Americans depend on Social Security for some, if not all, of their retirement income. Older Americans also tend to vote at high rates, and lawmakers are well aware of that fact.

As a result, even if Congress waits until the program is nearing insolvency, many experts believe some form of action will be taken to strengthen the system - particularly for current and near-term beneficiaries such as yourself.

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Have a question about your own retirement savings? Email us at HelpMeRetire@marketwatch.com

-Alessandra Malito

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June 08, 2026 08:06 ET (12:06 GMT)

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