Hi Monica.  Glad you found this board!

I'm interested in an answer to your question, too.   It's amazing to me how seemingly simple questions re SS are not so easy to answer.

Patience.   You'll get an answer here I think.

Lethean 

There has been quite a bit of discussion of this type of question in the Encore column of the WSJ over the past couple of years. As I understand, to get the full benefit of a spouses  SS - do not know if the applies to the surviving spouse after the death of the partner spouse - the spouse who has the higher SS benefit has to have already taken her/his SS at her/his FULL BENEFIT AGE! IF this is correct and IF it applies to the case described, I would say the answer is No. Ed Slott, a CPA who writes on SS questions has a web site; you should be able to find it via Google. I believe he may have the answer to the question as he is a nationally recognized authority on SS benefits.

Ray 

I'm not sure of the answer, but i can give you a few links that may help.

Earlier conversation on this subject.

http://socialize.morningstar.com/NewSocialize/forums/thread/2457556.aspx 

Diehards discussion with SSA link

http://www.diehards.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13951 

Link to Wall Street Journal article that started these discussions.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119514459625294332.html 

Paul 

Thanks everyone for responding. 

He's currently getting survivor benefits as my mom died at age 55 and was still working.  Her benefits entitled him to about $1300/mo.  He's been receiving this for several years now.  At full retirement, he's entitled to about $1700/mo.  If he waits until age 70, it goes up to about $2300/mo.

 Monica

Monica,

With all due respect, Rick's reply does not acknowledge the situation of your father being a widower which has different SS rules.  I'm no expert but I'll speak in regard to my own options as verified by meeting with SS representative at the local office.  I'm close to the same age as your Dad and am a widow.  I could have started SS at 60 and drawn on my husbands record which would have paid at a lower rate then forever.  SS rep suggested I do this after running the numbers.  I didn't need the money and wanted a bigger distribution later so I met with my CPA as well to look at the numbers.  At the time I retired, the larger payout figure was always my husband's record.  I decided to wait until age 62 and draw a reduced rate on myself.  At 66 I can draw full rate based on my husband.  When I went to the SS ofice to finalize applying at 62 on my record, I asked the rep if it would be beneficial to wait until 70 to draw full rate on my husband.  He ran some numbers but said I should just draw on him at 66. Before I'm 66 I'll get SS's figures and I'll provide the numbers and pass it by my CPA again.  Age 70 might or might not be worth it.

None of us know how long we will live but I'm considering my own good health and the longivity in my family. 

Your father should meet with SS and be sure of his options.  Weigh all the numbers they provide and then make a decision.    Which spouse has the highest payout rate and by how much could influence which option is the best. 

For other posters, I'll add that widows who accept the age 60 reduced rate draw have no other options down the road based on my understanding.

Good luck with your decisions.

Sandy

According to http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10077.html#6

 "You can switch to retirement benefits based on your own work if they are higher than those you receive as a result of your deceased spouse’s work. These benefits may be higher as early as age 62 or possibly as late as age 70. The rules are complex and vary depending on your situation. If you have not talked with a Social Security representative about retirement benefits (or your circumstances have changed), contact your local Social Security office to discuss the options available to you."

Thanks, Sandy, for writing about your experience.  Your situation is much like my fathers. 

I will have him go to the SS office and have them run the numbers for him.  It sounds like he could wait until he is 70 and then draw SS on his record.

 Once he goes (or we go), I will let everyone know the outcome.

 Thanks!