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Does collecting survivor benefits affect my own account?

I began collecting survivor benefits at age 60 on my deceased wife's account. I am now 65 and would like to wait until full retirement age (66), or even until age 70, in order to maximize the benefit on my own account. Does the fact that I began collecting a survivor's benefit at an earlier age affect the amount that I will receive when I begin collecting on my account?


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If a person receives widow's or widower's benefits, and will qualify for a retirement benefit that's more than their survivors benefit, he or she can switch to their own retirement benefit as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. The rules are complicated and vary depending on the situation, so talk to a Social Security representative about the options available.

http://www.ssa.gov/survivorplan/survivorchartred.htm


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