The earliest a widow or widower can start receiving Social Security survivors benefits based on age is age 60.
If you start receiving survivors benefits at age
- 60, you will get 71.5 percent of the monthly benefit because you will be getting benefits for an additional 74 months.
- 62, you will get 80.7 percent of the monthly benefit because you will be getting benefits for an additional 50 months.
- 65, you will get 94.6 percent of the monthly benefit because you will be getting benefits for an additional 14 months.
If you're receiving widows, widowers, or divorced widows or widowers benefits, you can switch to your own retirement benefit as early as age 62.
Reminder: Your full retirement age for retirement benefits may not match your full retirement age for survivors benefits.
If you start getting benefits at age 1. | The survivors benefit you will receive is reduced to 2. |
---|---|
60 | 71.5% |
60 + 1 month | 71.9 |
60 + 2 months | 72.3 |
60 + 3 months | 72.7 |
60 + 4 months | 73.0 |
60 + 5 months | 73.4 |
60 + 6 months | 73.8 |
60 + 7 months | 74.2 |
60 + 8 months | 74.6 |
60 + 9 months | 75.0 |
60 + 10 months | 75.4 |
60 + 11 months | 75.7 |
61 | 76.1 |
61 + 1 month | 76.5 |
61 + 2 months | 76.9 |
61 + 3 months | 77.3 |
61 + 4 months | 77.7 |
61 + 5 months | 78.0 |
61 + 6 months | 78.4 |
61 + 7 months | 78.8 |
61 + 8 months | 79.2 |
61 + 9 months | 79.6 |
61 + 10 months | 80.0 |
61 + 11 months | 80.4 |
62 | 80.7 |
62 + 1 month | 81.1 |
62 + 2 months | 81.5 |
62 + 3 months | 81.9 |
62 + 4 months | 82.3 |
62 + 5 months | 82.7 |
62 + 6 months | 83.1 |
62 + 7 months | 83.4 |
62 + 8 months | 83.8 |
62 + 9 months | 84.2 |
62 + 10 months | 84.6 |
62 + 11 months | 85.0 |
63 | 85.4 |
63 + 1 month | 85.8 |
63 + 2 months | 86.1 |
63 + 3 months | 86.5 |
63 + 4 months | 86.9 |
63 + 5 months | 87.3 |
63 + 6 months | 87.7 |
63 + 7 months | 88.1 |
63 + 8 months | 88.4 |
63 + 9 months | 88.8 |
63 + 10 months | 89.2 |
63 + 11 months | 89.6 |
64 | 90.0 |
64 + 1 month | 90.4 |
64 + 2 months | 90.8 |
64 + 3 months | 91.1 |
64 + 4 months | 91.5 |
64 + 5 months | 91.9 |
64 + 6 months | 92.3 |
64 + 7 months | 92.7 |
64 + 8 months | 93.1 |
64 + 9 months | 93.5 |
64 + 10 months | 93.8 |
64 + 11 months | 94.2 |
65 | 94.6 |
65 + 1 month | 95.0 |
65 + 2 months | 95.4 |
65 + 3 months | 95.8 |
65 + 4 months | 96.1 |
65 + 5 months | 96.5 |
65 + 6 months | 96.9 |
65 + 7 months | 97.3 |
65 + 8 months | 97.7 |
65 + 9 months | 98.1 |
65 + 10 months | 98.5 |
65 + 11 months | 98.8 |
66 | 99.2 |
66 + 1 month | 99.6 |
66 + 2 months 2. | 100 |
|
Chart of survivors retirement benefits and reductions based on different years of birth.