Social Security Timing for Single, Widowed, & Divorced Women

By Jamie Bosse, CFP®, RFC, CCFC

For many women, Social Security (and therefore Social Security timing) is a vital component of their retirement plan. But navigating the complexity of claiming strategies can feel daunting, especially when your path to retirement doesn’t fit the traditional two-spouse narrative. 

Whether you are single, divorced, or widowed, deciding when to claim your Social Security benefits can have a profound impact on your financial future.

The key to a smart strategy lies in understanding that there is no one-size-fits-all answer. Your unique circumstances open up a variety of options. 

Let’s explore the Social Security timing options when claiming for each of these three groups.

For the Single Woman: The Value of Waiting

For a single woman (never married or married less than 10 years), your Social Security benefit is the sole benefit you can claim. There is no spousal or survivor benefit to consider, which simplifies the decision but also raises the stakes. 

Depending on your other resources to fund retirement, your primary goal could potentially be to maximize your own monthly benefit for the rest of your life.

• Age 62: You can claim your benefit as early as age 62, but doing so comes at a significant cost. Your monthly check is permanently reduced by up to 30% for the rest of your life. 
• Full retirement age (FRA): Your FRA is the age at which you are entitled to your full, unreduced benefit. For most people today, this is between the ages of 66 and 67. Claiming at this age means you get your full benefit, and this is the earliest age at which you can take your entire earned benefit without penalty.
• Age 70: This is the magic number. For every year you delay claiming past your FRA, your benefit increases by 8% per year, plus cost-of-living adjustments, until you reach age 70. This creates a powerful compounding effect. For example, a single woman with an FRA benefit of $2,000 per month could see that jump to over $2,600 per month by waiting until age 70.

For the Divorced Woman: The “10-Year Rule” 

For a woman who was married for at least 10 years and is not currently remarried, you have a powerful and often overlooked option: the ability to claim a spousal benefit on your ex-spouse’s work record.

This is a game-changer, and here’s why:

• You can claim a benefit of up to 50% of your ex-spouse’s FRA benefit OR your benefit, whichever is larger
• This claim does not affect his benefit, nor does it affect his current spouse’s benefit.
• You don’t need his permission or even his knowledge to do this.

This opens up a world of strategic possibilities, often called “dual entitlement.” 

If you were married to multiple spouses for 10 years, you may have several records to choose from.

Once your ex-spouse is age 62, you can choose between taking 50% of their benefit or taking yours, whichever is highest. You can only claim from one record at a time. 

For the Widowed Woman: The Most Flexible of All

If your spouse has passed away, your options are the most flexible and require the most careful planning to avoid mistakes. You are entitled to a survivor benefit, which is 100% of what your deceased spouse was receiving or was eligible to receive at the time of their death.

Your primary goal is to determine the optimal timing for claiming both your own benefit and the survivor benefit. The most common and effective strategy is a “claim and switch.” Here’s how it works: 

• Claim one benefit early and let the other grow. You can claim a survivor benefit as early as age 60, but it’s a reduced amount. You can also claim your own retirement benefit as early as age 62, also at a reduced amount.
• Switch to the larger benefit at a later date. This is the crucial step. By claiming one benefit stream while letting the other grow, you can maximize your total lifetime income. For example, if your own benefit is smaller, you could claim a reduced benefit at age 62 and then switch to your full, unreduced survivor benefit at your FRA. Conversely, if your own benefit is larger, you might claim your reduced survivor benefit at age 60 and then switch to your own full benefit at age 70, allowing it to grow.

Make the Most of Your Benefits With Wise Social Security Timing

No matter your situation, the decisions you make regarding Social Security timing are complex, and the stakes are great. The strategies I shared in this article are just an overview; the right choice for you depends on your life expectancy, your current income, and your long-term financial goals.

As a financial advisor, my role is to help you navigate these options. We can analyze your personalized Social Security statement, project your lifetime income from various claiming scenarios, and develop a strategy that is aligned with your vision for a stable, comfortable, and enjoyable retirement. 

The team at CGN Advisors would be honored to partner with you on your financial journey.

To schedule a meeting, call our Manhattan, KS, office at (785) 340-3434 or our Rogers, AR, office at (479) 335-1034.

Frequently Asked Questions About When Women Should Claim Social Security

When does it make sense for a single woman to delay claiming Social Security until age 70?

Delaying works best when you have other income sources and expect to live well into your 80s. Each year you wait after full retirement age adds roughly 8 percent to your benefit, so the check you receive at age 70 can be about one-third larger than it would have been at 66–67. Over a long retirement, that higher monthly amount can translate into significantly more total income.

How does the “10-year rule” help divorced women boost their lifetime Social Security income?

If your marriage lasted at least 10 years and you are now single, you may claim a spousal benefit worth up to 50 percent of your ex-spouse’s full benefit once you reach your own full retirement age. This does not affect your ex-spouse’s payment. This can be a good option, especially if your ex-spouse had significantly higher earnings than you did. 

What is a “claim-and-switch” strategy for widowed women?

Widows are eligible for both survivor benefits and their own retirement benefits, and the two can be taken at different times. A common approach is to start one benefit early (survivor benefits can begin at 60; retirement benefits at 62) and let the other benefit grow. Later, you switch to whichever benefit has grown larger—often moving to your own benefit at 70 or to the full survivor benefit at your full retirement age—resulting in higher lifetime income than taking both benefits as early as possible.

About Jamie

Jamie Bosse, CFP®, RFC, CCFC, is a Senior Advisor at CGN Advisors, a Fee-Only, financial advisory firm based in Manhattan, Kansas. In her role, Jamie works with individuals and families to organize their financial lives, maximize their human capital, and move closer to their life goals. She specializes in working with parents in their 30s and 40s, a life stage where many can feel “stuck” balancing career advancement, family time, and financial goals. Jamie helps clients navigate these competing priorities and make real progress. Her empathetic approach, grounded in her own experience as a working mother of four, resonates with clients, who appreciate her non-judgmental, forward-focused guidance. An advisor since 2004, Jamie finds immense satisfaction in partnering with clients on their financial journey. She loves hearing them say, “We are finally turning into the people we aspired to be.”

Selected from a nationwide pool based on her accomplishments, contributions, leadership, and promise, Jamie was named to the “Investment News 40 Under 40” list in 2020 and was part of the Leadership Manhattan Class of 2020. She is also a passionate advocate for financial literacy, creating educational videos and articles, and has been featured in the Kansas City Star, KC Parent, The Journal of Financial Planning, Manhattan Neighbors, The Register, Solutions, Investment Advisor Magazine, CNBC, and Kansas City PBS. 

Jamie holds the CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® designation, is a graduate of the Kansas State University Personal Financial Planning Program, and the author of Money Boss Mom: Helping Young Parents Be the “Boss” of Their Financial Future and the Milton the Money Savvy Pup children’s book series. Outside of work, she enjoys watching the K-State Wildcats and her kids’ soccer and baseball games. Her time is filled with hobbies including writing books, reading, traveling, and entertaining friends. To learn more about Jamie, connect with her on LinkedIn. 

Investment advisory services are offered through CGN Advisors, LLC, a fee-only SEC registered investment advisor. Tel: (910) FEE-ONLY. 

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