At what age can a widow collect survivor benefits if her husband passed away at age 67?

A widow can begin to collect survivor benefits as early as age 60 if her husband passes away. Survivor benefits are designed to provide financial support to the widow, and while younger widows may face some restrictions, the age of 60 is established as a threshold where one becomes eligible to receive these benefits, albeit at a reduced rate compared to the full benefit amount.

According to Social Security regulations, for a widow whose spouse has passed away, the earliest she can begin receiving these benefits is at age 60, which aligns with the correct answer provided. Collecting at this age allows the widow to access crucial financial assistance during an often difficult time, even though her benefits will be reduced compared to what she would receive if she waited until her full retirement age or even later.

Other age options do not apply here; for instance, age 55 is below the minimum eligibility requirement for survivor benefits. Age 62 represents eligibility for retirement benefits rather than specifically survivor benefits. Age 65 is also not a specific milestone for accessing these benefits, as the eligibility is set at age 60. Therefore, 60 is the correct age for a widow to begin collecting survivor benefits following the passing of her spouse.