Help with My Social Security.com

The question this week is from someone asking how to minimize the impact of GPO on his wife’s non-covered pension and his Social Security benefits. “My wife is a schoolteacher in the 401(a) Defined Contribution Plan within the Ohio State Teachers Retirement System (STRS). In addition to her teacher’s retirement account, I have a defined-benefit […] The post Can You Minimize the Impact of GPO? appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

This week we have a question from someone curious about the timing of the transition from Social Security Disability to Full Retirement Age (FRA) benefits. “My Social Security Disability will be converting over to FRA, and I would like to know if I have a wait time before it turns into FRA.” From Disability to […] The post Transitioning from Disability to Full Retirement Age appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Many people wonder, “Should I file retroactively for Social Security Benefits?”. The question this week is from someone considering taking retroactive benefits on Social Security at age 70. “I’m ready to file for my Social Security benefits when I reach age 70 in 18 months. I’ve researched the retroactive benefit option. Even though exercising it […] The post Should I File Retroactively? appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

This week the question is from a young widow wondering how remarrying affects Survivor Benefits from her deceased husband’s Social Security: I was married to my spouse for just 4½ years, and he recently passed away. I’m only 36, so I may remarry down the road, but I’m wondering how that will affect my claiming […] The post How Remarrying Affects Survivor Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

The question this week is about two different Social Security concepts: filing a restricted application and employing the file-and-suspend strategy: I need clarification on filing a restricted application for Social Security. My wife was born in October 1953, and I was born in March 1955. She is considering applying this year, at 66, for her […] The post Filing a Restricted Application appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

This week, a question from a husband who is almost 68 years old and is wondering if he can claim spousal benefits from his wife’s Social Security benefit, which she will claim early at age 62. This brings into play the Spousal Benefit Rule of Deeming: My wife will be 62 in August 2019, and […] The post Spousal Benefit Rule of Deeming appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

This week, a question from a retired U.S. Marine who wants clarification on a Social Security earnings credit for military members: I retired from the USMC in 2002. I recently ran across an old email in our financial files, dated 2001. It was about a potential increase in Social Security retirement benefits specifically for veterans. […] The post Military Earnings Credit appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

In the complex world of Social Security and Taxes, there are always little “issues” floating around that could come back to harm you if you make decisions while being unaware of all the consequences.  I am talking about legally reducing your taxes today and what effect you may see later on in your Social Security […] The post Social Security Reduction for the Self-Employed appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We had the following simple, yet interesting new question come in recently: “I often read on your blog about suspending your own retirement benefits in order to receive delayed retirement credits, but can you also suspend your spousal benefits?” You Can Suspend Spousal, But… The reason we never talk about suspending spousal benefits is that […] The post Suspending Spousal Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

I received the following question: My wife and I have full legal and physical custody of our granddaughter. She is 16 months old and my wife and I have been taking care of her since she was 1 month old. To care for her my wife had to close her business. My wife is 59 years of age and […] The post Spousal and Dependent Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

The following question came in this week… “I understand the earnings test for those under FRA but my question has to do with the period between filing and arrival of the first payment. I plan to file later this year at the age of 64. Since my current income is over the amount allowed for […] The post Timing Your First Benefits Check appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

2019 COLA Changes Well, the wait is over for the 2019 announcement on the cost of living adjustment (COLA) to Social Security.   I have summarized the key changes below.  For all the details you can refer to the 2019 SSA facts sheet here:  https://www.ssa.gov/news/press/factsheets/colafacts2019.pdf   Socials Security recipients will receive a 2.8% COLA for 2019, […] The post 2019 COLA Changes appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

As our long-time blog listeners/readers know, divorced spouses are entitled to receive benefits on their ex-spouse’s earnings if certain conditions are met. Collecting on your ex-spouse will not reduce his/her benefits, even if your ex has a new spouse collecting on their earnings as well. In fact, the Social Security Administration will not even inform […] The post Overcoming Privacy Concerns With Divorced Spouse Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

The following question arrived this week: “I turned 63 in September 2018. I stopped working at the end of 2017, and do not expect to have a job going forward.  I have over 40 years of taxed SS earnings.  My benefit at Full Retirement Age (FRA) is about $600/month more than my benefit would be […] The post Benefit Calculation Before Full Retirement Age appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

I received the following question recently: “I need to repay my Social Security benefits after withdrawing my application.  I filed in September of 2017 and withdrew in September of 2018.  I got a letter saying my withdrawal application was approved and it told me how much I had to repay, but there is no due […] The post Benefits Repayment After Withdrawing Your Application appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Reader question:  “I am 58 years old and work full time. My spouse passed away in 2016 at the age of 51. I was told that at 60 I could apply for his Social Security benefits. Is that correct? If so, would I be able to collect his Social Security and work full time? Will […] The post Claiming Survivor Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Reader question:  “I will be in Romania for several years.  If I open a bank account there, can my Social Security benefits be sent there?” Good News While Abroad There is good news on this one.  The simple answer is yes, generally you can have your benefits sent to you when you are out of […] The post Receiving Benefits While Abroad appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Reader question:  “I will be 66 next July. I want to begin collecting Social Security in January, if possible. I believe that I can begin receiving benefits in January, minus roughly 3.3%, per SSA formula. Then, beginning in July, it will ramp up to the full amount, plus the SSA will add back the total […] The post Benefit Adjustments at Full Retirement Age appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

The Social Security Administration tracks hundreds of millions of records.  Even with a very small error rate, the chance there is a glitch or error in your record is there.  The most common error is for earnings to not be reflected in your earnings record.  This can happen for a variety of reasons, including employers […] The post Correcting Errors in Your Earnings Record appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Another great question from a reader this week: “Regarding earnings test, can you please clarify the timing and mechanics? I cannot determine if the earnings test uses previous year’s income or current year’s income. It seems like the earnings test would be based on current income but then how would they know how much to […] The post Timing of Earnings Test appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Question from reader: “In one of your post you write; ‘You are exposed to the Earnings Test that will reduce your benefit if you earn more than a specific amount each year before your FRA. Once you reach FRA you can earn as much as you want without it affecting your benefit (it may cause […] The post What Counts as Earnings appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Question from reader: “I’ve been reading your blog and enjoy how far reaching on SSA it covers. That said I’m confused on one area and that is WEP. I’m 61. My non-SSA pension is $1298 a month. I have 28 years of substantial earnings. My age 62 SSA estimate is $1627 a month. Should I expect […] The post Calculation of WEP appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We had a great question regarding the earnings test and spousal benefits from our email box this week: “I am 66 (FRA), the higher earner, and plan to delay taking my benefit until 70. We think my wife, age 64, should file so that I can take spousal benefits. At my age 70, I’d switch […] The post Earnings Test and Spousal Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

From the email bag this week, we have a question regarding spousal benefits: “My year of birth is 1953. My wife’s is 1956. I want to file for my spousal benefit on her next year when I turn 66. She will claim her main personal benefit next year when she turns 63. As I understand […] The post Spousal Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Student loan debt is usually thought of as a younger person’s issue, but a new report suggests that older Americans are also facing the challenge of paying back federal student loans. Several months ago the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report on the effects of student loan debt on Social Security recipients.  The study noted […] The post Student Loans and Social Security appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

This next question is something we have not really addressed directly before regarding spousal and survivor benefits, so I really appreciate the person submitting the following: “If someone began claiming a spousal benefit before their FRA and their spouse dies, can the surviving spouse continue to receive the spousal benefit and wait until their survivor […] The post Converting Spousal Benefits to Survivor Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Another good question regarding delayed claiming and retroactive benefits has come in from our listeners this week: “I am over 70, and still working. Because of the problems with Retroactive Benefits reducing your benefit, I am waiting until I’m six months past my 70th birthday to make it easier and not run the risk of […] The post Delayed Claiming and Retroactive Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We received the following question regarding survivor benefits this week: “I am currently 62, born in 1956.  My retirement benefit if I claim today is right at $1,000 per month.  If I wait to my full retirement age (66 and 4 months) I will receive $1,500 per month.  My husband is very sick and will […] The post Survivor Benefit Claiming Age appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

The following question regarding divorced spouse benefits came in from a reader this week: “My mother is about to turn 66 and is ready to retire. She divorced many years ago after 11 years of marriage. I’ve told her that she can claim spousal benefits on her ex-husbands record, but she is worried that he […] The post Divorced Spouse Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

With over 59 Million Americans receiving some sort of Social Security benefits it is not surprising that occasional errors occur.  So what happens if Social Security makes a benefit error and pays you the incorrect amount? Overpayments: They’ll Notify You If Social Security discovers they have made a benefit error and paid you too much […] The post What You Should Know About Social Security Benefit Errors appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

You’ve saved well, invested responsibly and accumulated more assets that you’ll need in your retirement.  When you pass away, there will be something left over for you to leave to your beneficiaries.  Leaving your Social Security benefit to someone else really isn’t an option though, so if leaving assets to others is something you’d like […] The post Leaving Your Social Security Benefit to Someone Else? appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Sometimes things that look simple and easy to understand can have a hidden “but” or two that makes them a little more confusing and complicated than you first imagined. For those eligible for Social Security survivor benefits, one item with a few such “buts” is their Full Retirement Age. Your Full Retirement Age for Retirement Benefits Long-time […] The post FRA for Survivor Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We received the following question from a reader this week: “My mother will be turning 65 this year and is trying to figure out how to maximize her SS benefit. She did not work the 40 quarters required to have a personal benefit. However, my father worked and paid in while he worked prior to […] The post Delaying Survivor Benefit appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

In the past we have discussed how you can create an online account with Social Security.  This will give you access to your earnings record, the ability to file certain benefit claims, get statements, etc.  We have also warned everyone that if they get blocked trying to create this online account that it may be […] The post MySocialSecurity Online Account Issues appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

For quite some time now there has been a movement afoot to “privatize” Social Security. The argument for privatization promotes the view that individuals would be able to generate far greater lifetime income if they did not have to contribute to Social Security. The premise is based on the belief that if workers were allowed […] The post Social Security – A Better Deal Than You Think appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

A little issue has come to our attention with regard to the way Social Security offices process your application for benefits once you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA).  This regulation/rule they follow may jeopardize your plan to increase your monthly benefit by taking advantage of Delayed Retirement Credits.  Most of you know that for every […] The post Beware of Retroactive Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We received the following email this week… “I have a dear friend who at age 60 lost his wife. She was on SS disability while she was sick. When she passed away he went to SS (in DE) to get the $250 for funeral expenses. He sold his home and moved to Maine, then turned […] The post Social Security Didn’t Tell Him appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Looks like another Social Security office has confusion over the “Grace Year”.  Even though we have covered this recently I am choosing to post on it again since there is still a lot of confusion for not just the public, but for the Social Security offices themselves.  We received the following this week: “I’ll be […] The post Grace Year Confusion appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

Working in a job that participates in the SS system prior to claiming Social Security (SS) Retirement Benefits generally will increase your benefit as you first accumulate your 40 credits of coverage and then as you amass your 35 computational years of earnings history. But how does work after “retirement” affect your benefits?  These days […] The post Working After Age 62 appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We recently received this excellent question regarding spousal child in care benefits, so I want to share it with all of you. “My husband filed for SS at 62. He did not work much and his benefit is just under $400 with another just over $200 for our 15-year-old daughter. Now the SSA has said […] The post Spousal Child in Care Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We received the following question about the Social Security earnings test from a reader this week… “I am turning 62 in May and have applied for Social Security to begin in July. As I am young and healthy, I intend to work until I am at least 67. This year (2018) the earnings limit is […] The post Grace Year and the Earnings Test appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We received an email this week with a question about how the earnings test is applied to withdrawals from retirement accounts… “When applying the earnings test and considering the one time exclusion of annual income from earlier in the year, do investment withdrawals (401k or IRA) count toward the monthly limit? What if the withdrawal […] The post Retirement Accounts and the Earnings Test appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

This week we received the following question about how to escalate a Social Security customer service issue. “I have been waiting for reimbursement of an underpayment in the amount of $400 for my Social Security Disability benefits since July 2017.  I have visited the local SS office on several occasions thinking this was being handled.  […] The post Escalating a Social Security Issue appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

In the past we have mentioned how important it is to fully consider all the ramifications of your choice of when to file for Social Security.  For the most part you get one attempt to do it right and the wrong decision may very well cause you to leave money “on the table”.  But what […] The post Withdrawing Your Social Security Application appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

This week we received a question that is effectively a two for one since the question involves the difference in the application of COLAs (Cost of Living Adjustments) and DRCs (Delayed Retirement Credits).  As with most things related to Social Security, the details can be very confusing… “My FRA (full retirement age) was January 2017. […] The post COLA and DRC – When Are They Applied? appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We received the following question regarding Social Security Disability and Survivor benefits recently: “My spouse receives Social Security disability and has for several years. I worked full time and then went to part time as I now have his responsibilities as well as my own. His situation worsened and I gave up working in 2015. […] The post Disability and Survivor Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

This week we received a question about the timing of becoming “insured” in the Social Security system.  Reaching insured status grants you the eligibility to receive benefits.  There are actually three versions of insured status.  Explaining the differences probably warrants its own blog post, so for purposes of answering this person’s question I will just […] The post Waiting for Credits to be Applied appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

The following multi-part question came in recently: “I am on SS disability benefits now.  Next year I reach my full retirement age of 66.  It is my understanding that my disability benefits will automatically convert to a retirement benefit.  Is this true, and will it be the same amount?  Also, I do not have 35 […] The post Switching Social Security Disability Benefits to Retirement Benefits appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

The Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) is a defined benefit pension plan available to those who worked for the federal government prior to 1987.  Those in CSRS did not pay into Social Security since the CSRS system was designed as a replacement to Social Security.  In 1987 CSRS was replaced by the Federal Employees Retirement […] The post Question on CSRS and WEP appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

We recently received the following question that relates to both the Earnings Test and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). “My sister has been teaching over 30 years and she will be turning age 60 in 2019. She belongs to the Teachers Retirement System of Texas and is not eligible for her own social security benefits.  […] The post Earnings Test and GPO appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.

A reader recently asked the following question about claiming missed Social Security payments: “I am trying to help a friend who is a senior living in Florida.  He is 90 years old and worked at a job paying about 23,000 per year until last year.  He never filed for Social Security.  Can he get back […] The post Missed Social Security Payments appeared first on Help with My Social Security.com.