Will My Daughter's Benefits Be Redistributed To My Son When She Turns 18?
Both my children receive survivor benefits from their father who passed earlier this year. They are the only 2 survivors to receive his benefits . My question is This… When my daughter turns 18 what will happen to her portion of the benefits? Will the funds be redistributed to my son?
Thank you
Hi. No, your son's benefit rate will not go up when your daughter's benefits stop. The maximum surviving child's benefit rate is equal to 75% of the deceased worker's primary insurance amount (PIA). Up to 2 surviving children can always be paid their full . . . Read More
Category: Child Benefits
Posted: Oct 18 2021 - 3:42pm
Is There An Advantage To My Husband Starting His Benefits This Year Because Of The COLA?
This is a two part question.
1) Our plan had been that my husband collect his social security at age 70. February of 2022.
Is there an advantage to claiming this year in November or December to take advantage a the huge cost of living increase. (He is no longer working so no advantage in collecting based on current income)
2) I don't turn 70 until November of next year. When he does claim by February, should I collect a spousal benefit and then could receive my own higher benefit when I turn 70?
Thank you!
Hi. The answer to your . . . Read More
Category: Filing Strategies
Posted: Oct 17 2021 - 4:02pm
How Might My Husband's Spousal Benefit Be Calculated If I File At Age 62?
My husband and I (married over 30 years) are both collecting government pensions (he was a cop, I was a teacher). He started collecting his own very small social security check when he turned 62 ($320).He is now 76. His benefit was subject to WEP. I will be 62 in Jan 2022; I am debating whether to start drawing my own social security at that time. Using the WEP calculator on the Social Security website shows I would get a monthly benefit of about $1000. How might my husband’s spousal benefit be calculated if I file at 62? I think he will be subject to GPO, but I’m not sure. His . . . Read More
Category: Spousal Benefits
Posted: Oct 17 2021 - 3:38pm
Why Is My Benefit Amount Going Down And What Can I Do To Appeal?
I have been collecting Social Security for 10 years. My husband has been collecting for 2 years. He just received word that his benefit amount is increasing by $20 a month and that mine is decreasing by $820 a month! Why and what can I do to appeal this?
Hi. I have no way of knowing why your benefit rate might be decreasing. If it's just a temporary change then it may be due to an overpayment, but if it's a permanent rate change then it would have to be something else. If you've received a written notice about the change then it should explain why your . . . Read More
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: Oct 17 2021 - 11:33am
Can My Wife Receive Part Of My Social Security After My Death?
If i worked in the private sector all of my career - contributing to social security, and my spouse is a teacher that doesn’t contribute to social security, is there any way she can receive part of my social security after I’m deceased?
Hi. The answer to that depends of several factors. Widow's can be paid up to 100% of their deceased spouse's benefit amount, but if your wife is receiving a teacher's pension then her widow's benefits would otherwise almost certainly be at least partially offset due to the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision. GPO can . . . Read More
Category: Widow's Benefits
Posted: Oct 16 2021 - 9:14am
Can I Stop My Disability Benefits And Apply For Benefits On My Husband's Record?
I am 62 an on SSDI. My husband is 58 and retired from the post office. Can I stop my disability benefits and apply for benefits on his record. Thank you.
Hi. You can't voluntarily stop getting Social Security disability (SSDI) unless you withdraw the original claim that you filed and repay all of the benefits you've received. My expertise is limited to Social Security benefits, so if your husband is eligible for a pension other than Social Security then I wouldn't know what options you may have with regard to receiving benefits from his pension plan.
. . . Read More
Category: Filing Options
Posted: Oct 15 2021 - 5:10pm
Is It Correct That I Wouldn't Have A WEP Deduction If My Pension Ends Before My Social Security Payments Start?
I have been contributing to both Social Security and a non-covered pension (Calstrs). The non-covered pension is in a cash balance plan that allows me to take the benefit as a 3 to 10 year term annuity.
I was told by my local Social Security office that if I wait to start collecting Social Security until after the annuity from Calstrs ends, I won't have a WEP deduction on my social security benefit. Is this correct?
For example, if I begin collecting my Calstrs 5 year annuity at 58 and don't start collecting Social Security until 65, will I still have a WEP . . . Read More
Category: Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO
Posted: Oct 15 2021 - 4:48pm
Shouldn't My Daughter's Benefits Be Started Again Once She's No Longer Incarcerated?
My daughter and grandchild were receiving widow and survivors benefits. My daughter was incarcerated so she lost her benefits. Where does the benefits she was receiving go? Also shouldn't she start receiving them again once she was released? Thanks
Hi. Yes, assuming that your daughter is still eligible for benefits. I don't know if your daughter was receiving widow's benefits based on her age or if she was receiving survivor benefits on the basis of having a child in her care, but if it's the latter then her benefits could only be resumed if she still has . . . Read More
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: Oct 15 2021 - 2:35pm
Can Social Security Ask My Wife And Me To Return An Overpayment?
Hello, i did started collecting early SS in 2014, in 2017, in 2018 my wife start collecting early spousal benefits, they calculated her benefit from my full benefit, she reported retirement from another country and they made deduction from her account. I did reported my retirement from Poland at this time but they said is everything OK because my 30 years of employment in USA. Now they recalculated everything and reducing benefits for my wife and me and asking for return of overpayment for last four years. can they do that?
Hi. Well, Social Security can ask . . . Read More
Category: Social Security Overpayments
Posted: Oct 15 2021 - 1:45pm
Can I Get Any Type Of Monthly Benefits?
my significant other36 years passed away 5 months ago we have a 32 year old daughter together and we never married can I get any type of monthly benefits ? he was on on Social Security retirement benefits
Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. You don't mention your age or earnings history, so I don't know if you could qualify for Social Security retirement or disability benefits based on your own record. With regard to survivor benefits, you must normally be legally married for at least 9 months in order to potentially qualify for widow's benefits, and . . . Read More
Category: Survivor Benefits
Posted: Oct 15 2021 - 12:13pm
