Is It Better To Claim My Benefits In December Or Wait Until January?
I reach full retirement age in December of this year.is it better to claim benefits in December orwait until January
Hi. There isn't much of a difference between those 2 options. Starting your benefits a month later (i.e. January instead of December) would increase your permanent monthly benefit rate by 2/3rds of 1%, but of course it would delay your first payment by a month. There are many other options that you should at least consider, though, especially if you're married. You may want to strongly consider using our software ( . . . Read More
Category: Filing Strategies
Posted: Sep 12 2021 - 12:05pm
Do You Have Any Suggestions On How I Can Get Social Security To Pay Me My Back Pay?
While receiving a small spousal benefit, I applied for my maximum benefit in December 2020. With my 70th birthday in March 2021, I expected my first benefit payment to being in April. Nothing was received untill June. I can not get the underpayment due for April and May. Any suggestions on how to rectify other than phoning my local SS office. Dan
Hi Dan. The only other suggestion I have for you is to contact the offices of either your U.S. congressperson or one of your U.S. senators. Inquiries initiated by members of congress can often get Social Security . . . Read More
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: Sep 12 2021 - 8:43am
Will My Two Years Of Zero Earnings Hurt Me?
I was laid off in January 2021, at age 67 and 8 months, Im not working haven’t since laid off, did get unemployment for 26 weeks. Im planing on holding out for social security till I’m 70. DOB 4/26/53. This has been my plan to get the max as my wife is 9 years younger than me. I have 45 + years working in social security, my question is the 0’s in income for 2 years going to hurt me.
Hi. Not necessarily. Your eventual benefit rate might have been higher had you worked and had high earnings during the years you were laid off, but your benefit rate won't go . . . Read More
Category: Benefit Amount
Posted: Sep 11 2021 - 8:06pm
How Will My Continuing To Work Affect My Benefits?
Age 71 collecting and working about $40,000 annual. Collect approx $1300 monthly. How will my continue working affect my benefit?
Hi. Your additional earnings may cause your benefit rate to increase, and if so any such increases should be processed by Social Security automatically. Social Security retirement benefits are based on an average of a person's highest 35 years of Social Security covered wage-indexed earnings, so additional years of earnings only increase a person's benefit rate if they're higher than one or more of the 35 years currently being . . . Read More
Category: Benefit Amount
Posted: Sep 11 2021 - 3:27pm
Can My Husband Apply For Spousal Benefits From My Account?
I am 42 and my husband is 69. He started receiving SSI before age 62 due to disability. When he turned 62 he was required to file for early retirement. He did not have enough credit because he was self employed. We have been married for 9 1/2 years. Can he apply for spousal benefits (because I have enough credits) if I am not at the age of entitlement?
Hi. You would have to be drawing Social Security retirement or disability (SSDI) benefits in order for your husband to be able to qualify for spousal benefits. The earliest that you can claim retirement . . . Read More
Category: Spousal Benefits
Posted: Sep 11 2021 - 2:18pm
How Are COLAs And DRCs Applied?
My FRA is 66. and will file for SS at age 70. Question is on the order of compounding for COLA's and DRC's: Are the COLA and DRC (8%) applied together year-by-year during each of the four delayed years, or is only the COLA applied each year and then after the fourth year the full 32% DRC is applied to the inflation-adjusted PIA balance?
Hi. Cost of living (COLA) increases are applied to a person's primary insurance amount (PIA), and delayed retirement credits (DRC) are applied to the person's current PIA. A person's PIA is equal to their Social Security . . . Read More
Category: Calculating Retirement Benefits
Posted: Sep 11 2021 - 2:07pm
Do You Have Any Advice For Me About Applying For Survivor Benefits?
My mother passed away in the US when I was 13 in 2001. My father was not and still isn’t living in the US and I was bounced round to different family members that helped raise me as a child. I was never adopted and technically was a ward of the state. Life has been hard and I just recently found out about death benefits which I believe I may be entitled to. Do you have any advise for me to claim these benefits? Any help is greatly appreciated.
Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. Unfortunately, unless you are disabled from an impairment that began before you . . . Read More
Category: Survivor Benefits
Posted: Sep 11 2021 - 1:56pm
What Do I Need To Do If I Receive Disability And I'm About To Reach Age 66?
Been on disability since 2010 im gonna be 66 what do i do i get 1783.00 a month
Hi. If you're collecting Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits then you don't need to do anything to continue getting the amount that you currently collect. SSDI benefits automatically convert to regular Social Security retirement benefits at the same rate when the recipient reaches their full retirement age (FRA).
Assuming that you are collecting SSDI benefits, there are only 3 possible ways that you could increase your benefit. One would be by voluntarily . . . Read More
Category: Disability Benefits
Posted: Sep 11 2021 - 8:03am
Can I Receive Spousal Benefits On My Deceased Husband's Account?
My husband passed away at age 72 in March of this year we had been married 5years he was receiving retirement benefits
Can I receive spousal benefits?
I receive disability benefits
Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. The answer to your question depends on your age and your current benefit rate. I assume you mean that you are drawing Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits, in which case you' could only qualify for additional survivor benefits if your husband's primary insurance amount (PIA) or his full benefit rate was higher than your full SSDI . . . Read More
Category: Widow's Benefits
Posted: Sep 10 2021 - 6:21pm
Is There A Limit On How Much Cash My Daughter Can Have In Her Checking Account?
I have an adult daughter who receives RSDI based on my wife's Social Security. She has a developmental disability that has prevented her from working since birth. My wife and I are both retired, and I am her Representative Payee. Some months she does not spend all of her monthly benefit. Her only asset is the RSDI. Is there a limit on the accumulated cash she can have in her checking account from the unspent RSDI?
Hi. No. The only way that your daughter's resources would be limited is if she was receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Social . . . Read More
Category: Representative Payee
Posted: Sep 10 2021 - 3:25pm
