My wife died last year. She was receiving SSDI. I'm 57 now.
At age 60 I can begin survivors benefits (at a reduced 71.5% rate). Would the amount of my first payment be increased by the COLA amounts for each of the four years between her death and then?
Thanks,
Scott
Hi Scott. I'm sorry for your loss. Yes, your future widower's rate would include credit for all Social Security cost of living increases that occur after your wife's death.
Best, Jerry
My husband is disabled and will turn 66 on October 18, 2021. If I turn 62, 11days before his disability changes, can I still be eligible to receive benefits? Also, I was teaching and paying into the Texas Retirement System, but I had to drain my retirement account due to medical issues. I have worked in the private sector before teaching , so I know what my SSI will be @67. To fill in the gap, I substitute teach but I can’t pay into TRS. I hope you can give me a definitive answer, because the SSI Blue Book leaves a lot to be desired
Hi. You can potentially . . . Read More
Question, If My spouse is at full SSI benefits soon, But I'm not for a few more years. And I claim spousal SSI for the 50% Will That Lower their return , or SSI check 50% as well? for instance say they get $1000 a month and i ask for the $500, does their $1000 get reduced to $500 as well? Or does it not affect their pay?
Hi. By 'SSI' I assume you're referring to Social Security benefits, not Supplemental Security Income. SSI is the abbreviation normally used to describe Supplemental Security Income, and Supplemental Security Income doesn't pay spousal . . . Read More
I'm collecting social security on my own working record and supplemented on my ex husband working record he applied for SSDI, when we were married and was denied several times, now he won his case and will collect a higher amount, we were married for over 10 years he is 67 years old and I' m 68 years old and we have been divorce for 4 years, can I qualify for half or his DDDI?
Hi. Unreduced divorced spousal benefits are based on 50% of the worker's primary insurance amount (PIA), not the worker's monthly benefit rate A person's PIA is equal to their Social . . . Read More
I am receiving widows benefits from the VA on my husband which was 100% disable and his death was service connected. Since then I have become 100% disabled. My question is can I receive social security disability on myself plus my widows benefits from VA?
Hi. My expertise is limited to Social Security benefits, not Veteran's benefits. The only thing that I can tell you is that the fact you're drawing benefits from the VA wouldn't have any impact on your ability to collect Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits. I can't tell you whether or not . . . Read More
Larry,
What can be done to repeal WEP?
Hi. Congress amended the Social Security law to add the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) in 1985, and only Congress has the power to amend or repeal the provision. The only action I could suggest is to contact your congressional representative and U.S. senators to express your support for removing the provision from the Social Security law.
Best, Jerry
Hi Larry, I was married for 23 years. Now divorced. My husband owned several businesses which I helped. Now I look at my social security statement and he is getting highest amount at every age level. Me? I am getting only small amounts at every age level. Thru this marriage I was a flt Attnd who flew my minimum so I could help out our business. We both have worked always since 18 yes old. Why is my amount so uch less?? We filed jointly for all those years?
Thx u
Heidi
Hi Heidi. Most husband and wife businesses report their earnings as sole . . . Read More
I retired from a non profit organization ( created in 1983 as a political subdivision of the State of Texas) that was exempted from Social Security coverage prior to 1984, thus contributed to a qualified governmental pension plan. I also receive social security benefits from prior employments with 23 YOC.
Will I subject to the WEP or am I exempted?
Hi. Well, it sounds like your non-covered pension might meet one of the exceptions to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), but only if you continued working for the non profit organization when its . . . Read More
My dad died at 80 in December... Im on ssdi can I get part of his benefits..? My mother is still alive...
Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. The only way that you could get benefits from your father's account is if you qualify for child's benefits. Assuming that you're older than age 21, the only way that you could qualify for child's benefits is as a disabled adult child (DAC). To qualify for DAC benefits, you must have become disabled by Social Security's standards prior to age 22. You also can't have done any work after turning age 22 that Social Security . . . Read More
When I had a payee i got my payments on the third... Now Im getting them on what looks like the forth Wednesday... But my birthday is the third... Am I getting them early or something... I don't want to call and ask because getting it the second Wednesday would be a disaster... My bills would not line up and I won't be able to pay them properly and rent would be impossible to do on time if they shift it... Im not sure whats going on and Im concerned they have my birthday incorrect.
Hi. People who were born in the first 10 days of a month are normally paid . . . Read More
Results will differ based on your specific case and filing strategy.