Can My Social Security Pension Be Reduced If I Receive Pensions From Work That I Did Before Coming To The U.S.?
Larry,
I came to the US 25 years ago after marrying an American woman.
I receive pensions from employment before I was either a Green Card holder or a US citizen. Can my Social security pension be reduced because of this?
Thanks
Hi,
Yes, if you receive a pension based on your work and earnings that were exempt from U.S. Social Security taxes, then your Social Security retirement benefit rate could be reduced because of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). For more information about WEP, refer to the following Social Security . . . Read More
Category: Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO
Posted: Aug 8 2020 - 5:30pm
Do I Have To Choose Which Pension To Receive, Or Is There A Deduction?
Harry. I am a physician with dual citizenship ( American /Lebanese). I have worked 5 years in the state and 15 years in Lebanon and I am always paying social security even while working overseas. When I retire, I get a retirement from both countries as I pay both. Do I have to chose which one to get paid from or is there a deduction?
Mary Ann
Hi Mary Ann,
My expertise is limited to U.S. Social Security benefits, so I don't know what benefits you may qualify for from Lebanon. As long as you have at least 40 quarters of U.S. Social Security . . . Read More
Category: Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO
Posted: Aug 8 2020 - 11:34am
Am I Eligible For Divorced Spousal Benefits?
Am looking entitled to part of my husband's Social Security since we divorced and he remaried? l am 65 and still work.
Hi,
The fact that your ex-husband is remarried would have no adverse effect on your potential eligibility for divorced spousal benefits. You must be unmarried in order to claim divorced spousal benefits, and you could only qualify for divorced spousal benefits while your ex is living if 50% of his primary insurance amount (PIA) is higher than your own PIA. A person's PIA is equal to their Social Security retirement benefit rate if . . . Read More
Category: Divorced Spousal Benefits
Posted: Aug 8 2020 - 10:59am
Can My Wife Receive A Full Spousal Benefit On Top Of Her French Benefit?
My wife has a French Gov't pension (SS?) from her teaching career, most of which was in the US. Some payment was also in USD and she has credits for SS in her own right. I have applied for SS benefits at age 69, and am interested if she is eligible for the full spousal benefit on top of her French benefit. She is 66 now.
Hi,
Yes, at least potentially. If the only other pension that your wife receives is a pension from a foreign government, that wouldn't have any adverse effect on her Social Security spousal benefits.
Depending on how many U. . . . Read More
Category: Spousal Benefits
Posted: Aug 8 2020 - 10:41am
Will My Ex-Spouse Ever Be Entitled To My Social Security Benefits?
An ex spouse collects social security disability under his own name. He’s collected it for years. I was married for 10.5 years. I divorced him. I have always worked and paid the IRS but not him. It Was a bad relationship that hung on for 10 years. If I take my social security at 62 will he ever ever in his lifetime be entitled to my social security benefits.
Hi,
Your ex could never claim your actual Social Security benefits, but if both of you are at least age 62 and if he's unmarried then he could potentially qualify for divorced spousal benefits . . . Read More
Category: Divorced Spousal Benefits
Posted: Aug 8 2020 - 9:59am
Have The Rules Changed On Voluntarily Suspending Benefits When Disability Benefits Convert To Retirement Benefits?
My husband has been collecting disability. Later this month he turns 66, his full retirement age and his disability will convert to social security. After reading an article you published in Forbes we called to suspend his social security payments and were told that he could not do so. Have the rules changed since you wrote that article in 2015?
Thank you
Hi,
No, that rule hasn't changed, and your husband absolutely can suspend his retirement benefits potentially starting as early as the month in which he reaches his full retirement age (FRA). . . . Read More
Category: Suspending Retirement Benefits
Posted: Aug 8 2020 - 9:30am
Can I Draw Spousal Benefits At Age 62 And Claim My Own Benefits Later?
Larry, I am 62 and still working part time. My husband is 73 and has been drawing SS since age 62. I believe that my own social security payment amount would be higher than his. Can I draw on his benefits now (spousal benefits) and then claim my own benefits at 65? I was confused by SS website because it sounds like if my benefits are higher than my husband's, they would pay that amount and not let me claim spousal benefits. I hope you can help me. Thanks so
Hi,
No. No one born after January 1 1954 is allowed to file for spousal benefits while their . . . Read More
Category: Filing Options
Posted: Aug 8 2020 - 9:21am
Is There A Maximum Amount Of Wages A Person Can Earn, And Is Unemployment Considered Wages?
I started receiving my FRA benefits in January 2020. I also worked PT until the pandemic hit and I got laid off. so I worked 3 months and now I am collecting unemployment.
I there a maximum in wages one can earn and is unemployment income considered wages?
I am concerned about my tax return situation.
Thank you
Hi,
For Social Security purposes, unemployment insurance payments are considered as unearned income. In other words, no, they don't count as wages. Receiving unemployment benefits does not affect a person's Social Security . . . Read More
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: Aug 7 2020 - 12:21pm
Do You Have An Example Of An Online Application?
Thank you for responding to my questions regarding the application.
I was not intending on mailing the SSA-1-BK (3-2019) form. I only printed it out so I could read it better. Your book did have the printed application, but it was easier for me to read the SSA-1-BK printout.
I will either call the 1-800 number or attempt to apply online.
Do you have a link or actual example to/of the actual ONLINE application as you had informed me that the online application's questions are different than the printed one. You indicated that question 18 on the SSA-1-BK isn't . . . Read More
Category: Filing For Benefits
Posted: Aug 7 2020 - 12:14pm
Can I Change The Day Of The Month That I'm Paid Benefits?
Hello Larry, My Bill's come monthly but I get Socal Security on the 2nd Wednesday of the month which means that 4 out of 12 months I receive my payment at 5 week intervals. This causes me a hardship is there and recourse for this,getting paid every 5 weeks is tuff.
Hi,
Sorry, but no. Since May 1997, the day on which a person's Social Security payment is made is determined by their day of birth. Workers born in the first 10 days of a month are paid on the second Wednesday of each month. Workers born in the second 10 days of a month are paid on the . . . Read More
Category: Payment Dates
Posted: Aug 7 2020 - 12:02pm
