Ask Larry

Why Hasn't My Benefit Rate Been Increased Yet?

I have worked part time since retirement at 65 and my social security benefit has not been recalculated. I was not earning over the limit and I paid SS taxes for about 7 years. I stopped this part-time work 2 years ago because of Covid and I still have not received a recalculation.

Hi. Social Security retirement benefits are based on an average of a person's highest 35 years of Social Security covered wage-indexed earnings, so the earnings you had after you started drawing benefits will only increase your benefit rate if you earned more in a year than you did in one or more of the 35 years currently being used to calculate your benefit rate.

If you think that you earned enough to be due a benefit increase, you can submit a written and signed request to Social Security for a recomputation of your benefit rate. The preferred form to use for that purpose is a form SSA-795 (https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-795.pdf), and you can mail it to your nearest Social Security office (https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp).

Best, Jerry

Category: 
Posted: 
Apr 28 2022 - 12:24pm
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