Ask Larry

Why Didn't I Get A Benefit Increase?

I AM GETTING SS NOW AND STILL WORKING IT SAYS THEY WILL REDO IT AFTER THE FIRST YEAR THEY DID NOT THIS IS MY 3RD YEAR I MAKE A LOT OF EXTRA MONY NOW THAN IN MY YOUNGER DAY SO IT SHOULD OF RAISED A GOOD BIT WHY DID I NOT GET IT

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 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 used to calculate their benefit rate. I have no way of knowing whether or not your earnings in recent years were high enough to raise your benefit rate, but Social Security should automatically recompute your benefit rate if they were.

If you think that your benefit rate should have been increased due to your recent earnings you can request a manual recomputation of your benefit rate. Requests for manual recomputations must be signed and in writing, and the preferred form to use for that purpose is an SSA-795 (https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-795.pdf). If you do want to request a manual recomputation, I would suggest submitting it to your servicing Social Security office. Their address can be found using Social Security's office locator: https://secure.ssa.gov/ICON/main.jsp. You should probably also submit proof of at least your most recent year of earnings (e.g. W-2 form) along with your request.

Best, Jerry

Category: 
Posted: 
Nov 27 2021 - 3:20pm
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