Can I Draw My Social Security When I Turn Age 62?
when i turn 62 in december can i draw my social securty ? i have not worked much do i draw half of my husbands?
Hi. You can claim benefits as early as the first month that you will be at least age 62 for a full month, so unless you were born on December 1st or 2nd, the earliest month that you could potentially qualify for Social Security retirement benefits is January. You'll only qualify for benefits on your own account, though, if you have at least 40 (QC) quarters of Social Security coverage (https://www. . . . Read More
Category: Filing Options
Posted: May 15 2022 - 10:04am
Would It Be Better For Me To Get To 40 SS Credits Or Stay Below That And Get A Totalization Benefit?
Hello Larry,
I worked in the US for 9 years as a teacher and have 40 Medicare credits but only 36 SS credits (taught one year in CA). I am moving permanently back to the US soon. I receive a Canadian teacher pension and will also get CPP in two years. I don’t plan to work more than small part time hours at the most in the US if at all. Would it be better for me to top up to the 40 SS credits and be subject to WEP or stay at 36 credits and get prorated SS payments with totalization. Thank you for your help.
Hi. That's a great question, but . . . Read More
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: May 14 2022 - 1:05pm
How Do I Answer The Application Question About Eligibility For Foreign Benefits?
Hi Larry, thanks for the responses and help with the questions in this forum. We have another question while filling out the retirement benefits application. Under the "Supplemental Information" section, it asks if we worked outside the US. We did stay and worked in Singapore and Hong Kong many years ago. So I would answer yes to this question. However, I was not sure about the subsequent question: "Eligible for benefits under a foreign social security system". I don't think it is eligible for benefits, and I don't claim benefits from these foreign countries. Is the answer "No . . . Read More
Category: Filing For Benefits
Posted: May 13 2022 - 3:42pm
If I Die Before Claiming Benefits, At What Age Would My Wife Claim Widow's Benefits In Order To Get My Full Age 70 Amount?
Hi Larry. I have your software and really like it but I have a question. I am 65 and was the high earner compared to my wife who is 59. Your software recommended I claim at 70, which I plan on doing, and for my wife to claim for 1/2 my benefit at 67. My question is: If I were to die before claiming my benefit, at what age would my wife claim in order to receive the highest benefit (ie the amount I would receive had I lived to age 70?
Hi. If you die before reaching age 70, your wife couldn't be paid your full age 70 no matter when she applies for widow's . . . Read More
Category: Widow's Benefits
Posted: May 13 2022 - 7:59am
How Do I Report My Back Pay To Social Security?
I am on disability, non-blind.
So my employer decided to give us all a retroactive raise, and pay all the back pay at once on the check we will get on friday (5/13/22)
My question is how do I report that? This will be a back pay of $953. from 1/1/22 - 4/24/22. Do I report it as Like a "yearly" amount or do I have to go back and adjust every pay stub? There's no option for reporting a bonus or back pay on the SSA website. And also will it affect my SGA as long as I did not go over that amount at in point during the period covered by the back pay?
. . . Read More
Category: Disability Benefits
Posted: May 12 2022 - 11:11am
Who Do I Contact About Getting A Refund Of The Medicare Premiums I Overpaid?
In October 2021, I paid my Medicare premium 3 months in advance for November 2021, December 2021 and January 2022. I signed up for Social Security in November 2021 so I could start receiving benefits in January 2022. I received my first Social Security check in February and they deducted my Medicare premium from the check. I already sent a letter to: Medicare Contact Center Operations at PO Box 1270, Lawrence, KS 66044 on April 18, 2022 and haven’t received a response or a refund. Who do I contact about getting a refund for the Medicare premiums that I paid in advance for . . . Read More
Category: Medicare
Posted: May 11 2022 - 5:16pm
How Much Back Pay Will I Get?
When I get approved for SSA survivers benefits how much back pay will I get?
Hi. That would depend on when you applied for benefits, your first month of benefit entitlement, when your claim is processed, and your monthly benefit rate(s). Since I have no way of knowing any of those things, I can't answer your question.
Best, Jerry
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: May 10 2022 - 3:35pm
Will I Qualify For Deceased Spouse Benefits From My First Marriage?
If, I was married for 17 yrs., divorced, remarried, divorced, and remarried my second husband again after turning 60 will, I qualify for deceased spouse benefits from my first marriage?
Hi. I assume you mean that you were divorced from your first spouse at the time of his death. As long as a) you were married for more than 10 consecutive years to your deceased ex-husband, and b) you're either currently unmarried or your current marriage occurred after you reached age 60, then you could potentially qualify for surviving divorced spousal benefits on your . . . Read More
Category: Survivor Benefits
Posted: May 10 2022 - 11:03am
Can I Get Both SSI And SSDI At The Same Time?
CAN I get SSI and ssdi at the same time I receive ssdi at the time I am 63 which one will pay me the most can I get both
Hi. It's possible to get both Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, but only if your SSDI benefit rate is relatively low. SSI is a needs based benefit that supplements a person's income up to a maximum amount. The maximum possible federal SSI payment amount in 2022 is $841, but if a person also receives SSDI benefits then their SSI payment amount is reduced dollar for dollar by all . . . Read More
Category: Disability Benefits
Posted: May 9 2022 - 9:22pm
What Do I Do If I Think I Should Be Getting A Higher Benefit Amount?
Hi Larry, I WORKED FOR DEPT. PUBLIC WORKS, I WAS PAID $12 - $13 DOLLARS HUR. & OVER TIME. FROM 1979 - 2005 & paid retirement, insurance for me & 3 kids. Now on disability, I only receive $840 month, I think I should have received more money than this, I paid lawyer.
Hi. Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits are based on an average of a variable number of a disabled person's highest years of Social Security covered wage-indexed earnings. The number of earnings years used in the calculation is determined by the age at which the disabled . . . Read More
Category: Benefit Amount
Posted: May 9 2022 - 9:12pm
