Ask Larry: Questions and Answers

Displaying 4241 - 4250 of 10063 questions.

Is My Husband's Ex-Wife Entitled To Divorced Spousal Benefits?

My husband was married previously for 10 years to a Spanish citizen. They lived in the US for 6 of the 10 years and his first wife had a green card while here. After their divorce in 1980 she returned to Spain. My husband currently takes social security benefits. Is his ex-wife entitled to divorced spousal benefits?

Hi,

It sounds like your husband's ex-wife would likely be eligible for divorced spousal benefits if she's at least age 62 and she hasn't remarried. However, even if your husband's ex qualifies for Social Security benefits on his record it . . . Read More

Category: Divorced Spousal Benefits
Posted: Jan 10 2020 - 11:34am

What Organization Can Help Me Get A Refund That Social Security Owes Me?

Hello Larry
Social security owes me a refund for 3 months of medicare premiums. It has been going on for a year and i have gone to the office multiple times and called as well. They says that i will hear from them within 60 days and i don't hear anything. I go to the office and i am told that in November the office was told that i was not owed anything.Can you tell me what organization can help me fight this battle. It's too little money to get a lawyer. My observation is that they do not have their records straight and in one place and it's not always the same person who . . . Read More

Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: Jan 9 2020 - 11:20am

Is Our Health Insurance Premium Deductible When Determining My Wife's Self-Employment Earnings?

My spouse starting drawing retirement benefits before FRA. Then she decided to work part-time as a self-employed sole proprietor. She has gone over the earnings limit this year and we need to let the Social Security Administration know. What I can't figure out is whether for the earnings limits reduction, "net earnings from self-employment" includes the deduction for our family's health insurance. I know that when you pay self-employment taxes, the deduction for health insurance is not included in that calculation. The health insurance deduction also does not appear on Schedule . . . Read More

Category: Earnings Test
Posted: Jan 9 2020 - 7:25am

Will I Be Able To Collect Part Of My Husband's Social Security In The Future?

Hello. I am European national and permanent US resident. My husband and I have been married 3 years. Since we have a big age gap (I am 39, my husband is 65 ) and my income has been pretty low since relocating to the US, I am worried about my retirement. Will I be able to collect part of his social security later on? When would that happen? I would really appreciate your response as this is causing me sleepless nights.

Hi,

It sounds like you'd probably be eligible for spousal benefits, but unless you have an eligible child in your care who is under age . . . Read More

Category: Spousal Benefits
Posted: Jan 9 2020 - 7:16am

If I Start Drawing Social Security Do I Need To Enroll In Parts A,B,C & D Of Medicare Right Away?

I am 68 still working , have not started social security and I'm covered for medical and prescriptions through my job. I am working on filling in the calculator but may need to start SS due to financial issues. If I do, so I need to start Medicare A,B,C and D right away.

Hi,

You couldn't start drawing Social Security benefit payments without enrolling in Part A of Medicare, but you wouldn't be forced to sign up for any of the other parts of Medicare. As long as you have qualified health coverage through your current employer, you can generally enroll . . . Read More

Category: Medicare
Posted: Jan 8 2020 - 10:02am

What Does Social Security Consider To Be A Pension?

An SS examiner determined that a sum of money aside from my 457 was a "pension" and spplief the government pension offset GPO. toward my spousal benefit. Now I am applyong for my own benefit and am well past 70 by 2.months waiting
What is in fact apension uner Social Security. That money was rolled over to an IRA. I have no formal govt pension.

Hi,

A pension for purposes of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision is defined in Social Security's operations manual as follows:

"A pension is a periodic or lump sum payment received from . . . Read More

Category: Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO
Posted: Jan 7 2020 - 12:58pm

Is There Any Downside To My Wife Filing At Age 62?

I am 62 y/o with FRA month benefit of $2,665 beginning 10/2023, with benefits of $3,411 if I do not file until I am 70 y/o. I earn about $100,000/year and expect to work at least 5 more years.

My wife is 60 y/o with FRA benefit of $1,309 beginning 3/2027, with benefits of $922 available beginning 03/2021, at age 62. She works part-time and earns about $10,000/year.
We have 2 college aged children and an adopted 8 year old.

Is there any downside to my wife filing for benefits when she turns 62? It is my understanding that if she did that, she would receive . . . Read More

Category: Filing Strategies
Posted: Jan 7 2020 - 12:25pm

Is There A Minimum Amount Of Benefits?

Is there a minimum amount of SSA Retirement Benefits? Is this amount more or less than the SSI payment of $783. for and individual and $1,175.00 for a couple for 2020? Is there a minimum benefit for a disabled worker? How much might that be?

Hi,

No, there is no statutory minimum payment amount for either Social Security disability or retirement benefits. Social Security payment amounts are frequently less than the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) amounts you listed, but the amounts you quoted are the maximum possible SSI rates.

Best, Jerry . . . Read More

Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: Jan 7 2020 - 12:18pm

Can My Wife Get A 50% Spousal Benefit Instead Of Her Own Benefit When I Start Drawing?

My wife retired at age 62 from LAUSD and work somewhere else before. she took her retirement from LAUSD plus her 62 retirement benefit from Social security but getting only supplemental for her LAUSD retirement? Can she get the 50% spouse benefits instead when I will take my full retirement in 2 years because the 50% spouse SS is bigger than what she is getting now.

Hi,

Whether or not your wife will be able to draw any spousal benefits when you file for your benefits likely depends on the amounts of her potential spousal benefit and her LAUSD pension . . . Read More

Category: Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO
Posted: Jan 6 2020 - 3:41pm

Is The WEP Reduction Limited To Half Of The Reduced Or Unreduced Amount of My Non-Covered Pension?

I elected to take an early reduced monthly pension from my non-covered work at age 60 and if apply for Social Security at age 67, is the WEP limited to 1/2 of my reduced monthly pension that I'm currently getting or would it be based on the unreduced pension I would have received if I'd elected to wait?

Hi,

The most that your Social Security benefit rate could be reduced due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) is half of the gross amount of the non-covered pension you receive. By 'gross amount', I mean the amount before any deductions (e.g. . . . Read More

Category: Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO
Posted: Jan 6 2020 - 10:18am
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