Can a US resident with a Green Card collect spousal benefits if he gives up his Green Card and moves to another country like Canada?
Hi,
The answer to your question depends both on your country of citizenship and the country to which you move. You'll need to refer to the following Social Security publication for more information: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10137.pdf.
Best, Jerry
I will be 64 in November. I have been out of work since April 2018. I recently filed for Social Security benefits. I'm still applying for jobs. Any advice to increase my benefits or savings should find a job? Fyi I am single, but was married 17 years. Birth date is Nov 1954. Don't think I can claim under ex-. My benefit at 64 is higher than his full benefit, which he has been getting.
Hi,
If your ex's full benefit rate is lower than your current reduced rate, you'll probably never be able to receive any Social Security benefits from his account even . . . Read More
A Railroad retirement board representative advised me that I could receive a reduced age benefit ( if I desire to take it now, at age 63) from my ex-husband's Tier I benefit and continue to receive my divorced spouse annuity granted to me in our divorce, as this is a lifetime annuity for me. He also told me I could take a reduced age benefit now from the USRRRB and discontinue receiving the benefit at say 66 or even 70, to then apply and receive my own social security benefits from there on. My questions are: 1) Is this information correct? May I draw from the railrload's Tier . . . Read More
MY HUSBAND IS A FEDERAL RETIREE RECEIVING PENSION AND SOCIAL SECURITY. HE STARTED RECEIVING SSI THIS YEAR AT AGE OF 70 AND 1/2. I AM WORKING PART TIME AND I WILL BE 69. I RAISED 9 CHILDREN AND I AM CATCHING UP MY SSI BENEFITS, WHICH, IF I RETIRED AT 69 WOULD ONLY BE 640 A MONTH. IF MY HUSBAND PREDECEASES ME I WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR HIS SSI BENEFIT AND WILL GET A PORTION OF HIS PENSION. AM I ELEGIBLE FOR SPOUSAL BENEFITS UNDER HIS SSI ? IF I AM IF I OUTLIVE HIM COULD I SWITCH OVER TO MY SSI BASED ON MY EARNED INCOME IF HIS SSI IS TERMINATED?
Hi,
Larry, my wife, born in 1951, is now age 67. A year ago or so, she started her social security benefit based on her own earnings record at her Full Retirement Age 66. I was born in 1949. A couple of years ago, I filed and suspended my benefit in March 2016 (prior to April 29, 2016) at my age 67 and have been letting my credits increase. I am now 69+ and planning on delaying a few more months until I am age 70 in 2019 to start my benefit. Assuming I die after having started to receive my age 70 benefit, what amount will my wife get as a widow benefit? Will it be 100% of the . . . Read More
My wife retired from school system at age 50. She chose the income leveling option to for her pension payment. She is now 59 and I am 63. I have not claimed SS yet. We have a 12 year old daughter.
What impact does income leveling have on determining my wife's and our family benefits?Thanks
Hi,
I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with your wife's pension program nor it's income leveling option. What I can tell you is that assuming that your wife's earnings were exempt from Social Security taxes while she worked for the school system and if . . . Read More
Can a man 67 years old that draws Social security.Work a part time job without effecting this social security check
Hi,
Yes, a person who is age 67 could work part-time or full-time without losing any of their Social Security benefits. Once a person reaches their full retirement age, which could be anywhere from age 66 to 67 depending on their year of birth (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/retirechart.html), there is no longer any limit on the amount that they could earn and still . . . Read More
I am 66 and my wife will be 72 in a month. I earned well more than she did in part because she stopped working for many years to raise our kids. We were both born before January 2, 1954. In 2012 when she turn 66 she applied for and is receiving (not suspending) monthly retirement benefits. I have not applied for any benefits but ran a report that suggests that I should apply for spousal benefits now and then apply for retirement benefits when I reach age 70. The report has a section about when to collect particular benefits for married couples, but it's very confusing. Can you . . . Read More
Can a spouse collect her social security at 62 and then switch to half her husbands at full retirement age?(and would she be penalized for filing early).
Your thoughts
Ned
Hi Ned,
The answer's no, a spouse can't file for their own benefits at age 62 and then switch to spousal benefits at full retirement age (FRA) and get half of their spouse's benefit rate. And, yes, the spouse taking their own benefit at age 62 would be penalized by receiving a reduced benefit rate for as long as both they and their spouse are living. Once you file for . . . Read More
I begin collecting my benefits at 62 no wife no kids I am 65 now am I ok ? Can I ever get more benefits ? thanks
Hi,
Well, you'll always be stuck with a reduced benefit rate in return for your decision to start your benefits at age 62. Unless you would qualify for higher benefits on the account of a former spouse, it sounds like there are only 2 ways that you could get a higher benefit rate. One would be by working and earning more in a year or years than in one or more of the highest 35 years of wage-indexed earnings previously used to calculate . . . Read More
Results will differ based on your specific case and filing strategy.