Can My Wife Suspend Her Widow's Benefits Until FRA If I Die Before Then?
Follow up question to Aug 7th concerning Widows benefits. If my wife is taking early Spousal benefits, say age 62 and I took early retirement and die before she reaches her FRA, can she elect to suspend receiving widow benefits until reaching her FRA so as to then get the higher of my reduced benefit or 82.5% of my FRA?
Also, if I take early benefit and she waits until her FRA for spousal benefit, does she get 50% of my early benefit or of my original PIA at my FRA?
Thanks again for all your sage advice I have been reading in this forum!
Hi, . . . Read More
Category: Filing Options
Posted: Aug 8 2018 - 11:33am
Can I Apply For My Dad's Disability?
Can i apply for my dads disability
Hi,
I'm not sure what you're specifically asking. If you want to know If you can file a claim for disability benefits on your father's behalf, you could only do so if he's legally incompetent or mentally or physically incapable of filing himself (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0200204003).
On the other hand, if your asking whether or not you could receive benefits for yourself based on your father's record, then in order to . . . Read More
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: Aug 8 2018 - 10:28am
Is There Any Way For My Wife To File For SSDI On My Social Security Record?
Hello... my wife of almost a year is 42, I'm about to turn 45. I currently work and have since I was 15 so I have plenty of work credits to qulify for disability if I needed to. My wife hasn't worked in several years...she was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease in 2014 and it's only been getting worse. She's cleaned houses here and there, but nothing to report to taxes. So she wanted to finally file for SSDI and they told her she didn't have enough work credits and I make too much for her to file for SSI. We currently have my two children that are 7 and 11 and her two . . . Read More
Category: Disability Benefits
Posted: Aug 8 2018 - 10:03am
Is There Anything I Can Do To Claim My First Or Second Husbands Social Security Benefits?
Hello Mr. Kotlikoff,
I am 55 years young, I have been married twice, my first husband passed away at the age of 43, we were married for twelve years, I remarried in 2003 and divorced my second husband in January 2013. I am uncertain if there is anything that I can do to claim their (husband 1 and/or husband 2) social security benefits? I am currently working and plan on working as long as I can as long as I am healthy. I am working on saving as much as I can in an IRA to assist me if and when I can retire. I just don't know how to BEST utilize social security benefits . . . Read More
Category: Filing Options
Posted: Aug 8 2018 - 9:44am
How Will It Affect My Food Stamps If I Qualify For Disability Benefits From Social Security?
I am 66 years old, my wife is 54 and my son is 16. I currently receive a ssn check, but they told me I also qualify for disability due to my knee and my shoulder. Will that affect my food stamp benefits? Should I not apply for disability?
Hi,
I have no expertise in the food stamp program, so I don't know what effect your qualifying for disability benefits might have on your food stamps. However, I would assume that if your Social Security benefit rate went up or if you received back pay then it could have an effect on your food stamps since that's a . . . Read More
Category: Disability Benefits
Posted: Aug 7 2018 - 9:52am
If I Draw SS On A Deceased Former Husband Can I Also Get VA Benefits From A Second Deceased Husband?
If I draw SS from formers deceased husband can I also get VA benefits DIC from second husband VA whom is deceased
Hi,
I don't know about VA benefits because my expertise is limited to Social Security benefits. All I can tell you for sure is that if you do receive VA benefits, it would not have any effect on your Social Security survivor benefits.
Best, Jerry
Category: Veterans Benefits
Posted: Aug 7 2018 - 9:45am
Can My Wife Keep Drawing Spousal Benefits Until Her FRA If I Die Before Then?
My wife never worked. If I draw early SS benefits, (age 64) and she draws early Spousal benefits, (age 62) and I die, can she continue with spousal benefits until reaching FRA and then file for Widow benefits? 82.5% of my PIA is $1900 and my early benefit is $2000. How does her age affect this if not at her FRA?
Thanks
Hi,
No, spousal benefits are auxiliary benefits paid on the record of a living spouse. You can't receive auxiliary benefits on the record of a deceased spouse, although you could receive survivor benefits instead.
If your . . . Read More
Category: Spousal Benefits
Posted: Aug 7 2018 - 7:51am
Can I Claim As A Divorced Spouse At 62 If My Ex-Spouse Is Also 62?
I am on SSDi. I wish to get off it as i want to leave the states and i am not a citizen. Can i claim as divorced spouse at 62 if spouse is also 62?
Hi,
You couldn't voluntarily quit drawing Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits and draw divorced spousal benefits instead, nor would that necessarily enable you to receive your benefits outside of the U.S. You could theoretically switch to drawing regular Social Security retirement benefits instead of SSDI, but that would likely just cut your net benefit rate by around 25%.
However, . . . Read More
Category: Divorced Spousal Benefits
Posted: Aug 7 2018 - 7:32am
Do ESB Calculations Apply When Filing A Restricted Application For Spousal Benefits?
Do ESB calculations apply when filing a Restricted Application for Spousal Benefit? I am approaching 66 (my wife is 2 years older and no longer working). I still work and make significantly more than my wife did. I would like to file a restricted application and wait until 70 to file for full benefits. Will I get 50% of my wife's FRA or will it be subject to the ESB calculation?
Hi,
I'm sorry, but I don't know what you're referring to by 'ESB calculations'. In any case, if you file a restricted application for spousal benefits only at your full . . . Read More
Category: Spousal Benefits
Posted: Aug 6 2018 - 4:37pm
Does It Matter If My Husband Files First Or If I File First?
Larry & Friends:
Pray All are doing well. Purchasing your book has been a big help re SS info. Know much more now after reading your book, but have a question for you. My Husband just turned 66 (DOB 7/29/52). He currently is still working, but is making plans to retire before year's end. I am 62 (DOB 8/18/55), and I am not working. My work career has been sporadic as I've been a stay at home Mom for a number of years. At FRA, my husband's SS payment would be $2512; At Age 70, it will be $3301; At FRA, my SS payment will be $798; At age 70, it will be $1042. To start . . . Read More
Category: Filing Strategies
Posted: Aug 6 2018 - 9:39am
