Will It Help Me To Earn The Additional Credits I Need For Social Security Insured Status?
I am currently reading your book, "Get What's Yours, Social Security", and have a question regarding SS benefits for myself. I retired from teaching in Ca. 4 years ago with a pension. I am 67 years old. However, before teaching, I paid into SS for several years. I receive a yearly statement from SS stating that I need 3 more credits to apply for benefits. I am considering working to earn my 3 credits, but am not sure that I will receive any benefits, due to my teacher's retirement. The SS office told me that they will not even figure out my benefit until I have earned the full . . . Read More
Category: Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO
Posted: Feb 26 2018 - 4:54pm
Will I Get Hit By WEP Twice If I Receive Two Foreign Pensions?
I will have two foreign pensions when I retire and I have a basic understanding of the WEP rules, what is unclear is whether i would get hit by WEP twice (once for each pension) or just the one time. I would appreciate any information on this I have searched extensively and cannot find that level of detail. Thank you.
Hi,
The only way that receipt of two different non-Social Security covered pensions instead of just one would make the effects of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) worse is if you qualified for the WEP guarantee. The WEP . . . Read More
Category: Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO
Posted: Feb 26 2018 - 10:08am
Should My Sister Have Been Eligible For SSI Sooner?
Hello and thank you for your time. This is a two part question. These question pertains to my sister. She is 35 years old who lives in New York City . She was born mentally disabled. My father is a retired NYC firefighter who collects a disability pension.
Question #1: My sister has been receiving SSI since 2002. Shouldn't she have been receiving benefits sooner, possibly from birth? If so are benefits retroactive?
Question #2: We recently filed for Medicaid (and were approved) so that she can join an adult day care program which only accepts Medicaid. . . . Read More
Category: Supplemental Security Income
Posted: Feb 26 2018 - 9:43am
Would Taking Your DD-214 To Social Security Give You More Benefits?
If you take your DD 214 to social Security off can you make more on social security ?
Hi,
Maybe, but not necessarily. A military form DD-214 would only prove to Social Security the dates of your military service. But if all of your active duty was after 1967 then Social Security likely already has such proof and has already credited you will all of the deemed military wages (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.09/handbook-0953.html) for which you are eligible . . . Read More
Category: Deemed Military Wages
Posted: Feb 26 2018 - 9:32am
Will My Wife Be Eligible For Benefits On Her Ex-Husband's Record?
My wife and I are both divorced. I am an educator and draw teacher retirement. I do have 40 quarters in SS but do not have significant contributions. My windfall offset will eliminate any SS benefit that I would recieve. We both remarried after 30 years in prior marriages but we were both under 60 years of age when we remarried. Will my current spouse be eligible for her ex husbands SS benefit or widow benefits at any point? After I die or h the ex dies or after both of us pass on?
Hi,
The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) never eliminates a person . . . Read More
Category: Divorced Spousal Benefits
Posted: Feb 26 2018 - 9:19am
Can I File For And Suspend My Benefits In Order To Allow My Wife To Receive Spousal Benefits?
I turned 66 in October 2017. My wife started taking her retirement benefits at age 62. (She was born April 1, 1952) Can I still file and suspend as I am continuing to work and expect to work for Allegheny County till age 70. This would allow her to increase her benefit from 700 dollars as a retirement benefit to (I calculate LOL) 900 dollars as a spousal benefit if I file and suspend. (or did Congress screw our ability to do this) In the alternative, should I take my spousal benefit which I believe your book emphasizes patience and so I should take the lesser of the two to . . . Read More
Category: Filing Options
Posted: Feb 25 2018 - 4:00pm
Do You Have Any Suggestions?
i feel it is terribly unfair - That when my husband died of a sudden massive MI at age 64 - I was 62. He did not smoke or drink - He was such a good man - Lots of stress- however.
We both have worked all these years and had such plans - I am still getting calls from places where he wanted us to retire at and travel.
I still have the same bills and all I got from his social security is 250.00???
That is not right -My bills are still the same- just less food. However, I am still helping our three grown children with their grief and putting one through . . . Read More
Category: Widow's Benefits
Posted: Feb 25 2018 - 7:39am
Will The Vacation Pay I Recieve In A Lump Sum When I Retire Count Towards My 2018 Earnings?
Hello,
I will be retiring in March of 2018. I will be 60 and collecting widows benefits. I have three months of income for 2018 which will amount to approximately $10,800. I will also be getting a lump sum payment for vacation days which will total about $7,500, which will put me over the earnings limit. Does social security count this lump sum payment towards earnings? If so how would I be penalized?
Thank you,
Dorie
Hi Dorie,
If any of your vacation days were earned and available for your use prior to 2018, Social Security . . . Read More
Category: Earnings Test
Posted: Feb 25 2018 - 7:21am
Which Social Security Representative Is Right?
Dear Larry,
I called Social Security this past week and two representatives told me that I cannot collect ex spousal benefits (married 21 years and he earned a lot more than I did and still does)unless my ex is also collecting benefits. They explained that "entitled/eligible" means that he is collecting. This is the exact opposite of what I as told two years ago in 2016. I am still working a a public school teacher and will turn 66 in May. He will turn 62 in April. In 2016, I was told that at full retirement age (66-born in 1952 and he in 1955) I would be eligible for . . . Read More
Category: Divorced Spousal Benefits
Posted: Feb 24 2018 - 5:17pm
Why Did My Wife Receive A Letter From Social Security When Only I Filed For Benefits?
Hi Larry,
I filed an application online for myself on February 6, 2018 for my own Social Security benefits to begin in April 2018 on my 70th birthday. My spouse has not yet filed for Social Security benefits. Everything seemed ok until today when I received a letter addressed to me from Social Security Admin in Boston, MA dated February 14, 2018 that had the following, "We are writing to tell you that your spouse filed an application for Social Security benefits on February 6, 2018. Social Security considers an application for Social Security benefits to be a request . . . Read More
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: Feb 24 2018 - 5:06pm
