Hi Larry, I'm 64 years old and I'm going to start collecting my deceased husbands SS benefit this year, while continuing to let mine grow. I still work and earn about 30,000 a year, I know I can only earn 17,040 without penalty. If I contribute more to my 403B will that reduce my income, so I can receive more of his benefit?
Thank you in advance for your help.
Sherry
Hi Sherry,
The amount that Social Security will count for earnings test purposes (https://www.ssa.gov/ . . . Read More
Hi Larry,
I just turned FRA and will start spousal benefits ($947) on a restricted application in Feb this year so I can then take my SS at age 70 ($1800+) with my DRC. My husband took his SS at age 62. I was injured at work and have not worked for 2 years. I am receiving worker comp permanent disability and was just approved for LTD through my employers plan(will last up to 24 months). When I spoke with SS about my spousal benefits I asked about SSD and they said due to my age (65, almost 66) I didn't qualify. The LTD plan is requesting that I apply for SSD benefits as . . . Read More
Retroactive Spousal Benefits: Hi Larry, my husband and I will be 66 and FRA this year. My husband will start SS benefits in April at his FRA while I am still working and plan to start SS benefits in 2019. My husband will file for spousal benefit once I file because half of mine is higher than his. If I file for the benefit on my record in June 2019 and take the retro 6 month payment, can my husband switch to spousal benefit retro too? Or would his spousal only start in June 2019? I know this sounds crazy but my intent was to start my benefit and his spousal Jan 2019 so this . . . Read More
I am receiving full Social Security benefits. My spouse will be receiving, when she retires, within the next 5 months, proceeds from a 401(a) program. Her employer a municipality, elected the 401 (a) in lieu of participating in SS. Both her and employer contribute. She does not have enough credits to receive a Social security retirement on her own.
When I pass, and I have terminal cancer, she is 64, 65 in May, and plans to retire this year, will she be eligible for Survivors benefits from SS if she is also receiving payments from her 401(a), if so then will they be . . . Read More
Hi Larry,
I was just offered a job in Belgium and am thinking of moving there. I am 62 and my wife turns 66 and she was born before 1954. The job pays well and I know that claiming social security benefits before 66 would impact the amount I receive. However, I would like my wife to file a restricted application to receive the 'free' spousal benefit and she is only able to do so if I file. My question is if I do file for benefits do the earnings I receive from foreign income count against my social security benefit? I am assuming as long as my foreign income is not . . . Read More
Hi Larry! My husband and I both reach full retirement age (66) this year, he in April, me in September. My social security monthly benefit is less than one-half of my husband's. We are trying to decide who should file for the spousal benefit for 4 years, while the other waits until age 70 to file. Also, if my husband takes the spousal, does he need to wait until September when I'm eligible to apply for full benefits and then would he file for a retroactive payment to his full retirement date which is 5 months earlier than mine? We are both still working and will probably work . . . Read More
I would like to know how and if I can filed for social security benefits under my wife's social security which she has been getting for several years already my wife is 66 and I will be 68 this feburary I receive a pension but according to my social security statement i'm entitled to $326 a month my wife gets $450 a month. I want to filed this feburary to start getting my payments. can I take her's amount or not. if so how do I do that
Hi,
If you haven't already filed for your own Social Security retirement benefits, then yes it sounds like you could . . . Read More
Question about coordinating/maximizing our benefits:
My wife turns 62 in May of this year (2018). Her FRA is 66 and 4 months. She has stopped working and has no plans to ever work again. I turn 64 in March of this year (2018). My FRA is 66. I am currently working and will stop working at the end of this year but plan to wait until my FRA to file at which time the PIA will be about $2800/month. If my wife waits until her FRA, her benefit would be about $160/month. If she files for benefits this year (2018), it would be about $120/month. Does it make sense for her to do . . . Read More
I’m planning on retiring and applying for SS payments on my birthday 09/02/2018 at the age of 66. Do I automatically get retroactive SS payments starting on 01/01/2018?And, how does this effect the limit of $45,360 and reduce my payments if I make $90,000 income by 12/31/2018? Muchos Gracias
Hi,
No, you won't get any retroactive payments if you file at your full retirement age of 66. You would only potentially get back pay if you filed after reaching age 66, in which case you could claim benefits up to the lesser of 6 months retroactively or back to . . . Read More
Larry,
My mother is entitled to 6 months of retroactive payment from Social Security due to the RIB-LIM rule. My father had taken Social Security 3 years early, so my mother should have taken her payment immediately after he died in December 2016. However, she thought she had to wait until her FRA, and I didn't know about RIB-LIM until I came across your website.
She went to the SSA earlier this week, and was not given the retroactive payment. Is this usually automatically given or does one have to specifically ask for the retroactive payment to receive it? . . . Read More
Results will differ based on your specific case and filing strategy.