If We Get Married, Will My Earnings Adversely Affect My Husband's Benefits?
My guy and I are an extreme December-May relationship...but hey, love is love! He has just begun receiving social security retirement (age 65) and I have many, many more work years ahead of me (age 41 in November). We also have a son together (age 5). We would like to get married, but we are concerned about a great many things. We simply don't understand how my earnings are going to impact his SSI and how our son factors into all of this. As of right now, we are NOT filing our son as his dependent and haven't even mentioned him in regards to Social Security. My boyfriend and I . . . Read More
Category: Miscellaneous
Posted: Nov 8 2017 - 7:57am
Can I Draw Survivor Benefits On My First Husband's Record If We Were Married For 5 Years?
Hello! :)
I will be 60 in January of 2018. My first husband passed away in 2014, I just recently learned from his sister. I would never have thought of this til I read your book but I just want to clarify that I understand correctly. In the book you said that you only needed to be married 9 months to collect widows/survivors benefits. He and I both remarried, but I haven't been married in many years now. Is it possible for me to claim survivors/widows benefits under his account? We were married 5 years. When he passed in 2014, he had just reached 60, and I know wasn't . . . Read More
Category: Divorced Widow(er) Benefits
Posted: Nov 7 2017 - 7:02am
When Would Be The Optimum Time To File?
I turn 66 on 12/29/2017. My husband turns 66 on 2/15/2018. We have been advised to file for my retirement benefit in 12/2018 and my husband to file a Restricted Application to receive a spousal benefit, also in 12/2018. I get the strategy but why would we wait until 12/2018? When would be the optimum time to file?
Thanks for clarifying.
Hi,
The only potential reason for waiting until 12/2018 to file would be that it would increase your monthly benefit rate by 8% as a result of delayed retirement credits ( . . . Read More
Category: Filing Strategies
Posted: Nov 7 2017 - 6:53am
Is What I've Been Told By Railroad Retirement Correct?
Hi:
I was a railroad employee from 1978 to 1998 with 246 months of service. I have SS on both sides of those dates. My local RRB representative has stated that with this amount of service and the date period I can delay the full benefit of RR Benefits until I'm 66+4 (BD 1/30/56), but can start to collect SS from age 62 until I'm 66+4 at which time the my payments would be increased to the RR benefit amount. I have searched through your postings and have not seen anything exactly like this scenario being discussed. I understand the Erisa issue could preclude this . . . Read More
Category: Railroad Retirement & Social Security
Posted: Nov 7 2017 - 6:38am
Did My Ex Illegally Avoid Paying Taxes?
Hi Larry, I came across your column while googling Soc. Sec questions for myself today, 11-6-17.
I am a 63 woman, I stared collecting SS at 62, and I really thought that I could collect against my ex-husband, who is 70. While sitting there with the nice SS officer (in disbelief that I couldn't collect against my ex - and, I didn't know my Ex's SS number at the time) - it was such a small amount of difference to waiting until 70 that, I decided to collect my own SS benefits at 62. I also have had little income, divorced, and not working anymore..I've never remarried, and . . . Read More
Category: Divorced Spousal Benefits
Posted: Nov 7 2017 - 5:32am
Can I Collect My Benefits At 62 And Suspend Them Later To Draw Spousal Benefits Instead?
I will be 62 November 22nd, 2017 and my husband will be 67 March 25th, 2018. My maximum SS benefit is less than my husband's spousal (he plans to retire at 70). If I retire January 2018 and start collecting social security benefits can I suspend my benefits when my husband turns 70 and collect spousal (I'll be 65).
Please advise.
Thank you!
Best Regards,
Barbara
Hi,
No. Once you start drawing your own retirement benefits you can't later switch to a spousal benefit. You could, however, potentially receive additional . . . Read More
Category: Filing Options
Posted: Nov 7 2017 - 5:11am
Could I Collect Survivor Benefits On One Ex's Record And Later Receive A Higher Rate On Another Ex's Record?
I have been married three times. Two of my marriages were been more than 10 years each. I’m 62 years old, I’m not collecting any benefits at this time. My question is if one of my ex spouses passes away would I be able to collect survivor benefits on that one and if the other dies later and there is a larger amount to collect would I be able to switch to that one?
Hi,
Yes, assuming that you meet all of the requirements for entitlement (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/ . . . Read More
Category: Divorced Widow(er) Benefits
Posted: Nov 7 2017 - 5:02am
Will My Canadian Pension Reduce My Spousal Benefits?
I worked for 13 years in Canada, when I was a Canadian citizen. Now I would like to take spousal benefits on my husband's Social Security. My Canadian Pension monthly payments would be about $250 per month. Will Social Security reduce my husband's benefit and/or my benefit because of WEP or GPO?
Hi,
No. Your Canadian pension wouldn't subject you to GPO (Government Pension Offset) since foreign pensions are exempted from that provision. Nor would your pension have any effect on your husband's Social Security benefit rate.
Best, Jerry
Category: Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO
Posted: Nov 7 2017 - 4:52am
How Much Will My Wife Get As Her Spousal Benefit?
Hi Larry,
Hope you weekend is going well. I have two questions.
Will appreciate your help greatly:
1. I turned 67 year old in July 2017. If I start taking my social security $ in Jan 2018, how much my wife will get as her spousal benefits.
My wife will turn 66 this month, Nov, 2017. But she started taking her social security benefits @ 62 years age.
The specific question is whether she will get of half of my social security amount or any other amout. Please advise.
2. My second question is how many years will take to recoup all . . . Read More
Category: Spousal Benefits
Posted: Nov 6 2017 - 4:04pm
What Is My Best Approach To Drawing Benefits?
I turn 65 this month. My husband died 5 months ago at the age of 67. He had not yet applied for SS. His Benefit was estimated at $1,423, and estimated to be $1,710 at age 70. Mine is $1,094, and estimated to be $1,627 at age 70.
I continue to work, making about $40K year. Is my best approach to go ahead and take my Benefit now, then revert to his at age 70 1/2? Do I need to delay until age 66?
Thanks.
Hi,
I'm sorry for your loss.
Your potential widow's benefits won't get any higher if you wait past full retirement age to start . . . Read More
Category: Filing Strategies
Posted: Nov 6 2017 - 3:52pm
