Ask Larry: Questions and Answers

Hi Larry, my son is a disabled adult child getting ready to start claiming SSDI from his dad’s record next month. My question is will there ever be a point where he will receive the short form CDR every 3 years, or will he always get the long form with the full CDR every 3 years. He’s 25 now and not due for another review for 2 more years. Thank you so much.

Hi. There isn't a specific age at which your son would no longer be subject to continuing disability reviews (CDR), since having a disabling condition is a requirement for eligibility to disabled adult . . . Read More

I was working part time and I was on ssdi. I stayed below the SGA monthly amount. My part time job was a debt collector. My employer had been giving collectors weekly prizes for contests of how many collection payments per hour were obtained. For example if a collector got at least 2.5 payments per hour then they would receive a prize (initially were gifts or gift cards). If the collector got less than 2.5 payments per hour then they would receive no prize. Later in the year my employer had changed the prize method to cash incentive pay. So instead of a gift or gift card the . . . Read More

I am 73 and began collecting social security at 69. My wife is 63 and considering collecting her benefit now at the reduced amount.
She talked to the social security administration on the phone and asked them if I died after she had reached her full retirement age (66 years and 7 months) could she collect my full benefit amount. They said that since she had started taking her benefits early at the reduced rate, that if she converted to my benefits after I passed they would be paid at a reduced rate.
I thought that since she would be converting to my benefits after . . . Read More

My wife and I are the same age. And I understand the deeming rules (that if a person files for either their retirement or spousal benefit, they are also deemed to be filing for the other benefit too). My question is, I thought that my wife could file for her retirement benefit at FRA (which is 67 for both of us). But I would delay filing for my retirement benefit until age 70, at which time she would file for her spousal benefit. But will SS deem that she filed for her spousal benefit at 67 even though I didn't file for my retirement benefit? If so, how does SS calculate what . . . Read More