Hi,

I recently applied to start receiving my social security retirement benefits at age 70. Per My Social Secrity Account maintained by SSA, I earned the social security maximum taxable income in 40 of the years I worked (and paid the maximum SS taxes) yet the notice of award I received from SSA states my monthly benefit before Medicare premium deductions will be $3,798.50, not the maximum $3,895 I assumed I was qualified to receive. Can you help me understand why I did not receive the maximum benfit?

Thanks much for your help!

Hi Larry,
First of all, thank you for taking the time to help us all with our questions and concerns. Here's my qiestion: I am disabled and get SSI, but I want to work. Say I start working at 36 years old and retire at 67 (my full retirement age), will my retirement benefits be low due to the fact that I'll have less than 35 years of work history? Thank you for your time. God bless you!

- Monique

Aloha, Larry! I started receiving my SS at age 67, I am now 70. Was I supposed to put in another claim to receive higher benefits for age 70? Mine are very low, especially after they take out for Medicare. Thanks. Just checking to see if I can bump them up!

I was laid off in January 2021, at age 67 and 8 months, Im not working haven’t since laid off, did get unemployment for 26 weeks. Im planing on holding out for social security till I’m 70. DOB 4/26/53. This has been my plan to get the max as my wife is 9 years younger than me. I have 45 + years working in social security, my question is the 0’s in income for 2 years going to hurt me.

Age 71 collecting and working about $40,000 annual. Collect approx $1300 monthly. How will my continue working affect my benefit?

I’m 51 and am on SSDI. I’m divorced and was married a little over 10 years. I have not remarried. How can I determine what my SSI will be? I know that I can get some benefit based on my ex spouse’s income. If SSDI automatically converts to SSI will they automatically consider my ex spouse’s income? Thanks so much for your help!

How come social security does not give you an increase each year until you reach your full benefit age it makes sense to do that

Hi. I'm not sure what you mean. Social Security benefit rates do go up with each month that a person delays collecting their benefits from age 62 to age 70.

My husband died in an auto accident 10 years ago. He took an early retirement at age 58 after working for 30 years. I worked for 41 years. I had to go on disability after he passed when I was 59. He died at the age of 64. When I applied for disability, they said I could draw more on my own social security. I never understood why I was only able to get a small payment on the widow's benefit (around 475 a month). In June they sent me a letter stating they had increased my benefit to give me credit for additional earnings which were not included in computing my benefit.

I turn 62 next month or June. Will my Social Security check.be increased.

Hi. I assume you mean that you're already drawing either Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits or auxiliary or survivor benefits. If so, the amount of your benefit won't change simply because you're turning age 62. You may have other filing options available to you upon reaching age 62, though, but I can't give you any advice because there isn't enough information in your question.

Best, Jerry

My husband passed away in 2004 suddenly from septis. I was already on disability for a rare disease since 1998, and my daughter and son before my husband passed away was receiving a check each month of my Disability. When my son turned 18 his check stopped and so did my daughter,s. I moved back home and took her to get her GED, but the man said she was below grade level, and that was the end of that when she heard that. At that time everyone was bio-polar, but to make a long story short, she is receiving SSI because she was bi-polar.