Retirement Benefits

I am retiring in May 2017, age 67. I got a phone call from SS that my 1990 income was apparently reported twice. This skewed my benefits which became lower once the error was found (my bad for not paying closer attention to those earnings reports!!!) I was told on the phone by the SS rep that half the reported amount would be used as my income for 1990. Now I get a letter stating my income for 1990 is $0 and my benefits (including a retro payment to July 2016, if I choose to take it) are even lower. Of course I am disputing this but do you have any advice?

I just wanted to know why my mother who worked for 45 years at a lower wage than I is getting $1261.00 per month, And me who worked as a Masters Degree professional at a much higher wage/ salary for the same time are to recieve only $2000.00 at age sixty five?

Hi,

I RETIRED AS AN INSURANCE AGENTin1990. and began Social Security. As a pension I also received over the years monthly renewal income from which was withheld annually the sum.of $199.80 Social Security plus $46.68 re: Medicare. Therefore as I received $16,824. SS each year I continued each tax time to pay, over 26 years, $5,195 total( so far) back into

I was in the military (enlisted service) from 1972-1975 and again (officer service) from 1979-2006. Can you explain how Deemed Military Credits (DMC's) work and how do I verify that SSA has credited me properly?

Hi,

Hello -- I will be 63 in June. I am and have always been single. I work, but my work looks to be dropping off substantially this year due to changes in the company. I would llike to know if I should file for social security benefits soon because it looks like I will earn substantially less than I did in the last 15 years. I obviously want to maximize my benefit; however, I do want to retire very soon anyway. This change in my income was unexpected, so I have not figured out what is best -- use savings and wait or file now?

Last October I received a letter from SSA informing me that my monthly benefit would be increased,this past year my earnings have increased considerably,how do I go about asking them to do the same one more time.

Hi,

I turn 70 in the month of June. When applying for benefits, should the starting date be June or July in order to receive the maximum benefit?

Hi,

If you were born on June 1st, you would want to choose May as your month of entitlement. If you were born any other day in June, you'd choose June to get the maximum rate. Social Security pays benefits a month behind, so payments for June are issued in July.

Best, Jerry

I will turn 70 on April 15th of this year and filed on-line for my Social Security benefits to start on May 1st. I receive a call from SS saying that I should start my benefits April 1 because my 70 yr benefit would start the month of your birthday. Is this correct? I don't want to loose my 70 yr old bennifit if they start the month of April when I was only 69.

Hi,

My mother receives VA income (I believe disability) and she just turned 67. Can she also apply for her Soc Sec Retirement benefits? Will she receive both?

Hi,

VA benefits have no effect on Social Security benefits, so the answer to your question is yes, assuming that she qualifies for Social Security. Some VA benefits are needs based, however, so it's possible that receipt of Social Security benefits could affect her VA benefits, depending on the type of VA benefits she receives.

Best, Jerry

If I retire at 62 and collect my pension, and don't claim my SS benefits until 66 2 months without working for those 4 years will I get my max SSN benefit which is around 2700.00 per month.Thank You

Hi,