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BEWARE about those survivor benefits - they don't tell you this but if you remarry before age 60 you LOSE THEM ALL!!!! My friend lost $175,000 in benefits because she remarried at 59 and they never warned her! The whole system is rigged against us.
You're correct that remarriage before 60 affects survivor benefits, but there's an important clarification: the beneficiary wouldn't lose ALL potential benefits, just eligibility for survivor benefits on the ex-spouse's record. If the new marriage ends (divorce or death), eligibility for the previous survivor benefits can be reinstated. Additionally, at FRA, they could still potentially claim spousal benefits on the new spouse's record if that would be higher. The rules are complex but designed to prevent collecting multiple benefits simultaneously rather than to penalize remarriage.
Maybe technically but try telling that to my friend who lost everything! The SSA representative literally told her "sorry, nothing we can do" and she's struggling financially now. They should WARN people about this before it happens!
Update: I found the W-4V form online and filled it out. I opted for 10% withholding to start. I was nervous about mailing such an important document, so I made an appointment at my local office (earliest was 3 weeks out) to drop it off in person. Thank you everyone for your helpful advice - especially about the earnings limit. I'm going to carefully track my consulting income this year to make sure I don't go too far over the limit.
smart choice! its so much better than dealing with quarterly payments. one less thing to worry about!
Great decision! Remember you can always adjust the withholding percentage later if 10% turns out to be too much or too little. And good thinking about tracking your earnings - that'll help you avoid any surprises at year-end.
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my cousin had hep c too and got it treated thank goodness! but he never thought about disability either, it's rough but he got through it too. glad your husband is doing better now!
Thank you! Yes, the treatments have improved a lot over the years but it was still a really tough time. I'm glad your cousin recovered too!
One thing worth noting: If your husband's current benefit is lower than what you're entitled to as a spouse (potentially up to 50% of his full retirement age benefit), you might want to look into spousal benefits when you reach eligibility age. This could help maximize your household's total Social Security income, even if the disability option isn't available.
Thank you for that suggestion! I'm actually 59 now and planning to work until at least 62, maybe longer depending on how things go. But I'll definitely look into the spousal benefit option when I get closer to retirement age.
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I just wanted to thank everyone for all this helpful information! I feel much better knowing I probably won't owe taxes on my benefits. I'm also going to look into that disability freeze option that was mentioned, and maybe reconsider applying for disability benefits with better medical documentation. I appreciate all the advice!
Good plan. One more tip: If you do decide to pursue the disability angle, consider getting a copy of your medical records first. Make sure they clearly document your vision limitation and any functional restrictions. Sometimes doctors don't include enough detail about how conditions affect daily activities, which is what SSA focuses on. Good luck!
my aunt had to pay taxes on her SS and she only made like 30k total so it really depends on ur other income. its so confusing!!!
That's correct. At $30k combined income (counting half her SS benefits), your aunt would be over the $25,000 threshold where taxation begins for single filers. Up to 50% of benefits become taxable between $25,000-$34,000, and up to 85% above $34,000. The exact percentage depends on the specific calculations on the IRS worksheet.
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Anyone know if the PIA matters for taxes? My tax guy never asked for this info before.
The PIA itself isn't directly used in tax calculations, but it can be important for financial planning. For example, if you're planning withdrawals from retirement accounts alongside Social Security, or if you're looking at strategies for surviving spouses. Your financial advisor is likely using it to model different scenarios for future income and tax implications.
After you find your PIA could you come back and tell us how you did it? I'm going to need to do this too pretty soon and I'm not looking forward to navigating the SSA website!
Sure thing! It was actually easier than I thought. I just logged into my MySocialSecurity account, clicked on "Get a Benefit Verification Letter" and downloaded the PDF. Near the bottom it shows my original benefit amount when I started collecting. Since I started at my full retirement age, that amount is my PIA. If you started early or late, it might be different from your PIA.
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WAIT!! I'm really confused now. Isn't suspending benefits the same as just not applying until 70??? I thought you could only suspend if you haven't started taking SS yet??? Someone please explain the difference!!?
They're different things: 1. Delaying application: This is when you haven't started benefits yet and simply wait to apply (anytime from age 62 to 70). 2. Suspending benefits: This is when you've ALREADY started receiving benefits (after reaching Full Retirement Age), then request to pause them temporarily. You can only suspend after you've reached your FRA, and you can restart anytime between then and age 70. The OP has already started benefits at their FRA and now wants to temporarily pause them while selling properties to avoid tax issues.
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why doesnt he just wait until hes at full retirement age to apply? then he can make whatever $ he wants with no penalties
We've discussed that, but we'd really like to start the income flowing sooner if possible. He's been working physically demanding jobs for 40+ years and really needs to cut back. Even with the reduction for claiming early, we think it makes sense for our situation.
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Some important things to know about CIC and survivor benefits that confused me at first: 1) If you work while receiving CIC benefits, there are earnings limits ($22,320 in 2025). Go over that and they reduce your benefit. 2) The children's benefits are NOT affected by your earnings, only yours are. 3) Benefits are paid the month after they're due (so March benefits arrive in April). 4) If the family maximum applies, they'll calculate the total automatically when you apply. 5) Set up direct deposit if possible - it's much more reliable than the debit card option. Hoping this helps with the process. It took me about 2-3 months to get everything sorted out after my spouse passed.
This is extremely helpful information, thank you! I didn't realize my work income could affect the benefits, so that's really good to know. I make about $38,000 a year as a teacher, so I'll need to figure out how that impacts things.
One last thing - you'll need to apply for both benefits separately. The children's survivor benefits AND your CIC benefits. Don't assume they'll automatically give you both when you apply. Be very specific and ask for both types. And yes, unfortunately with your income of $38,000, your personal CIC benefit will be reduced due to the earnings limit, but your children will still get their full benefits. Make sure you clarify all this when you finally get through to someone at SSA.
Thank you! I definitely would have assumed it was all part of one application. I'll be sure to specifically ask for both benefits when I apply. I really appreciate everyone's help in explaining all this!
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Something nobody has mentioned yet - if your neighbor's husband dies before she does, her benefit would increase. As a widow, she would be eligible for 100% of what he was receiving (instead of the 50% spousal benefit). This is called the survivor benefit and is another way Social Security protects spouses who have limited work history of their own. Just something to keep in mind about how the program works overall.
Thank you all for the helpful explanations! This makes so much more sense now. It's amazing that married couples can really maximize their benefits this way. My husband and I are both approaching retirement age and I worked part-time for many years, so I'll definitely be looking into whether the spousal benefit might be better for me. Feeling much more confident about our retirement planning now!
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Smart approach! One more thing to consider in your decision: If you're still working and plan to continue past age 65, option #3 (waiting until FRA) might be best because you avoid the earnings limit completely. But if you're not working or earning under the threshold, then comparing the actual benefit amounts for options 1 and 2 makes the most sense. And remember that spousal benefits don't earn delayed retirement credits past FRA, so there's no advantage to waiting beyond your FRA of 67.
Avery Saint
To clarify some confusion in this thread: For IRMAA purposes, the SSA uses your Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) from your tax return, which is your AGI plus tax-exempt interest income. This means: 1. Traditional IRA withdrawals DO count toward IRMAA (Roth withdrawals generally don't) 2. The business income question depends on your business structure: - Sole proprietorship/Schedule C: All profits count whether distributed or reinvested - S-Corporation: Your salary plus any distributions count - C-Corporation: Only your salary counts, not retained earnings The SSA-44 form allows you to appeal IRMAA if you've had a qualifying life-changing event, which includes "work reduction" and "work stoppage." Your income reduction from $258K to $74K would absolutely qualify, assuming you can document the change properly. The documentation typically needed includes: - Last paycheck stub from previous employer - Termination/resignation letter - Current pay stubs showing reduced income - Most recent tax return - Statement explaining your situation The IRMAA determination will be updated once you provide evidence of your current income.
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Ryan Vasquez
•Thank you for the detailed explanation! I have an S-Corporation for my business, so it sounds like both my modest salary and any distributions would count, but thankfully not the profits I keep in the business for growth. I have all the documentation ready - just need to actually reach someone at SSA to submit it all.
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Ezra Bates
Just want to follow up to say that when I called SS about my IRMAA appeal, they told me I could also fax the completed SSA-44 form with supporting documentation to my local office. Might be worth trying that approach if you continue having trouble reaching someone by phone. The fax number should be available on the SSA website for your local office.
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Ryan Vasquez
•That's a great tip - I hadn't considered faxing it in. I'll look up my local office's fax number. Did they confirm receipt when you faxed your documents?
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Ezra Bates
•No confirmation when I faxed it, which was nerve-wracking. I called about 2 weeks later and they confirmed they had received it, but hadn't processed it yet. The whole process took about 4-5 weeks from faxing to receiving the updated determination letter.
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