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im confused about something else - if you work till 70 but start taking SS at 67 (FRA) do they still count those years from 67-70 in the calculation?
Yes, they absolutely do! Even if you're already receiving benefits, SSA reviews your earnings record every year. If your new earnings replace a lower year in your top 35, they automatically adjust your benefit amount. I started benefits at my FRA but continued working part-time, and my benefit has been adjusted upward twice because of it.
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! Just to make sure I understand correctly: 1. SSA looks at my 35 highest-earning years regardless of when they occurred 2. Working past FRA can replace lower-earning years in the calculation 3. Recalculations happen automatically, but may take some time 4. Indexing affects how early years are valued compared to recent years This confirms my strategy of working until 70 makes sense both for the delayed retirement credits AND for improving my overall calculation. Just what I needed to know!
That's a perfect summary! You've got it exactly right. Working until 70 is giving you both benefits - the 8% per year increase for delayed claiming PLUS potentially improving your overall AIME calculation by replacing lower-earning years. It's the optimal strategy for someone with your earnings history.
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I just wanted to update everyone - I finally got through to SSA this morning after using that Claimyr service mentioned above (it really did work!). The agent confirmed what most of you have said: my husband's spousal top-off will be based on my full PIA amount regardless of when I file. So I will take the reduction for filing early, but his spousal benefit calculation won't be affected by my early filing. Since we need the additional income now for some medical expenses, I think I'll go ahead with filing at 66. Thanks to everyone who helped clarify this confusing aspect of Social Security rules!
Good decision based on your needs. One final tip - make sure when your husband applies for the spousal top-up that he specifically mentions he's applying for the spousal benefit based on your record. Sometimes the SSA representatives don't automatically check for this eligibility, and it's not always applied retroactively if missed.
I'm still not 100% clear... so does this mean that if I'm the higher earner and my husband is getting benefits on my record, I should ALWAYS file early??? Seems like there's no disadvantage since my early filing only affects me, not him? Am I understanding this correctly?
Not necessarily. While it's true that your early filing won't reduce your spouse's spousal benefit calculation, filing early permanently reduces YOUR benefit by 5/9 of 1% for each month before FRA (up to 36 months) and 5/12 of 1% for each additional month. This reduction lasts for your lifetime. The decision to file early should consider: 1. Your health and life expectancy 2. Your current income needs 3. Survivor benefit implications (when you pass away, your spouse may receive your benefit amount) 4. Tax implications of combined income For some couples, it makes sense for the higher earner to delay as long as possible (to age 70) to maximize the survivor benefit, even if that means the lower earner claims early.
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Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I'm going to try to contact SSA to get actual numbers so I can make an informed decision. Given that the "claim now, claim more later" strategy isn't an option anymore, I need to carefully weigh whether taking everything now at a reduced rate makes more sense than waiting until my FRA. It sounds like I should definitely ask about: 1. The exact amount of MY benefit if claimed now 2. The exact amount of my ex-spouse benefit if claimed now 3. What both would be if I wait until FRA 4. How survivor benefits would work if something happened to my ex I'll post an update once I get through to someone and have more information!
That's a great plan. One more thing to consider - if you're only planning to take benefits early because of a temporary financial setback, remember you have options. You can claim now, then if your situation improves within 12 months, you can withdraw your application (Form SSA-521), repay the benefits received, and it's like you never claimed early. This effectively resets your claiming date for the future. Just something to keep in mind depending on your specific circumstances.
I was in a somewhat similar situation last year. I found that the local Social Security office was actually more helpful than trying to call. I made an appointment (still had to wait a few weeks) but the in-person meeting was so much more productive than trying to get answers on the phone or online. The rep pulled up both my record and my ex's and showed me exactly what I'd get under different scenarios. Just sharing in case that's an option for you. The online appointment system was relatively painless compared to the phone nightmare.
That's a great suggestion, thank you! I hadn't considered the in-person option. I'll look into making an appointment at my local office. Even if there's a wait for the appointment, at least I won't be sitting on hold for hours!
Social Security email scam alert - fake benefit statement download link
Just a heads up to everyone! I got an email this morning claiming to be from Social Security saying I needed to download my 'updated benefit statement immediately' by clicking their link. The email looked pretty official with the SSA logo and everything, but I noticed the sender's email was something like benefits-noreply@ssa-update.net which is definitely NOT a legitimate government address! Social Security will NEVER send you emails asking you to download statements this way - they only send notifications telling you to log into your my Social Security account directly. These scammers are getting better at making their emails look real. Be careful out there, especially if you're retired and depend on those SS payments!
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my neighbor got scammed last year they took her whole SS payment for the month!!! she had to go to the office in person to fix it and they told her they cant give her money back had to file some kinda fraud form
That's terrible! For anyone in this situation, you should immediately file a police report, contact SSA, and file Form SSA-561-U2 (Request for Reconsideration) if benefits were redirected. Also file a report with the OIG at oig.ssa.gov. While recovery isn't guaranteed, documented fraud cases can sometimes result in benefit restoration, though it can take several months.
I dont trust ANY emails saying there from social security!!! the real question is how did these scammers get our email addresses in the first place?? is SSA database getting hacked or something
Most scammers aren't getting your email from SSA databases. They typically use mass email lists purchased from data brokers or collected from data breaches of other companies. They send these phishing attempts to millions of email addresses, knowing that statistically, some percentage will be Social Security recipients. SSA's internal systems containing your personal information are much more secure than most commercial databases.
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I work with retirees, and I find many people confuse spousal benefits and survivor benefits. With spousal benefits (when both spouses are alive), you can get up to 50% of your spouse's FRA benefit. With survivor benefits (after a spouse dies), you can get up to 100% of what they were receiving. The strategy you're using - taking survivor benefits at your FRA and switching to your own at 70 - is optimal if your own benefit at 70 will exceed your survivor benefit. The SSA should automatically pay the higher amount, but definitely verify this is happening correctly when you reach 70.
Thank you all for the helpful information. I think I understand now - I'll receive my survivor benefits until 70, and then either continue with those OR switch to my own retirement benefits, whichever is higher. I won't get both. I've been planning my retirement budget based on getting both, so I'll need to rethink some things. I appreciate all the advice about contacting SSA too - I'll try that Claimyr service since I still have some questions I'd like to ask an agent directly.
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Everyone keeps telling you about Medicaid spend-down but NOBODY is mentioning the 5-YEAR LOOKBACK PERIOD!!!!! This is CRITICAL information! Medicaid will check all financial transactions for 5 years before application. If they find gifts or transfers to family members, they WILL PENALIZE you and delay eligibility! My sister thought she was helping my dad protect some assets by putting them in her name when his Alzheimer's was diagnosed. BIG MISTAKE! Medicaid found this during the application process and created a penalty period where he wasn't eligible even though he had no money left! The rules are DESIGNED to make you go broke. Doesn't matter if you take SS at 62 or 70 - the nursing home gets it all anyway. The whole system is a TRAP for families dealing with long-term illness!
You're absolutely right about the lookback period - that's a very important point I should have mentioned. The 5-year Medicaid lookback can indeed create significant penalties if assets were transferred or gifted within that timeframe before application. This is why early planning with qualified legal help is essential. However, I would note that proper Medicaid planning can still be done legally even with these restrictions in place - just requires professional guidance well in advance of need.
To directly answer your planning question: the optimal Social Security strategy when concerned about future cognitive decline often involves: 1. If you're married: Consider having the higher-earning spouse delay benefits until 70 while the lower-earning spouse claims earlier. This maximizes potential survivor benefits if one spouse requires long-term care. 2. For single individuals: The calculation depends on your specific state's Medicaid income limits and personal health indicators. If early-onset Alzheimer's (before 65-70) runs in your family, claiming earlier might make more sense. 3. Document preparation: Regardless of your claiming strategy, make sure you have a durable power of attorney, healthcare directive, and possibly a revocable trust in place BEFORE any cognitive decline begins. 4. Long-term care insurance: If you're 58 and concerned about Alzheimer's, explore long-term care insurance NOW while you're still insurable. Traditional policies or hybrid life insurance/LTC policies can provide significant protection and more care options than Medicaid alone.
This is incredibly helpful. I am married, and my husband will have a higher benefit than me, so your strategy #1 makes a lot of sense. I hadn't considered how survivor benefits play into this equation. We definitely need to update our legal documents too. I'll look into the LTC insurance options, though I've heard they can be quite expensive.
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Remember that any changes to the WEP formula would be based on your years of substantial earnings under Social Security. If you have 30+ years of substantial earnings, WEP doesn't apply at all. If you have 21-29 years, the WEP reduction is lessened. Might be worth checking if you're close to one of those thresholds. You can request your earnings record from SSA to verify your years of coverage.
anybody know what the fairness act actually says? will it be retroactive? my mom already retired 2 years ago and got screwed by wep
From what I understand, the most recent version would phase out WEP/GPO over 5 years and would apply to both current and future beneficiaries. But honestly, it's been introduced so many times without passing that I'm not holding my breath.
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Update: I went with my mother-in-law to the funeral home today and got 10 copies of the death certificate. We've scheduled an appointment with SSA for next week. They told us she should bring her ID, both their Social Security cards, marriage certificate, death certificate, and a recent bank statement. I'm going to go with her to make sure everything gets handled correctly. Thank you all for your advice - it's been incredibly helpful during this difficult time.
Smart to go with her! When I went with my mom, the SSA person almost forgot to mention the lump sum death benefit. It's only $255 but every bit helps. Sounds like you're on top of things!
my friend said when her mom died the dad got a letter automatic like 2 weeks later and didnt have to do nothing. is that different for husbands vs wives or something?
No, gender doesn't matter for survivor benefits, but the process can vary depending on individual circumstances. If SSA already knows about the death (usually reported by the funeral home), they sometimes automatically process certain changes. However, survivor benefits typically require an application, especially when switching from your own benefit to a survivor benefit. Relying on automatic processing is risky - always better to be proactive and contact SSA directly.
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Your ex-wife should contact SSA directly or create a my Social Security account online to get a personalized estimate of what she might receive. The calculation can get complicated because the SSA will automatically give her the highest benefit she's eligible for - either her own retirement benefit or the divorced spouse benefit. Also, if she claims before her FRA, her benefit amount will be permanently reduced.
That's good advice. I'll suggest she create an account. Do you know if the SSA will automatically check if she's eligible for ex-spouse benefits, or does she need to specifically apply for that?
She needs to specifically tell them she's applying for divorced spouse benefits and provide information about the marriage. The SSA doesn't automatically check marital history when someone applies for benefits. She'll need to provide proof of the marriage and divorce (certificates) and your Social Security number would be helpful (though not absolutely required).
Emma Wilson
wait i just remembered something, doesnt matter how long ur bro in law worked for govt, for social security his kid gets benefits if he had 40 quarters (10 yrs) total work anywhere right?
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Isabella Santos
•That's not correct for survivor benefits for young children. For survivors, the work credit requirement is much lower. A worker who dies before age 62 needs only 6 credits (1.5 years of work) in the 3 years before death to qualify their children for survivor benefits. Since OP mentioned the brother-in-law worked for 28 months (over 2 years), that should be enough to qualify.
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Javier Torres
Update: We finally got through to SSA yesterday and started the application. The representative confirmed what several of you said - my nephew can receive both benefits, but the OPM benefit will be reduced by whatever he gets from Social Security. She estimated his monthly SS benefit will be around $1,875. We also got the OPM paperwork started with a benefits specialist (thank you for that suggestion!). They're estimating about $2,140 monthly, so if those numbers are accurate, he would get the full SS benefit ($1,875) plus the difference from OPM ($265). Thank you all SO much for the help and guidance. This has been an overwhelming time and your expertise made a huge difference.
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QuantumLeap
•I'm glad you got the correct information! Those benefit amounts sound about right based on the length of service you mentioned. Be sure your sister sets aside some of this money for your nephew's future education if possible. One other tip: she should check if her brother-in-law had any FEGLI (Federal Employees Group Life Insurance) - that's separate from the survivor benefits and has its own application process.
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