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I've been dealing with this for three years now. My husband gets SS but I don't qualify yet so I pay Medicare separately. For tax purposes I just save the Medicare premium bills and my bank statements showing payment. My tax guy said that's enough documentation if I ever get audited.
One more thing to be aware of - if you're paying quarterly premiums directly, make sure to track any premium increases throughout the year for accurate tax records. Medicare premiums often change in January, so your Q1 payment might be different from your Q4 payment. This matters for calculating your total medical expenses deduction correctly.
Great point! They did increase my premium in January, so I'll make sure to account for both the 2024 and 2025 rates when I file next year. Thanks for all the helpful information everyone!
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my cousin tried something similar and got a huge mess with SSA. they ended up saying he had to pay back money because he didn't file papers in the right order or something. be really careful with this stuff!
This is why it's so important to be very specific when you apply. Always use the exact terminology ('restricted application for survivor benefits only') and get the name of the SSA representative you speak with. It can also help to bring printed SSA policy references to your appointment if applying in person. Some representatives aren't familiar with all the nuances of survivor benefits for divorced spouses.
Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm feeling much more confident about my plan now. I'll make sure to use the phrase 'restricted application for survivor benefits only' when I apply at 67, gather all the necessary documents including trying to obtain my ex's death certificate, and then remember to switch to my own benefit at 70. It's such a relief to have confirmation that I can continue working without affecting my survivor benefits once I reach FRA. Navigating Social Security has been confusing, but your insights have been incredibly valuable!
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one other thing no one mentioned is your daughter might qualify for the ABLE account? my son has one and it lets him save money without effecting his benefits. you can put up to $18,000 a year in it i think. look it up :-) helped us alot
That's an excellent suggestion. ABLE accounts allow eligible individuals with disabilities to save up to $19,000 annually without affecting benefit eligibility. Total account balances can grow to $100,000 without impacting SSI benefits, and Medicaid eligibility continues regardless of account balance. This is especially valuable for someone transitioning from SSI to DAC benefits, as it provides financial flexibility.
Thank you everyone for the helpful advice! I've learned so much - I'm going to: 1. Request the BPQY report from SSA 2. Check with our state about supplemental payments 3. Review her group home contract for payment structure 4. Submit an SSI continuance request when I file for retirement 5. Look into setting up an ABLE account for her I'm so relieved to hear she can potentially keep her current benefit level with concurrent benefits, and that her Medicaid should be protected. This community has been incredibly helpful!
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my neighbor said you could get benefits from multiple spouses but i guess thats wrong from what everyone here is saying?
Your neighbor is completely wrong. You can never receive benefits from multiple spouses simultaneously. You can only receive one benefit - the highest one you're eligible for. The SSA will always pay your own retirement benefit first, and then supplement it if a spousal or survivor benefit would be higher.
congrats on figuring out ur ss strategy! ive been putting off even thinking about it bc its so confusing lol. good luck with ur application!!
Thanks! It definitely took me months of research to figure out what works best for my situation. My advice is to start looking into it earlier than you think you need to - there are so many rules and exceptions to understand!
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To answer your question about applying right away: Yes, you should definitely apply for survivor benefits as soon as possible. Benefits can be paid retroactively for up to six months, but no further back than that, so delays in applying could result in lost benefits. While the GPO will reduce the amount, receiving even a reduced benefit is better than nothing. Also, the application process will give you a definitive calculation of exactly how the GPO affects your specific situation. When you apply, bring documentation of both your husband's death and your marriage, as well as information about your pension. They'll need to know the exact amount of your government pension to calculate the offset correctly.
Thank you so much for this advice. I'll gather all my documentation and apply right away. Even a reduced benefit will help with expenses.
sorry about your husband passing. my neighbor had almost the same situation with her county job and she said she still got the $255 death benefit at least. not much but better than nothing i guess
Yes, I did receive the $255 death benefit already. It seems so small compared to what my husband paid into the system over his lifetime.
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btw make sure when you DO file that you do it online if possible! the SS offices are still backed up from covid and appointments take FOREVER to get. online was super easy for me took like 30 min tops
Good tip! I'll definitely try the online application first. I'm pretty comfortable with computers so hopefully it'll be straightforward.
One more consideration since you mentioned you worked for state government: If any of your state employment wasn't covered by Social Security (common for some state/local government jobs), you might be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO). These could affect your Social Security benefit calculations. Worth checking if this applies to your situation before filing.
Oh! That's a critical point. I did work for about 12 years in a position that was under our state's pension system instead of Social Security. I'll definitely need to factor in the WEP in my planning. Thank you for bringing this up - might change the calculations significantly.
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One more important point: she should proactively contact SSA to set up withholding from her Social Security benefits once she starts working. This will help avoid a large overpayment that she'd have to repay later. She can estimate her annual earnings and SSA can adjust her monthly payment accordingly. She should also be documenting all communications with SSA (get names, dates, confirmation numbers for any discussions). If she receives conflicting information and acts on incorrect guidance, having documentation can help if there's an overpayment situation later.
I'll definitely suggest that she set up the withholding. Better to receive the correct amount from the start than deal with repayments later. She's not great with financial surprises, so planning ahead will be key. Thank you!
does anyone know if the 40k includes just her salary or does overtime count too??? my boss wants me to work extra hours but im afraid itll mess up my ss checks
ALL earnings count toward the limit - salary, overtime, bonuses, commissions, even self-employment income. The only things that don't count are investment income, pensions, and other government benefits. So yes, overtime will definitely count toward that $40k total and could further reduce benefits if it pushes her over the earnings limit.
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I remember reading something about divorced spouse benefits starting earlier? But that wouldn't apply here since you're still married. Sorry, not helpful.
You're thinking of divorced spouse survivor benefits, which do follow the same age rules (60+, or 50+ if disabled). The only difference is that for divorced survivors, you need to have been married at least 10 years and not have remarried before age 60.
maybe check with financial advisor? they might have ideas for bridging that gap with other income sources until you hit 60
This is excellent advice. A financial advisor specializing in retirement planning could help create a strategy to bridge the gap. Options might include setting up a 5-year annuity, structuring withdrawals from retirement accounts, or setting up a life insurance policy designed specifically to cover that period. Many advisors offer free initial consultations.
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To directly answer your question - in-person appointments will absolutely continue to be available, especially for complex situations like divorced spouse benefits. What IS changing is that SSA is trying to shift more routine services (address changes, direct deposit updates, benefit verification, etc.) to their online portal. For your appointment, bring: marriage certificate, divorce decree, birth certificate, proof of citizenship if applicable, your most recent tax return, and a list of questions. Be specific about what you want to know regarding the interplay between your own retirement benefits and potential divorced spouse benefits. Also ask them to calculate your breakeven point - the age at which delaying benefits starts to pay off in total lifetime benefits.
This is exactly what I needed to know! I'll make sure to bring all those documents and prepare my questions in advance. The breakeven point calculation is definitely something I want to understand better.
Appointment times vary depending on ur local office. My mom tried to get one in Chicago and had to wait 6 weeks, but my office in rural Iowa had openings the next week. Try callin different offices near u if u need something sooner.
That's a good suggestion, but I'm actually fine with my appointment next month. I just wanted to make sure in-person appointments would continue to be an option in the future too.
Kiara Fisherman
I found my copy! Looks like someone already pointed you to it, but just to confirm - it's definitely the Reichenstein & Meyer one. My sister's situation was complicated because she was only 58 when my brother-in-law died, but she was caring for their disabled adult son. The chart helped her see that she qualified for survivor benefits early because of the child-in-care provision, even though she was under 60. Is your friend raising any children? That changes the options quite a bit.
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Jason Brewer
•No, her kids are all grown and on their own. She's 62 and her husband was 64 when he passed. He hadn't started taking SS yet. I think he was waiting until his FRA. Thanks for finding your copy too - I was able to locate it online after the previous comment!
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Mason Stone
Since your friend's husband hadn't started benefits yet, she should definitely understand the "deemed filing" rules don't apply to survivor benefits. This means she could potentially take reduced survivor benefits now at 62 and then switch to her own retirement benefit at 70 if it would be higher (or vice versa - take her reduced retirement now and switch to full survivor benefits at her full retirement age). This is one of the few remaining ways to use a "claim now, claim more later" strategy since the 2015 rule changes. The chart should help explain this, but it might be worth her consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security to run the numbers for her specific situation.
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Savannah Vin
•Wait WHAT?? You can still do that with survivor benefits?? I thought they eliminated ALL the switching strategies with that 2015 law! So you're saying if my husband dies (God forbid) I could take survivor benefits at 60 and then switch to my own at 70?? Why don't they make this clear on the SSA website???
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Mason Stone
•Yes, that's correct. The 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act eliminated most of the "claim now, claim more later" strategies for retirement and spousal benefits, but it specifically exempted survivor benefits. This is one reason why the flowchart is so helpful - it clarifies which rules apply to which benefits. The SSA website explains this, but it's buried in technical language most people don't understand.
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