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StarStrider
just wondering - did your sister ever work enough to qualify for Medicare on her own record? if shes getting SS benefits i assume yes but just checking cause thats important at her age too
Yes, thankfully she does have Medicare. She worked enough before becoming a caregiver to qualify for her own retirement benefits, but they're just very small because of the years she wasn't able to work or had very low earnings.
Malik Davis
After thinking about this more, I want to clarify something important: When your sister's husband eventually DOES file for benefits (whether now or later), she will automatically be eligible for the spousal benefit if it would increase her total benefit amount. The benefit calculation is: She gets her own benefit first, then an additional amount if the spousal benefit (up to 50% of her husband's PIA) would be higher. The early filing reduction from her claiming at 62 will affect the spousal amount, but she'd still likely see some increase. Also worth noting - if her husband passes away before her, she would be eligible for 100% of his benefit amount as a widow (assuming it's higher than her own). This survivor benefit can actually be a major factor in deciding when he should claim.
Thank you for this additional information! That's helpful to know about the survivor benefit - I hadn't considered that. I think we need to sit down with her husband and look at the long-term picture, especially considering both their ages and health conditions. I appreciate all the helpful responses here.
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StarSailor
make sure your keeping the money seprate from yours!!! my brother got in big trouble for mixing the kids SS money with his own money. SS says you need a seprate account for just the kids benefits
Miguel Silva
•This isn't strictly required by SSA, but it is strongly recommended. Having a separate account makes completing the annual Representative Payee Report much easier and provides clear documentation if you're ever audited. You can use the child's funds for their food, housing, clothing, medical care, and personal needs - just keep good records.
Does your divorce decree say anything about these benefits? Sometimes judges will reduce child support if the kid is getting SS payments from the retired parent's record. Just wondering if this is impacting how much your ex pays in support?
Dylan Cooper
•Yes, the court did take the SS benefits into account when calculating child support. His monthly child support obligation was reduced because of these benefits, which is why I'm so concerned about planning for when they stop. We'll need to go back to court to modify the support order once the benefits end.
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Social Security survivor benefits processing time - applied in October but still stuck on level 2
I'm getting ready to retire and applied for my Social Security survivor benefits on October 21st. I thought it would be pretty straightforward since I've dealt with SSA before - my husband passed away about 15 years ago, and both my kids and I received benefits back then. Now I'm approaching my own retirement and planning to start collecting in January 2025, but my application seems stuck. The MySocialSecurity portal shows it's been on "level 2" since I submitted it. I'm starting to worry since January isn't that far away.Does anyone know how long survivor benefit applications typically take to process these days? Is there anything I should be doing to follow up? I figured it would be quick since SSA already has all my information from the previous claims.
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I definitely will! I've set a reminder on my calendar to check back in two weeks if I don't see any updates.
Teresa Boyd
Great update! This is actually a common issue - documents sometimes get separated from applications during processing. Make sure to keep a copy of everything you submit, and I'd recommend following up in exactly 10 business days if you don't see movement. Since you're planning to start benefits in January 2025, you're still well within the timeframe for everything to process smoothly.
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One important thing to remember is that even if your deferred compensation DOES count toward the earnings test, you're not permanently losing that money from Social Security. When you reach your Full Retirement Age, SSA will recalculate your benefit amount to give you credit for the months when benefits were reduced or withheld. So while you might face reductions now, you'll get higher monthly payments after FRA to make up for it. This is something many people don't realize about the earnings test.
Maya Diaz
•Thats true but doesnt help with cash flow NOW if ur counting on both incomes! My friend had to go back to work part time when his benifits got reduced even tho he'll get more later.
UPDATE: I visited my local SSA office with all my paperwork today. The claims specialist reviewed my deferred comp agreement and confirmed that since the payments are for PAST services (with only minimal transition assistance), they do NOT count toward the earnings test! She explained that the key factors were: 1. The payments would continue even if I provided no transition assistance 2. The payments are for work already performed 3. The agreement clearly shows no correlation between current services and payment amounts She gave me a written statement for my records. What a relief! Thanks everyone for your help with this confusing issue.
Isaac Wright
•That's excellent news! Smart move getting that written statement too. Make sure to keep it with your important papers in case this ever comes up during a future review. Thanks for updating us - this information will help others in similar situations.
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Kiara Greene
My cousin got both payments for like 8 months before his LTD company figured it out and then they wanted ALL the money back at once! Huge mess. Don't spend any extra money until everything is sorted out.
Has anyone mentioned yet that you should APPEAL your SSDI amount if you think it's too low??? You only have 60 DAYS from the date of your award letter to file a reconsideration if you think SSA calculated your benefit wrong!!! Check your earnings record on the mySocialSecurity site to make sure they included all your work years correctly!!!
Beth Ford
•This is good advice, but just to clarify - you can appeal many aspects of an SSDI decision within 60 days, but the benefit amount itself is rarely changed through appeal unless there's a clear calculation error. The SSDI benefit formula is based on your lifetime earnings as recorded in the SSA system. However, it's absolutely worth checking your earnings record through mySocialSecurity to ensure all your work years are correctly documented. Missing years or incorrect earnings could indeed affect your benefit calculation.
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Diego Vargas
Your experience is exactly why so many fought for the WEP repeal. It's a positive step toward fairness for public servants who've been penalized for decades. For anyone else in a similar situation: if you're close to retirement age and were delaying your application because of WEP, it's worth reconsidering now. For those still confused about whether they should apply, here's a quick checklist: 1. If you'll be 62+ after Dec 31, 2024: No WEP reduction at all 2. If you were 62+ before Dec 31, 2024: WEP reduction gradually phases out over 10 years 3. If you're already receiving benefits: Your WEP reduction will gradually decrease The best advice is to create a my.ssa.gov account and check your estimated benefit amount. Then consider consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies, especially if you have a complex situation involving government pensions.
do you know if this affects people who worked outside the US? my husband worked in canada for 12 years and gets a small canadian pension. when he applied for SS last year they reduced his benefit because of the canadian pension. is that WEP too? will he get an increase now?
Diego Vargas
Yes, the WEP repeal does affect people who worked abroad and receive foreign pensions from countries that have totalization agreements with the US (like Canada). The Windfall Elimination Provision applied to foreign pensions from work not covered by US Social Security taxes, similar to how it affected US government pensions. Your husband's situation should be reviewed under the new rules. If he was already receiving reduced benefits due to WEP, he should see his benefit gradually increase over the next 10 years as the WEP phase-out is implemented. The Social Security Administration should automatically adjust his benefit amount - he doesn't need to take any action. However, it's always a good idea to contact SSA to confirm this is being handled correctly in his specific case. Keep in mind that international cases can be complex, and you might want to speak with an agent who specializes in international benefits.
That's interesting about foreign pensions! I used to work as a teacher in Australia for 5 years and have a small pension there too. Good to know this might help my benefit calculation when I finally retire next year.
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AstroAce
One thing nobody mentioned - if your dad was married, his spouse might be entitled to a one-time death benefit of $255. Not much, but it's something. You should ask about that when you call SSA.
Yuki Tanaka
•Thanks for mentioning that. My mom passed away 5 years ago, so I guess that benefit wouldn't apply in our case. I appreciate the thought though.
Since you had a joint account with your father, here's what will likely happen: SSA will notify the Treasury Department, which will then send a reclamation request to the bank. The bank will then debit the account for the amount of the payment. This typically happens within 1-3 months after they've been notified of the death. If you've already reported the death to SSA by phone, you've done what you need to do. Just make sure that money remains in the account. If you want extra reassurance, you can visit your local SSA office in person with a copy of the death certificate.
Yuki Tanaka
•Thank you for explaining the process. I'll make sure to keep enough money in the account to cover the reclamation. I haven't been able to get through to SSA by phone yet, but I'll keep trying (or use that Claimyr service another commenter mentioned). I appreciate everyone's help during this difficult time.
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THE GOVERNMENT KEEPS CHANGING THE RULES TO KEEP OUR MONEY!!! I worked 47 years and paid into the system and now they penalize me for still working?? This earnings limit is THEFT of our benefits. I bet they'll barely increase it for 2025 while inflation keeps going up!!!
Nalani Liu
•The earnings limit isn't actually a penalty - it's more of a deferral. Any benefits withheld due to excess earnings are added back to your monthly benefit amount once you reach Full Retirement Age, resulting in a permanent increase. So you don't lose that money permanently. The earnings limit has been part of Social Security since the beginning. It's designed based on the program's original purpose as partial replacement of lost earnings due to retirement. If you're still earning significant income, you're not fully 'retired' by the program's definition.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're in your first year of retirement, they apply a monthly earnings test instead of annual, which can be really helpful. Basically if you retired mid-year after making a lot pre-retirement, they won't count those pre-retirement earnings against you. And yes, definitely expect an increase for 2025. Based on economic indicators so far, I'd guess around a 2.5-3% increase to the earnings limit. That would put it around $22,900 give or take.
Thais Soares
•That monthly earnings test would have been really helpful to know last year! So it sounds like the consensus is roughly $23,000 for the 2025 limit. I'll plan my work hours accordingly. Thank you all for the helpful information!
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Charity Cohan
I remember reading something about a special rule for the first year you retire??? like they look at monthly earnings not yearly??? anyone know bout this???
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Chris Elmeda
You're correct! There's a special \
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