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quick question - are u sure u calculated everything right? did u count gross or net income? and are u including all ur work expenses that might bring it down under the limit?
I counted my gross wages, which is what I understand they look at. I don't think I have any deductible work expenses that would help in this case. Good thought though!
One more tip - keep good records of your earnings for the year. If you're still working, you might want to adjust your hours slightly for the rest of the year to stay under next year's limit. The earnings test gets more complicated in the year you reach Full Retirement Age, but then disappears completely once you hit FRA. At that point, you can earn unlimited income without any impact on your benefits.
Great advice! I'm tracking everything carefully now. My FRA is 67, so I've still got a few years to go. Looking forward to not having to worry about this limit eventually.
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You should definitely keep your appointment. Since you'll be at your Full Retirement Age in June, this is the perfect time to file. Regarding the COVID income concerns: The Social Security benefit formula uses your highest 35 years of indexed earnings, so those lower-earning pandemic years will simply not be included in your calculation if you have 35 other higher-earning years. Also, filing at your appointment in May for benefits to begin in June (your FRA month) is ideal timing. The only reason to possibly delay would be if you wanted to earn delayed retirement credits (8% per year until age 70), but that's a separate strategic decision based on your financial needs and longevity expectations.
i thought u could only get the 8% bonus if u wait till 70? my friend said u get nothing extra for waiting a few months
After I used Claimyr to get through to SSA, the agent confirmed that each month you delay past FRA gives you approximately 0.67% more (which equals 8% per year). So waiting even a few months does increase your benefit, but you have to decide if the permanent increase is worth missing those months of payments. For me, I decided to start right at my FRA because I needed the income immediately.
That's really helpful information, thank you! I think I'll stick with starting at my FRA too - I'd rather have the guaranteed income now than wait for a slightly higher amount later.
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My mom got hit by the GPO too when my dad died. She was a school principal. She lost like 75% of his SS benefits she should have gotten. Its sooooo unfair! They worked there whole lives and paid into the system just like everyone else!!!
To clarify a common misconception: The GPO exists because many government employees with pensions (like teachers, police, some state workers) worked in positions where they didn't pay Social Security taxes on those earnings. The offset was created because these employees weren't contributing to the SS system during those years of government employment, unlike most workers. That said, many consider it overly harsh, which is why Congress is eliminating it. Your mother will benefit from this change going forward.
One thing to be aware of regarding the COLA calculations: Social Security applies COLAs using compounding, not simple addition. So if your husband's original benefit was $2000, the 8.7% COLA in 2023 would make it $2,174. Then the 3.2% COLA in 2024 would be applied to $2,174 (not the original $2000), resulting in $2,243.57. The 2025 COLA of 2.5% would bring it to $2,299.66. This compounding effect makes a significant difference over time. When your GPO is removed, you should receive the full widow's benefit with this proper COLA compounding applied.
Thank you for explaining the compounding effect! I understand it better now. The difference between my reduced benefit and what I should be getting is substantial - probably around $1,400 monthly. Multiply that by however many months until I die (hopefully many years!), and the GPO has cost me a small fortune. I'm just grateful it's finally ending.
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Sorry for the tangent, but does anyone know if the GPO amount ever gets recalculated if your pension amount changes? My wife will be in a similar situation with her state pension, but her system offers occasional one-time adjustments based on inflation (not annual COLAs). Would those pension increases mean recalculating the GPO reduction?
Yes, if your wife's pension amount increases, SSA will recalculate the GPO reduction. GPO is always 2/3 of the current pension amount. If her pension gets a one-time adjustment for inflation, she should report it to SSA, as it will increase the GPO reduction and potentially reduce any spousal/survivor benefits she receives. Conversely, if for some reason her pension amount decreased, the GPO reduction would also decrease. SSA performs periodic checks on pension amounts, but it's best to report changes promptly to avoid potential overpayments.
I don't think anyone's mentioned this yet, but you should verify whether your teacher's pension includes any cost-of-living adjustments. Some state pension systems do provide small annual increases, though they're typically capped and not as generous as Social Security's COLAs. If your pension also increases over time (even slightly), that would affect the GPO calculation and potentially delay when you'd qualify for spousal benefits.
Good point! I checked my pension paperwork and we do get COLAs, but they're capped at 3% and don't compound like SS COLAs do. So my pension will grow more slowly than his SS benefit, especially if he delays until 70. Hopefully the difference in growth rates means I'll still eventually qualify for some spousal benefits despite both amounts increasing.
Tyrone Hill
btw that earnings limit goes up when u hit your full retirement age... then it's higher (like $4000/month i think?) and then after your birthday month in your full retirement age year the limit goes away completely and u can earn whatever u want
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Anderson Prospero
•That's correct. For 2025, if you reach full retirement age during the year, the earnings limit increases to $4,960/month ($59,520/year) until the month you reach full retirement age. Then once you hit your full retirement age month, there's no more earnings limit at all - you can earn any amount without affecting your Social Security benefits.
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Ahooker-Equator
Thanks everyone for the helpful answers! Just to make sure I've got this straight: I can take money from my 401k for my home repairs without any impact on my Social Security benefits, even though I'm under full retirement age. The earnings limit only applies to actual work income. I'll still need to pay income tax on the withdrawal, and that might affect how much of my Social Security gets taxed, but it won't reduce my monthly SS payment. Does that sound right?
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Lena Kowalski
•You've got it exactly right. Your 401k withdrawal won't count toward the earnings limit and won't reduce your Social Security payment. The only consideration is the potential tax impact.
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