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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!
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.
just another way the govt takes our money. they should stop taxing retirement age people completey imo
One more thing to consider: Even though your continued contributions might not increase your monthly benefit, they're still supporting the overall Social Security system that you and others rely on. The system is designed so current workers support current beneficiaries, so your contributions are helping sustain benefits for everyone in the program.
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.
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.
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!
Amara Nnamani
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!
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Dylan Mitchell
•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!
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Sofia Morales
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!!!
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Giovanni Mancini
•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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