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Mysterious $154.40 payment with my Social Security check - IRMAA refund or something else?
I checked my bank account this morning and noticed I received my regular Social Security retirement benefit PLUS an extra payment of $154.40. No explanation anywhere! I'm thinking it might be related to an IRMAA adjustment since I filed form SSA-44 a while back (life-changing event that lowered my income). If it is an IRMAA refund, the math seems to work out to about 2 months worth at $77.20 per month. I logged into my MySocialSecurity account but there's absolutely nothing explaining this payment. No notices, no messages, nothing in payment history explaining the extra amount. Has anyone else experienced this? Should I just be happy for the unexpected money or should I call SSA to figure out what's going on? I'm worried they might realize it's a mistake and ask for it back if I don't say anything.
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Social Security spousal benefit appointment confusion - husband got notified instead of me after WEP/GPO repeal
I'm finally trying to claim spousal benefits now that the WEP and GPO penalties have been repealed (thank goodness!). My husband and I both had government pensions that really reduced our SS benefits before. I called the SSA and they scheduled me for an appointment in March to file on my husband's record. Here's the weird part - my husband just received a letter saying HE has the appointment, and there's even a message about it in his MySocialSecurity account. Meanwhile, I've received absolutely NOTHING, even though I'm the one who's actually filing! The appointment is supposedly for ME to apply for spousal benefits, not him. Is this normal procedure? I'm confused why they'd notify him as if it's his appointment when he's not the one filing. Has anyone else experienced this when applying for spousal benefits? Should I be concerned that something is wrong with my application process?
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wait the WEP and GPO are gone now???? since when??? i've been getting reduced SS benefits for 6yrs because of my teacher pension!
Yes, the Social Security Fairness Act fully repealed both WEP and GPO effective January 1, 2025. If you've been receiving reduced benefits due to these provisions, you should contact SSA immediately to have your benefits recalculated. You won't automatically get an increase - you need to request it. The increase will only be for future payments (no retroactive adjustments for prior years).
OMG thank you!!!! calling tomorrow!!!
Can I ask what your benefit increase looks like with the WEP/GPO gone? My husband and I are both former federal employees with pensions and our SS benefits were basically nothing before. Trying to figure out if it's worth the hassle of reapplying.
We don't know the exact amount yet, but based on my husband's PIA and my own work record, I'm estimating about $1,450/month in spousal benefits that I would have gotten zero for before the repeal. Definitely worth looking into for your situation!
Applying for Social Security spousal benefits with WEP - Gov pension impact at FRA
I'm turning 67 next month (my FRA) and planning to retire from my state teaching job in September. I've worked in education for 23 years, so I know I'll get hit with the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) on my own Social Security. My husband started taking his SS at 62 (he's 64 now) and made substantially more than me throughout his career as an engineer. I'm thinking about applying for benefits in October - keeping my job until September, then starting SS the following month. If my husband was the higher earner, should I be applying for spousal benefits instead of my own? The WEP reduction on my own benefit would be significant. What's the best approach here - should I make an appointment at my local SSA office or can I trust the online application system to handle this correctly? I worry about the system not properly calculating the GPO/WEP reductions or missing out on higher spousal benefits if I don't talk to someone who understands these provisions. Has anyone here dealt with applying for SS with a government pension?
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I had a friend who thought she'd just wait to apply until after she retired completely so she wouldn't have to deal with any earnings test or complicated stuff. Turned out she lost 6 months of benefits she could have collected! Don't wait to apply - you can apply 3-4 months before you want benefits to start.
Thank you all for this incredibly helpful advice! I've called my local office and scheduled an in-person appointment for next month. I'm going to gather all my pension documentation, earnings records, and my husband's information as well. I'm still disappointed to learn about the GPO potentially reducing spousal benefits too - I had only known about WEP affecting my own record. It feels like being penalized twice for having a government job. Does anyone know if they'll calculate both options for me (my own benefit with WEP vs. spousal with GPO) and give me the higher amount automatically? Or do I need to specifically request they check both?
They should calculate both automatically and give you whichever is higher. However, I recommend specifically asking them to show you both calculations. In my experience, they sometimes rush through appointments and might not properly explain everything. Also, bring a notepad and write down the name of the person helping you and any specific figures they provide. I found this helpful when I had follow-up questions later.
Need help with tax withholding on Social Security survivor benefits - is there a specific form?
I recently started receiving Social Security survivor benefits from my ex-husband who passed away last year (I just turned 60 in December). The monthly payment is helping, but I'm worried about the tax situation. Someone at my grief support group mentioned there's a specific form you can fill out to have taxes automatically withheld from SS benefits, but they couldn't remember what it's called. Does anyone know if this form exists and how to get it? If not, I'm used to paying quarterly estimated taxes from when I was self-employed, so I could just continue doing that. Just trying to figure out the simplest approach so I don't get hit with a surprise tax bill next year. Thanks in advance for any advice!
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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.
Maybe technically but try telling that to my friend who lost everything! The SSA representative literally told her "sorry, nothing we can do" and she's struggling financially now. They should WARN people about this before it happens!
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!
Great decision! Remember you can always adjust the withholding percentage later if 10% turns out to be too much or too little. And good thinking about tracking your earnings - that'll help you avoid any surprises at year-end.
Can my husband apply for Social Security disability benefits years after Hep C treatment?
I'm confused about Social Security disability rules for past medical conditions. My husband retired 2 years ago at 63, but he had a serious health issue before that. He was diagnosed with Hepatitis C about 15 years ago and went through two really difficult treatments spanning almost 2 years. The treatments eventually worked and he's considered cured, though doctors say he'll always have the antibodies in his system. During those treatments, he kept working but it was absolutely brutal - extreme fatigue, brain fog, and other side effects that made working a nightmare. Now a family friend is telling us he might be able to retroactively apply for SSDI based on that period when he was struggling with Hep C treatment but still forcing himself to work. Is this actually possible? Can you apply for disability benefits years after recovering from a condition? He's collecting regular Social Security retirement now, but it's less than he would have received on disability.
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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!
Thank you! Yes, the treatments have improved a lot over the years but it was still a really tough time. I'm glad your cousin recovered too!
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.
Thank you for that suggestion! I'm actually 59 now and planning to work until at least 62, maybe longer depending on how things go. But I'll definitely look into the spousal benefit option when I get closer to retirement age.
Freya Christensen
what's irmaa??? is that different from cola?
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NeonNebula
IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) is completely different from COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). IRMAA is an extra charge added to Medicare Part B and D premiums for higher-income beneficiaries. COLA is the annual increase in Social Security benefits to keep up with inflation. They're unrelated systems.
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Chloe Robinson
once i got random deposit from SS for $412 and it turned out they had calculated my benefits wrong for 3 months! but took them 5 months to tell me that lol. SS works in mysterious ways
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StarSurfer
AuthorSeems like unexpected money showing up with no explanation is a common theme! I just wish their communication was better.
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