my mom just prints all the papers they mail her, says its easier than the website lol. check your mail maybe they sent you the calculation?

I just checked my own account to verify - if you go to the Benefits Verification Letter in your Message Center, it should show your monthly benefit amount after WEP. Then you need to call SSA to ask for your pre-WEP amount, as I don't see it displayed clearly anywhere on the site. Also, if you haven't already, check if you qualify for the WEP guarantee provision - in some cases, your WEP reduction cannot exceed 50% of your non-covered pension amount.

Has anyone here successfully gotten an increase in their SS payment after having cancer??? My dad is going through something similar and we keep hitting dead ends... SO FRUSTRATING!!!

I'm a volunteer with cancer patients, and while Social Security won't provide additional cash benefits beyond his retirement amount, please look into these resources that many miss: 1. Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition (CFAC) - searchable database of financial help 2. CancerCare provides small grants for treatment-related costs 3. Patient Advocate Foundation for help negotiating medical bills 4. If he was employed when diagnosed, check if his employer offered critical illness insurance 5. Veterans with cancer can access additional VA benefits if applicable Definitely apply for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drugs as others suggested - it can reduce costs dramatically.

i claimed at 62 and now i regret it so much!! wish i had waited. im getting almost $800 less each month than if i waited till my FRA. think carefully about your decision!!

As a final note, the SSA provides calculators on their website that can show you your estimated benefit amounts at different claiming ages. These estimates are based on your actual earnings record. You can also schedule an appointment with an SSA representative who can walk you through your specific options. The decision of when to claim is highly personal and depends on factors like your health, family longevity, current financial needs, other income sources, and marital status. There's no one-size-fits-all answer, but understanding the exact percentage increases and reductions helps you make an informed choice.

One thing I want to clarify about divorced spouse benefits - you mentioned possibly being able to claim them at 60, but that's not accurate. Divorced spouse benefits based on an ex's retirement record (not disability) can only be claimed as early as age 62, and they're reduced if taken before your FRA. The benefit you can potentially claim at 60 is a surviving divorced spouse benefit, which only applies if your ex-spouse has passed away. Based on your post, it sounds like your ex is still living. Just wanted to clarify this point since there seems to be some confusion about the different types of benefits and their eligibility ages.

i think ur overthinking this... ur getting a decent benefit already and the stress of trying to figure out all this complicated stuff isn't worth it. just enjoy ur retirement and the money ur already getting! life's 2 short 2 spend it fighting with SS bureaucracy

One additional tip: If you're married and file jointly, remember that you each need to submit a separate W-4V form for your individual benefits. Also, keep in mind that generally only about 50-85% of your Social Security benefits are taxable, depending on your combined income. This is calculated using your adjusted gross income plus nontaxable interest plus half of your Social Security benefits. If this total exceeds certain thresholds ($25,000 for single filers or $32,000 for joint filers), then a portion of your benefits becomes taxable.

Just to follow up on my earlier comment - once your withholding starts, check your MySocialSecurity account online to verify the correct percentage is being withheld. When I submitted my W-4V, they somehow entered 12% instead of the 10% I requested. It took another form submission to correct it. The online account shows your payment details including all deductions.