Can I collect Social Security retirement and unemployment at the same time in Indiana?

Yes, you can legally receive both Social Security retirement benefits and unemployment in Indiana at the same time. Unlike some other states, Indiana doesn't reduce unemployment benefits if you're receiving Social Security. However, you need to understand a few things: 1. When you file for unemployment, you must be able, available, and actively seeking work 2. Your Social Security income will be considered taxable income when filing taxes 3. If you find part-time work while on unemployment, both your Social Security earnings limit ($22,320 in 2025 if you're under FRA) and unemployment earnings reports need to be managed carefully I went through this in 2023 and collected both without issues. Just make sure you're transparent on all applications.

My brother got BOTH last year! unemployment doesn't care about ss and ss doesn't care about unemployment. just be honest on the forms when u apply

THE SSA DOESN'T REDUCE YOUR BENEFITS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT but the IRS will tax you on BOTH!!!! They get you one way or another. I lost 35% of my benefits to taxes last year because of this double-dipping. It's LEGAL but expensive!!!

I work at a financial planning office, and we have several clients in this exact situation. Here's what you need to know: 1. Indiana specifically allows concurrent collection of unemployment and Social Security with no reduction in either benefit 2. However, your unemployment benefits might push your Social Security into a higher taxable bracket - up to 85% of SS can be taxable depending on your combined income 3. If you're under Full Retirement Age (which would be 66 and 10 months if you're turning 65 this year), remember that Social Security has an earnings test - $22,320 for 2025 4. Unemployment benefits don't count as "earnings" for the SS earnings test, only actual work income does I recommend speaking directly with both Indiana Workforce Development and SSA to confirm your specific situation.

I just went through something similar in January! I actually found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to SSA on the phone without waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU But yeah, I'm also in Indiana and collect both unemployment and Social Security. Unemployment office didn't even ask about my SS when I applied. You just need to continue your work search requirements for unemployment.

Im confused,,,, I thought we couldn't get both??? My neighbor told me you CANT get unemployment if your collecting social security, she said she tried and got denied? maybe the rules are different in different states?

good luck!! the whole system is a maze!

Just to add one more important point - if you're planning to start Social Security at 65, that's actually before your Full Retirement Age. For someone turning 65 in 2025, your FRA would be 66 and 10 months. This means: 1. Your benefit will be permanently reduced by approximately 11-12% 2. You'll be subject to the earnings test until you reach FRA 3. The earnings test means SS will deduct $1 for every $2 you earn above $22,320 in 2025 If you've been laid off, this might not be an issue immediately, but if you get another job while on unemployment and then continue working, it could affect your benefits. Just something to be aware of in your planning.

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share what I learned when I was in a similar situation last year. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track both income sources and set aside money for taxes monthly. Since you're in Indiana, you're fortunate that the state doesn't reduce unemployment benefits for Social Security recipients. However, I'd strongly recommend: 1. Contact your local Indiana WorkOne office - they're usually more helpful than trying to get through to the state unemployment line 2. Consider whether delaying Social Security until your FRA might be worth it financially, especially if unemployment benefits can tide you over 3. If you do collect both, have taxes withheld from both sources if possible - it's much easier than dealing with quarterly payments The folks here have given you great advice about the legality and logistics. Just remember that being "able and available" for work on unemployment means you need to genuinely be job searching, even if you're also collecting Social Security. Good luck with everything!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share some additional resources that might help with your situation. I recently went through a similar transition and found a few things that made the process smoother: 1. The Indiana Department of Workforce Development has a really helpful online chat feature that's often faster than calling - you can access it through their website during business hours. 2. For Social Security questions, try calling first thing in the morning (8 AM EST) or right after lunch (1 PM EST) - those seem to be the times with shorter hold times. 3. Consider setting up online accounts for both systems now, before you need them. The my Social Security account at ssa.gov and the Uplink system for Indiana unemployment both let you manage things online and avoid some phone calls. 4. If you do end up collecting both, keep detailed records of all payments and any correspondence. It makes tax time much easier and protects you if there are any questions later. The advice everyone has given you about the legality and tax implications is spot-on. Indiana really is one of the better states for this situation since they don't offset the benefits against each other. Just make sure you stay compliant with the work search requirements for unemployment - they do audit those periodically. Good luck with everything!