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 someone who just joined this community, I wanted to add that you might also want to check if your employer offers any severance package that could affect your unemployment eligibility. Some severance agreements include clauses about when you can file for unemployment, and the timing could impact your overall financial strategy. Also, since you mentioned possible layoffs in April but planning to start Social Security in June, you might have a brief window where you're only collecting unemployment. This could actually be helpful for tax planning - you could see how the unemployment affects your tax situation before adding Social Security into the mix. One more thing - if you do get laid off, make sure to ask HR about COBRA for health insurance. The interaction between Medicare eligibility (which starts at 65), COBRA, and potential new employer insurance can get complicated, but it's important to have continuous coverage. The community here has given you excellent advice about the legality and logistics. Just wanted to add these practical considerations that came up when my family went through something similar. Best of luck with your planning!

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!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share something that helped me when I was navigating a similar situation last year. One resource that many people don't know about is the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide program - they offer free tax preparation help specifically for people dealing with multiple income sources like Social Security and unemployment. Since you're turning 65, you'd be eligible for their services, and they're really knowledgeable about the tax implications of collecting both benefits simultaneously. They can help you set up quarterly payments or adjust withholdings to avoid that big tax bill that Malik mentioned. Also, I'd recommend checking if your local library offers free financial counseling sessions. Many libraries partner with nonprofit credit counseling agencies, and they can help you model different scenarios - like whether it makes more financial sense to delay Social Security until your FRA versus taking it early while collecting unemployment. The community here has given you excellent technical advice about Indiana's rules and the federal regulations. I just wanted to add these free resources that can help with the financial planning side of things. The transition from full employment to retirement benefits can be overwhelming, but having professional guidance (even if it's free/volunteer) can really help you make informed decisions about timing everything optimally. Best of luck with your planning - sounds like you're being really thoughtful about considering all the angles!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share a few additional considerations that came up when my sister went through this exact situation in Indiana last year. One thing that really caught us off guard was that while you can collect both benefits, some employers' retirement health insurance plans have coordination rules that might be affected if you're receiving unemployment benefits. It's worth checking with your HR department about how collecting unemployment might impact any retiree health benefits you're eligible for. Also, if you're planning to do any freelance or part-time work while collecting unemployment, remember that both systems have reporting requirements, but they're different. Unemployment requires weekly reporting of any work or earnings, while Social Security has the annual earnings limit I mentioned. Keep detailed records because you'll need to report the same income to both systems but in different ways. One last tip - if you do get laid off in April, consider filing for unemployment immediately even if you're not sure you'll need it. There's usually a waiting period, and you can always cancel benefits if your situation changes. But having the claim established can save time if you do need the support. The community has given you excellent advice about the legal and financial aspects. Just wanted to add these practical considerations from someone who watched a family member navigate this successfully. Indiana really does make this easier than many other states!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to add some information that might be helpful based on my recent experience with a similar situation. I just went through the process of collecting both Social Security and unemployment benefits in Indiana, and I can confirm that the advice here is accurate - Indiana does allow you to collect both without any reduction in either benefit. One thing I'd add is to be prepared for some confusion from representatives when you call either agency. Some customer service reps aren't familiar with the rules allowing concurrent collection, so you might need to politely ask to speak with a supervisor if you get conflicting information. I had one unemployment rep tell me I couldn't collect both, but when I escalated it, the supervisor confirmed that Indiana doesn't have an offset rule. Also, regarding the tax withholding that others mentioned - both agencies can withhold federal taxes if you request it, but neither will automatically withhold state taxes for Indiana. You'll need to make quarterly payments or adjust withholding from other sources if you want to avoid a big state tax bill. The work search requirement for unemployment is real and they do audit it, but they're generally reasonable about what constitutes valid job search activities for someone your age. Attending job fairs, networking events, and even informational interviews can count toward your weekly requirements. Best of luck with your planning - it sounds like you're approaching this thoughtfully, and this community has given you excellent guidance!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share some additional information that might be helpful for your situation. I recently helped my father navigate a very similar circumstance in Indiana when he was laid off at 64 and decided to start Social Security early. One thing that wasn't mentioned yet is that if you do get laid off in April, you might want to consider whether any unused vacation time or severance pay could affect the timing of when you file for unemployment. In Indiana, severance payments can sometimes delay when you can start collecting unemployment benefits, depending on how they're structured. Also, since you mentioned planning to start Social Security at 65, you might want to use the Social Security Administration's online retirement estimator to compare what you'd receive at 65 versus waiting until your full retirement age (which would be 66 and 10 months for you). With unemployment potentially bridging the gap, waiting might make more financial sense in the long run. One practical tip - if you do end up collecting both, consider having a separate savings account just for setting aside tax money. My father put 25% of each payment into a tax savings account, and it made April much less stressful than some of the experiences described here. The community has provided excellent advice about the legality and logistics. Indiana really is one of the better states for this situation, and it sounds like you're doing great research ahead of time rather than scrambling after a layoff happens.

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share some insights from my recent experience helping clients navigate this exact situation in Indiana. I work as a benefits counselor, and this scenario comes up frequently. First, everyone here is correct - Indiana allows concurrent collection without offsets. However, I'd add a few practical considerations: 1. **Application timing matters**: If you're laid off in April but don't plan to start Social Security until June, apply for unemployment immediately after your layoff. Don't wait until June thinking you should apply for both simultaneously. 2. **Documentation is crucial**: Keep copies of all correspondence from both agencies. I've seen cases where there were temporary system glitches that flagged people as potentially ineligible, and having your paperwork made resolution much faster. 3. **Consider your long-term strategy**: Since you're starting Social Security before your FRA, remember that once you reach FRA, Social Security will recalculate your benefit to account for months when benefits were withheld due to excess earnings (if applicable). This doesn't apply to unemployment income, but it's worth understanding for future planning. 4. **State tax planning**: Indiana taxes both Social Security (if it's federally taxable) and unemployment benefits. Unlike federal taxes where you can have withholding from both sources, you'll likely need to make quarterly state tax payments. The community has given you excellent foundational advice. You're in a good state for this situation, and planning ahead like this will make the process much smoother if you do face a layoff.

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share some information that might help with your planning. I went through a very similar situation last year in Indiana when I was 64 and facing potential layoffs. One thing I learned that might be helpful is to check whether your company offers any "bridge to retirement" programs or enhanced severance packages for employees close to retirement age. Some companies have special programs for workers 62+ that can provide additional financial support during the transition to Social Security. Also, regarding the unemployment work search requirements that others mentioned - Indiana does allow some flexibility for older workers. You can often count activities like skills assessment meetings with career counselors, resume workshops, and even online job training courses toward your weekly work search requirements. The key is documenting everything properly. I'd also suggest contacting your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA). They often have financial counselors who specialize in retirement transitions and can help you model different scenarios for free. They're familiar with both Social Security timing decisions and how unemployment benefits factor into the overall picture. The community has given you excellent technical advice about Indiana's favorable rules. From a practical standpoint, having multiple income sources during this transition actually worked out well for me - it gave me more flexibility to be selective about job opportunities while still meeting my financial needs. Best of luck with your planning - you're asking all the right questions ahead of time, which will make whatever happens much more manageable!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to add some perspective from someone who recently went through this exact situation in Indiana. I was laid off at 64 and had to navigate collecting both unemployment and Social Security benefits. The advice here is spot-on about Indiana allowing both benefits without reduction. What I'd add from my experience: **Timing considerations**: If you're planning to start Social Security in June anyway, getting laid off in April might actually work in your favor. You'll have two months to establish your unemployment claim and get familiar with the system before adding Social Security into the mix. **Communication between agencies**: Neither agency automatically notifies the other about your benefits. You don't need to report unemployment income to Social Security or vice versa - they're completely separate systems with different purposes and funding sources. **Practical tip for job searching**: Since unemployment requires active job searching, consider targeting positions that would start after you begin collecting Social Security. Many employers are actually interested in experienced workers who are supplementing Social Security - it can make you a more attractive candidate since they know you're not desperate for high wages. **Banking strategy**: I set up automatic transfers to move 25% of each payment to a separate account for taxes. This made tax season much less painful and helped me avoid the quarterly payment stress others mentioned. You're being smart to plan ahead rather than react after a layoff. Indiana's rules make this one of the easier states to manage both benefits, and this community has given you excellent guidance. Good luck with whatever happens!