The Benefits Blog

The heart of the question relates to the adjustment at FRA relating to benefits withheld due to the Annual Earnings Test.  Does that adjustment occur with only retirement benefits, or will that adjustment apply also to survivor or spousal benefits as well?

When Social Security benefits are withheld...

The heart of the question relates to the adjustment at FRA relating to benefits withheld due to the Annual Earnings Test.  Does that adjustment occur with only retirement benefits, or will that adjustment apply also to survivor or spousal benefits as well?

The adjustment for benefits withheld due t...

Can you clarify for me. 65 female is drawing survivor benefit from her deceased husband. She remarried after age 60 to a man that has non covered pension and when he retired he included survivor benefit for her on his pension. Will GPO apply to her current survivor benefit from deceased husband or h...

If a client starts the SS widow benefit before her FRA and continues to work, is the benefit reduced for earnings over the limit?

Yes, if a client begins receiving Social Security widow benefits before reaching her Full Retirement Age (FRA) and continues to work, her benefits are indeed subject to ...

A divorced client was married to her husband for 25 years. He is 25 years older and neither of them ever remarried. He passed recently and she would like to know if she can claim a “Survivor Benefit”.  She is now 62 and eligible for a benefit of her own of $1,916 at her FRA. 

Your client, who is 62...

I have a couple who married when the woman, Diana, was age 61.  She is age 64 and looking at retiring at the end of the year. Can she file for widow benefits since she married after age 61 or is the rule such that she needed to be receiving widow benefits before remarrying?

Remarriage after age 60 ...

It’s good to have some social security support for our client base and you guys certainly seem to know the stuff.  I wanted to reach out about a client situation.  The client is younger, but their father passed away years ago (dad was more than 10 years older than mom) and mom is now 60 years old.  ...

Client is roughly 40 and has a (likely terminal) cancer diagnosis. They are planning to work for another couple of years and then go on disability (private). She wants me to run a plan where she anticipates passing away in the next 5-7 years. She is married (husband doesn’t work currently and used t...

Situation arose this afternoon, I am looking for some guidance. Husband died in 2021 at age of 64 and had already begun his Social Security benefit. 26 year old child is on SSI and is disabled. It sounds like she (mom, widow) is currently receiving child-in-care benefit.  She is about to turn age 60...

Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and expertise in today’s meeting.  I just wanted to follow up with a quick note to see if you’d been able to determine the name of the form or report I would have clients ask for when they go into the office (or call in) that details their potential survivor...