The Benefits Blog

The Benefits Blog provides expert insights, updates, and strategies on Social Security and Medicare, tailored for financial professionals looking to enhance their knowledge and better serve their clients. Stay informed with the latest developments and tips to maximize benefits for your clients.

How to Ensure Spousal Benefits Are Applied When Filing for Social Security full retirement age (fra) hey marc! spousal benefits Oct 12, 2022

We have a client who filed and started receiving his benefits about a year ago.  His wife is going to now apply for hers, as she will be 62 this year. His benefit at FRA is more than 2xs hers at her FRA. They are applying online.  As they go through the app process online, there is no link or sectio...

Continue Reading...
Unlocking the Booming Market of Social Security Advising baby boomers maximizing benefits Oct 05, 2022

10,000 Baby Boomers Are Turning Age 65 Every Day!

The demand for professional Social Security advice is at an all-time high. With over 10,000 baby boomers turning age 65 each day, this demographic shift is creating an unprecedented need for specialized guidance on Social Security and Medicare. This...

Continue Reading...
Does Deemed Filing Apply to Child-in-Care and SSDI Benefits? deemed filing hey marc! Oct 04, 2022

Does deemed filing does apply to child in care (young mothers/young fathers) and SSDI?

Deemed filing rules do not apply to child-in-care benefits or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Here’s how deemed filing works and why it’s different for these types of benefits:

  1. Deemed Filing Ove...

Continue Reading...
Social Security Benefits for Children Under 18 benefits for minors hey marc! primary insurance amount (pia) social security benefits Sep 07, 2022

I have a client who has 3 kids under 18 –> 8, 11, 13.  Do you have to claim kids on taxes to be able to claim for SS benefits?  What do those benefits look like for him? His SS benefit at 67 is $2,765.

Your client’s children do not need to be claimed on his tax returns to be eligible for Social Sec...

Continue Reading...
Is Kidney Failure with Dialysis an Automatic Qualifier for Disability? hey marc! social security disability Sep 05, 2022

We have a client receiving kidney dialysis.  He needs to apply for Social Security Disability. He still works but can barely work anymore. We understood that if someone has renal failure and is on dialysis it’s an automatic qualifier for disability.  Are we incorrect? 

Kidney failure with dialysis ...

Continue Reading...
Which Months Are Withheld If a Worker Exceeds the Earnings Limit? earning limits hey marc! Aug 19, 2022

If a worker is receiving benefits and they are over the earnings limit, which months would be withheld? Let’s say SSA needs to withhold two months. January and February or November and December or something else??

SSA holds benefits at the earliest point or as soon as they receive an estimate of ea...

Continue Reading...
How SSA Determines Earnings Limits for Early Social Security Benefits hey marc! Aug 10, 2022

I have a client that is 62 and wants to draw benefits early and continue to work. When he is issued his W2, will SSA look at box 1 (wages, tips, other comp) for his earnings limit or box 3 (social security wages). I question this because if they are only looking at box 1, he wants to put enough mone...

Continue Reading...
Understanding Spousal Benefits After Divorce and the Deemed Filing Rule deemed filing divorce hey marc! primary insurance amount (pia) spousal benefits Aug 09, 2022

I have a potential client who is 61 and will be 62 in October. She is currently divorced and has not drawn any Social Security benefits. Am I correct in stating she can reach out to SSA and draw off her ex-husband’s record given they were married for 10 years, as long as his record his higher than h...

Continue Reading...
Social Security Benefits for a Disabled Child: Choosing the Right Parent's Record delayed retirement credits (drc) full retirement age (fra) hey marc! primary insurance amount (pia) spousal benefit boost Jul 08, 2022

The husband is FRA but plans to continue working as an orthodontist and is eligible for the max benefit based on his income. He has a 20-year-old disabled child with Down Syndrome. His spouse has been talking with the Social Security Administration and was told the child is eligible for $680 month. ...

Continue Reading...
Should a Client Apply for Disability After Starting Social Security Retirement? hey marc! medicare social security disability Jun 08, 2022

I have a client that took his Social Security Retirement benefit at age 65, and his Full Retirement Age is 66 and 8 months. He did not take the Medicare Part B as he is still on his wife’s employer plan. He is diabetic and had his leg amputated below the knee. Since he is already taking his social s...

Continue Reading...