The Benefits Blog

Quick question on the spousal boost.  Let’s say wife has a PIA of $1,000 and husband has a PIA of $3,000. Both are same age — wife starts at 62 and husband starts at FRA. My understanding is that when the husband turns on his SSB, the spousal boost happens automatically, but I recently saw that that...

I have an individual that will turn 66 on February 13.  She will reach FRA in August.  If she starts taking SS in August or September, will her benefits be reduced, since she will start in the month of or later of reaching FRA?  I am reading some conflicting reports relating to whether her benefit w...

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 ...

What is the updated figure to earn a SS credit in 2024? 

I have a client who is going to be 65 in Jan. She’s divorced and no longer speaks to her ex. He’s an immigrant, but has worked long enough to get SS and is a little older.  He is already receiving his benefit. Let’s say his benefit is $1,000 per month and she’s entitled to 50%.  If she claims off ex...

One of our Social Security seminar attendees says she’s been told that her own Social Security benefit amount (from her own work record) will be reduced by half because her husband gets a pension from CalSTRS (teacher pension) due to Government Pension Offset rules (GPO).  It doesn’t seem reasonable...

Will the wife of an incarcerated ex-husband be eligible for a spousal benefit on her ex-husband’s work history? Would it make a difference if they were not officially divorced?

 The wife of an incarcerated ex-husband may still be eligible for a spousal benefit on her ex-husband’s work record, provi...

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 client inquiring about the Form SSA-2. Her question is below:   “I understand there’s a form SSA-2 about collecting on your divorced spouse, that my daughter keeps telling me about. When I applied for Social Security, I did have to put in my information about being married and being divorce...