The Benefits Blog

When a SS beneficiary passes away, what are the rules for the benefit paid in the month of death?

An individual must survive the entire preceding month to receive a Social Security benefit for the current month. If a beneficiary passes away in March, they will not receive a benefit for April. The r...

Can you help me confirm the best way to begin the application process and which disability report, adult or child, is needed to apply for the Disabled Adult Child benefit? On the website, it states that this benefit cannot be filed for online, and you must call in to start the process which requires...

I am both a Canadian & US citizen with years of substantial earnings in both Canada and USA. I believe my situation is covered by the Canada – US Social Security Agreement and want to apply for early social security at age 62 early next year. I am not sure of the best way to apply given my personal ...

His wife who was born 12/20/57 is getting $1100/m from SS Disability. Once Ron starts his SS at 66.8 will she be entitled to almost half of his FRA amount? Or since she is on SS disability it changes things?

When Ron starts his Social Security benefits at age 66 and 8 months, his wife, who is curre...

Are there any circumstances or instances in which someone can collect survivors benefits retroactively before their own FRA?  I was not aware of any, but I read something in a Social Security guide from Fisher Investments that indicated that this could happen.

Yes, there are specific circumstances ...

We emphasize SITUATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY in the NSSA® Certificate program, as all your clients are UNIQUE. Your clients may be single, married with wide age differences, married with narrow age differences, divorced, surviving spouses, eligible to file a Restricted Application, public employees, etc...

We have a client who is still working but thinking about beginning S.S. next year. Will be below FRA making $24,000 annually. Assuming the limit is $22,000 at that time, will SSA withhold $1,000 of her SS benefit? Mechanically how does that work? Do they withhold all at once or over the year? How/wh...

My client has been dealing with social security for the last year trying to correct an error she had selected when applying for Social Security. When asked if she was receiving a pension she accidentally marked Yes, instead of no. It’s been over a year with her going into social security, sending in...

If the person takes the FERS supplement at age 60, does that technically count as starting the pension and GPO will apply to the widow benefit? Or can the person collect the widow benefit at 60 with no GPO reduction and collect the supplement?

If an individual under the Federal Employees Retirement...

I read an article that says that someone with a military background, mostly National Guard or Reserve forces, are eligible for additional SS wage credits added to their earnings record.

Yes, individuals with a military background, particularly those who served in the National Guard or Reserve force...