The Benefits Blog

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...

I have a client, Larry, looking to retire this August at age 65 and will earn 50K in 2023.  If he files for his own benefits Dec 2023 age 65.4 and gets his first check in Jan 2024, will he be subject to the earnings test for the Dec amount being that the first check doesn’t come until 2024?

For Lar...

Hello, I am having an issue with Social Security, they say that my SS number is not correct and that they have no record of me. I have been to the office on numerous occasions with as much documentation as I have, and they always send me back for more. The most recent time they asked for my elementa...

If a widow has her FRA for retirement benefits and FRA for survivor benefits in the same calendar year, then she must use the latter of the two (FRA for retirement benefits) for purposes of the earnings test. 

When a widow reaches her Full Retirement Age (FRA) for both retirement benefits and survi...

This was a question I had never had before and was hoping you know the answer. I had a client ask me if they will still have Medicare taxes deducted from their paycheck once they are on Medicare.

Yes, your client will still have Medicare taxes deducted from their paycheck even after enrolling in Me...

For a teacher that is about to retire, are pension payments calculated as income? What about if they are cashing out PTO (Paid Time off they did not take)

The pension is not counted as income for the earnings test but the PTO does count.  It would count in the last month worked so they can still us...

Does a person pay a penalty when they re-enroll if they lose their Medicare status upon incarceration?

No, there is no penalty for re-enrolling in Medicare after losing Medicare status due to incarceration. Here’s how it works:

1. Medicare Suspension:

   • During Incarceration: Medicare benefits ar
   ...

I am working with parents of a special needs adult child. An attorney has advised the family that one of the parents needs to collect their SS benefit for the son to receive SSDI. That does not sound correct to me…is it?

The attorney’s advice might be based on a misunderstanding. Here’s how Social ...

We have a client that is at FRA and plans to begin collecting benefits. She (and her husband) are primary caregivers of their two grandchildren both under the age of 16. They have a “split” custodial agreement for their grandchildren. They have primary custody at 51% and the remaining amount is spli...

I think this may have been discussed on a previous webinar, but is there any way to “see” how the filing for benefits looks?  I have clients that have asked questions about the application process and seeing what they are walking through would be super helpful. Not sure if that is possible.  Any ins...