Can't figure about Social Security (confusion) (divorced, spouse, inherit, milk)
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I don't know....maybe I've had a bit too much Christmas cheer tonight and I'm not thinking clearly and I do apologize in advance if I am but it seems to me out of all 7 pages of you know it all experts,financial wizards, pants on FIRE wannabes and "mensa types" none of you -no one- nada - identified what Cindi's real issue was. ( that when she attained FRA she should have switched to her husbands benefit) Some of you were kind and helpful but some of you (MIKE) act like you have it all figured out when in fact NONE of you did. I also think it's ridiculous that there isn't some type of program in the Social Security system that monitors and provides the highest benefit recipients are entitled to. It breaks my heart to think that there are people out there barely scraping by when in fact they don't have to be. I know for a fact the if someone was 1cent over certain income limits all types of alarms would go off to access surcharges.
Would you like the IRS to monitor your life and automatically figure out your best tax scenario as well?
Would you like the IRS to monitor your life and automatically figure out your best tax scenario as well?
Our fair share of taxes is the lowest amount we can get it down to using the tools and laws for our situation.
Our best course of action for taking ss is the one that meshes with all the other factors in our situation.
Both can get pretty complex .
But that is why we pay people to help us with both when we don’t know ourselves.
So even if someone does not know themselves , they can pay someone who does know .. the problem is they think the price for good advice is to expensive ...well just look what free can cost
When I worked for the state I found it amazing how few people knew how much their pension would be or had used the online calculators provided to figure it out. Same thing with SS. No one is more interested in your money than you so take charge to find out all the information. At this stage there is nothing you can do about your problem and it’s solved since you will be getting the higher amount.
I also think it's ridiculous that there isn't some type of program in the Social Security system that monitors and provides the highest benefit recipients are entitled to.
It may not have always been this way but the SS adm. does have the ability to cross reference information in regards to spouses, ex spouses etc.
I have no idea how much if at all the form has changed over the years but when I filed in 2017 the form included a field for both current and ex spouse (s) if applicable..name, address, ss numbers etc. I was in the process of a divorce, we lived in two different states.
When my still then spouse filed at a later date (he's 3 mths younger than me) I received a call from the SS adm. They set up a future phone appointment at which time they reviewed my benefits. Had they not called me I wouldn't have known he had filed. There was no benefit to me btw, all of mine is more than half of his and I already knew that, but the point is, the information was cross referenced in their system and I was contacted.
If you’ve been here since 2008, this subject has been discussed here in retirement forum numerous times. It pays to be informed.
Well, to be fair, she only has 480 posts in 11 years. So she’s not a regular, and perhaps most of those posts weren’t even in Retirement. Better late than never.
Here's the deal: I read that under most circumstances it would be better to sign up at 62, which I did. I don't predict how long I'll live, so I figured I better start collecting. So since then I lasted for about 14 years, collecting Social Security. My husband is a few years younger than me (2) and so also waited until he was 62 to collect. In retrospect I am purty sure we did not make a 'mistake.' Do I regret it? No. Thanks for your answer. Yes, I DID go in to the SS office recently, not for myself but to help someone else and I asked questions about myself, which he answered, but -- still left me a little confused. :-) Because he was talking about going to the welfare office on my own recognizance. I still don't figure, but maybe I'll call him and ask. (He gave me his office number directly.)
Take his advice, go to welfare to see if you guys qualify for anything because you may find out that you do. That is if you really could use the extra help. I went there last year when I lost my prescription insurance due to my SSD being put on hold because I some how missed a re-evaluation package. My prescription insurance didn't care for any of my reasons, they cancelled me from November to December. Welfare in the end couldn't help me, no one could.
Welfare told me there are ways they some how over look certain incomes. I'm not sure if a pension was one of them which is why I said go there and talk to them. You may qualify for EBT cash and food stamps.
By the way, I have a friend in your situation. She just turned 62, lost her job as an aid for disabled kids at a school. I kept telling her to come here to read, make an appointment at SS to speak to them. Her husband is older but I'm not sure how much. He's currently in a nursing home collecting benefits. I suggested she try to wait until FRA but she said she can't work right now. The jobs just aren't where she is. I had suggested she try SS disability because she should qualify but she said she was told that she didn't pay into SS with her last job, I called BS. If she didn't pay in with that job, how does she have anything to collect at 62?
I eventually found an article that pretty much said that people that have a short life span or one that wasn't sure, it's ok to take SS at 62 because in the end, the amount you would have collected evens out. I sent that to my friend and will try to find it to post for you.
The article advised that people who's parents died older to not take it at 62 and wait if they could because they may really need those extra dollars.
I think you will find that not all employees in the government know everything and getting conflicting answers is rather common. As for the $100, your follow up questions are can you give me a link on the internet to review, what is the statute, please send me a application etc and be sure you know how to get back in touch with the person you are talking too.
Thanks, will share with my friend
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sand&Salt
Don't let these financial experts get you down, OP. You went to the source (SSA) and they gave you conflicting answers. Other sources will be shot down.
Getting info about a toaster is hardly on a par with SSA. Some of it is obvious, but much is a maze for us non-Mensa types.
I don't understand the mockery of someone asking a genuine question. After research.
Here's the deal: I read that under most circumstances it would be better to sign up at 62, which I did. I don't predict how long I'll live, so I figured I better start collecting. So since then I lasted for about 14 years, collecting Social Security. My husband is a few years younger than me (2) and so also waited until he was 62 to collect. In retrospect I am purty sure we did not make a 'mistake.' Do I regret it? No. Thanks for your answer. Yes, I DID go in to the SS office recently, not for myself but to help someone else and I asked questions about myself, which he answered, but -- still left me a little confused. :-) Because he was talking about going to the welfare office on my own recognizance. I still don't figure, but maybe I'll call him and ask. (He gave me his office number directly.)
What you did was not so bad. I got my SS early too. I know full well that I could have waited, but chose not to. My dad died when he was 66. Several uncles and a grandfather died before 60. An aunt had multiple strokes and died in her early 60's. My health problems are similar to my dad's so I decided to collect early at age 62 and get the smaller check. It will take me 10 years to breakeven. If I live longer than that and defy my family history, that would be a pleasant surprise. Some of us don't want to die before FRA and after and not collect anything.
i am grateful for and am enjoying my small check, as I earned it. This was my personal choice.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with collecting at 62. There are way more reasons to take it at 62 than at 70. Sometimes one has to take care of NOW, because if they don’t, then LATER NEVER happens. There should be no stigma associated with that. There is a stigma, however, when the reasons given are invalid or delusional and the poster insists its either not their fault or anyone not taking it at 62 doesn’t know what they are talking about.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with collecting at 62. There are way more reasons to take it at 62 than at 70. Sometimes one has to take care of NOW, because if they don’t, then LATER NEVER happens. There should be no stigma associated with that. There is a stigma, however, when the reasons given are invalid or delusional and the poster insists its either not their fault or anyone not taking it at 62 doesn’t know what they are talking about.
or what if i die , the most common way of deciding
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