Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
New question about SS benefits. My wife is going to apply for her benefits early. She will be 65 on June 7 of this year. She will request retroactive payments for April but can you ask for a specific date in a month? If yes would she be better off asking for April 8 or earlier? I know the percentage would be small but looking for every little advantage.
New question about SS benefits. My wife is going to apply for her benefits early. She will be 65 on June 7 of this year. She will request retroactive payments for April but can you ask for a specific date in a month? If yes would she be better off asking for April 8 or earlier? I know the percentage would be small but looking for every little advantage.
Thanks Ivan
She cannot get anything retro pre fra. in order to get retro you need to file after fra and suspend at some point between fra and 70 . then down the road between fra and 70 you can retro for anything between fra and 70..
Im45us- His wife called the SSA 800# and made an appointment the other day (in April) for her retirement. That phone call, regardless of the the appointment date, protected his wife's "filing date". The 800# told him they had no appointments available for 2 months, and they made her an appointment in June. However, the April day- the day she called, is the day they will use as her application date. In this case, when the claim is processed, she will get benefits retroactive to her filing date.
As a general statement, yes, there is no longer retroactivity before your Full Retirement Date. However, an intent to file- phone call for an appointment, or letter specifically indicating "I wish to file" does protect your rights. If you saunter off the street in a particular month, that month will be your filing date. If you call and protect your rights, that month will be your filing date.
The day of the month doesn't matter.
But, Im45us- I am going to post a long thread about spousal benefits now- your case, daveinmtairy's case, and another person who wrote to me privately- had me thinking and reading and thinking some more for days now- about what was going on with spousal benefits and what I was missing that Lawrence Kotlikoff was stating. I had an "epiphany" last night- and already posted on daveinmtairy's earlier post about having an older wife, with less earnings- just like you. I don't want to put it here. Just look at my new thread. Thanks.
Im45us- His wife called the SSA 800# and made an appointment the other day (in April) for her retirement. That phone call, regardless of the the appointment date, protected his wife's "filing date". The 800# told him they had no appointments available for 2 months, and they made her an appointment in June. However, the April day- the day she called, is the day they will use as her application date. In this case, when the claim is processed, she will get benefits retroactive to her filing date.
As a general statement, yes, there is no longer retroactivity before your Full Retirement Date. However, an intent to file- phone call for an appointment, or letter specifically indicating "I wish to file" does protect your rights. If you saunter off the street in a particular month, that month will be your filing date. If you call and protect your rights, that month will be your filing date.
The day of the month doesn't matter.
But, Im45us- I am going to post a long thread about spousal benefits now- your case, daveinmtairy's case, and another person who wrote to me privately- had me thinking and reading and thinking some more for days now- about what was going on with spousal benefits and what I was missing that Lawrence Kotlikoff was stating. I had an "epiphany" last night- and already posted on daveinmtairy's earlier post about having an older wife, with less earnings- just like you. I don't want to put it here. Just look at my new thread. Thanks.
ilovemycat... (I love my cat too ) just wanted to thank you for all your help with the SS questions. It is nice of you to take your time with this.
That's interesting and little-known information about the phone call to Social Security serving as the application date - I hope for the sake of the OP it turns out to be correct.
But there were alternate solutions also:
1) Apply online
2) Go into an office without an appointment and apply. Sure, the wait to see an employee would be longer without the appointment, but it is a very doable thing.
That's interesting and little-known information about the phone call to Social Security serving as the application date - I hope for the sake of the OP it turns out to be correct.
But there were alternate solutions also:
1) Apply online
2) Go into an office without an appointment and apply. Sure, the wait to see an employee would be longer without the appointment, but it is a very doable thing.
I would take issue with the statement, "it is a little known fact". Anyone at the 800# or anyone in any office, especially if the date you call or come in is a critical date, meaning it makes a difference in the amount you receive, should or would tell you that the phone call or visit is considered a "protected filing date". In many places, people go into an office, wait a long time and walk out. That means nothing. However, if you go to the receptionist, indicate you came in without an appointment, cannot wait any longer, could they please make you an appointment, and they do, that date on the appointment letter - the date you came in, is your protected filing date.
Not everyone can successfully apply online. Often, people try to go online and SSA internal records do not match the info you are entering. The system will not let you proceed. That person needs to call, come in etc.
What would be a critical date: Applying for Medicare (especially if you want or need Part B ) the month before the month you turn 65. If you wait until the month you turn 65, your Part B begins the next month.
A widow/widower, under full retirement age who waits more than 1 month past the month their spouse died. SSA only goes back 1 month to get the person benefits for the month of death. Example: A 61 year old, non working woman, husband dies in June. If they call SSA in June or July, fine, their benefits begin in June. If they call in July, SSA only has an appointment available for August, she is still fine. When they take the claim in August, because she called in July, she is protected to his month of death, June. But, if she just walked in in August, she lost out on June and July.
Of course, you can go in without an appointment. But, I don't recommend it- unless absolutely necessary. Unless you get lucky, you could sit for hours. Everyone with an appointment goes ahead of you. It is stressful, it raises your blood pressure. You get aggravated. With an appointment, you arrive, and if all is well, you get called within a few minutes of your appointment time.
Of course, you can go in without an appointment. But, I don't recommend it- unless absolutely necessary. Unless you get lucky, you could sit for hours. Everyone with an appointment goes ahead of you. It is stressful, it raises your blood pressure. You get aggravated. With an appointment, you arrive, and if all is well, you get called within a few minutes of your appointment time.
The waiting time will vary with the particular SS office and the day of the week and time of the day. If you get unlucky, you will sit for hours. But I have gone in several different times without an appointment and never waited more than 45 minutes. One brings reading material to such things, and the waiting does not necessarily raise one's blood pressure.
In cases where the first available appointment is a long way off, one may wish to get things over with instead of have them hanging for a couple of months, in which case going into an office is a viable alternative. One disadvantage to making an appointment is the frustration of being offered first one appointment, then another, then another at a day and time when one is not free to accept the appointment. In that case, one is sometimes better off to pick a morning or an afternoon when one is free and taking one's chances about the waiting.
I'm going to retire at age 65. When I applied online the form didn't ask about or give any info about SS payments. I figured they would ask for more information when they accepted my application. I have applied for benefits and received my letter from the SSA. I was informed I will be qualified to receive medicare A and B in October. However the letter did not mention receiving my SS check or payments. It did say medicare was all the benefits I could get at this time. I thought maybe I had to apply for the payment benefits with a different form or on a different website, but can't find anything on the SSA website. Any suggestions?
I'm going to retire at age 65. When I applied online the form didn't ask about or give any info about SS payments. I figured they would ask for more information when they accepted my application. I have applied for benefits and received my letter from the SSA. I was informed I will be qualified to receive medicare A and B in October. However the letter did not mention receiving my SS check or payments. It did say medicare was all the benefits I could get at this time. I thought maybe I had to apply for the payment benefits with a different form or on a different website, but can't find anything on the SSA website. Any suggestions?
It is always best to go to your local office as no one here knows your personal situation. You will get better information when you are face to face with their employees who can calculate your payments based on your income.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
) just wanted to thank you for all your help with the SS questions. It is nice of you to take your time with this.
