Q & A
My wife is age 60, retired, and has medical insurance through my work policy. My work contract ends this summer and I plan to retire then, being over age 65 with Medicare coverage. Will my Medicare cover my wife also?
Answer: No, for two reasons. First, Medicare provides individual coverage only. It does not have family coverage. Second, age based Medicare cannot begin until age 65. Read more… Source: Howard I. Kossover, Social Security Administration Public Affairs Specialist Notice: The “Read more…” link provided…
How do I get a Social Security number for my newborn?
Answer: A very easy and popular method used by many new parents is the voluntary Enumeration at Birth (EAB) process. Enumeration at Birth starts while still at the hospital. Using it, the state agency that issues birth certificates sends the child’s birth registration information…
What is Medicare “Extra Help”?
Answer: Part of the Medicare prescription drug (Part D) program, the Extra Help low income subsidy can help pay for parts of Part D monthly premiums, annual deductibles and co-payments. If on Medicare, people receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or medical assistance…
My young children receive Social Security survivors benefits because their father died several years ago. I will remarry in a few months. Will the children lose their survivors benefits if my new husband adopts them?
Answer: Adoption of a child already entitled to Social Security survivors benefits does not end his or her benefits. Read more… Source: Howard I. Kossover, Social Security Administration Public Affairs Specialist Notice: The “Read more…” link provided above connects readers to the…
I have an offer to join a new company and, if I accept it, my earnings will be much lower than now for at least several years. Can I estimate how lower earnings will reduce my future Social Security retirement?
Answer: Yes. Estimate the effect of lower or higher future earnings with the Retirement Estimator at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/estimator. One of the Social Security retirement planning tools at www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2, the Estimator connects to your actual Social Security earnings record to provide personal retirement estimates at age…
If I worked and made enough to draw Social Security benefits on my own, but could draw more from my husband, do I have a choice?
Answer: No, you don’t. When you retire and notify Social Security that you want to begin receiving retirement benefits, they will work with you to see that you get the largest amount possible. Here’s how it works: When the first spouse retires,…
My husband and I were married for about 35 years and recently divorced after a 9 year separation. He is 63 and will be retiring and collecting Social Security when he is 65. I would like to retire when I am 62. Now I do know that I can draw either his Social Security or mine depending on whose is higher. When I am 62 I will most likely draw on his because I am certain his will be more then mine since I was a stay at home wife for many years. My question is if I retire at 62, do I receive benefits based on me drawing at 62, or based on my ex drawing at 65 which could be a big difference?
Answer: Congress modified Social Security benefits in 1983. Now, if you were born after 1937, you can’t receive full Social Security benefits at age 65. Instead, the age at which you can retire and receive full benefits (your Full Retirement Age)…
Can I find out online approximately what my Social Security benefits would be with early retirement?
Answer: There are 2 ways to find out … the hard way, and the easy way. The HARD way: Click on the following link to go to Social Security’s benefits calculators. http://www.ssa.gov/planners/calculators.htm. The EASY way: Every year, about 3 months before your birthday, Social…
What Is Supplemental Security Income?
Answer: Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a Federal income supplement program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes): It is designed to help aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income; and It provides cash to meet basic needs for…
How can I maximize income from Social Security?
Many people do not treat Social Security like the important retirement asset that it is. Social Security is one of the few retirement assets that have a cost-of-living adjustment. This is very important when you consider that you may live 30…