Q & A
Ask Rusty – How Is My Benefit Amount Determined?
Dear Rusty: I am 60 years old. I have worked full time since age 22. I am thinking about working part-time ages 62-65. When I start collecting my social security benefit sometime after age 65, will my monthly amount be…
Ask Rusty – About Survivor Benefits
Dear Rusty: I am looking for information on my benefits. I am 60 years and 5 months old, and still employed. My spouse died in 2017 and would have been 61 years and 9 months old on July 31, 2019.…
Ask Rusty – State Pension May Eliminate Survivor Benefit
Dear Rusty: Please validate or negate this dreadful information: My husband and I are recently retired and living on our combined retirement plans. I was told that when my husband dies, I will NOT be allowed to draw ANY of…
Ask Rusty – About Collecting Spouse Benefits or Disability
Dear Rusty: My wife will be 62 in a few months and I’m still working (I am 59). Can my wife get any Social Security if I’m not yet retired? She’s short quarters for her own Social Security from when…
Ask Rusty – Will Social Security Go Bust?
Dear Rusty: I’m always hearing rumors of Social Security imploding – of people my age getting benefits but not the younger as they have time to do something else. I wonder if I file in December for 50% of my…
Ask Rusty – Will my Canadian pension affect my U.S. Social Security?
Dear Rusty: I worked for 15 years in Canada and for 20 years in the USA and I live in the USA. I will get Social Security from the US soon and I suspect that I can get a smaller…
Ask Rusty – Age Seventy hasn’t yet applied for Social Security
Dear Rusty: How can I maximize my monthly Social Security benefit? I’m already 70 years old – almost 71 now. Signed: Ready to Apply. Dear Ready to Apply: You’ve already maximized your monthly Social Security benefit by waiting until age…
Ask Rusty – Should I claim benefits early and invest them?
Dear Rusty: I am 64 years old and my wife is 62. We both have good paying careers. Our original plan was to wait until we each turned 70 before drawing our Social Security benefits. But I was talking to…
Ask Rusty – Confused about Working, Medicare and Spouse Benefits
Dear Rusty: I will reach my full retirement age (FRA) in September of 2020 at age 66. My wife will be 64 at that time and will start drawing her SS at 1/2 of my benefit because it will be…
Ask Rusty – Couple with Age Difference Planning Benefits
Dear Rusty: I am nearing my full retirement age of 66 and given the differences in age of my wife and I, and the retirement benefits we will each receive; I was wondering what the best options are for us…