Q & A
Ask Rusty – Delayed Retirement Credits and Restricted Application
Dear Rusty: My wife is 66 and not collecting S.S. She wants to wait until age 70 to collect the larger benefit, but I know she could collect now and her payments will grow if she continues to work until…
Ask Rusty – Disability after starting Social Security Benefits
Dear Rusty: I am now 64 years old and started taking my Social Security at 62. I continued to work part time since I applied, until December of last year when I was disabled from a bad car accident. I…
Ask Rusty – Collecting SS and Income Taxes; early retirement and working
Dear Rusty: My husband just starting collecting Social Security at his full retirement age. If he wants a part time job how much money does he have to stay under not to mess up his SS income? Someone told us…
Ask Rusty – High earners and the Family Maximum
Dear Rusty: My question is this: If both spouses are high earners with significant Social Security contributions in their own right, delaying their benefits to get a bigger Social Security amount could mean they well exceed the maximum “family” payment.…
Ask Rusty – Ex-spouse benefit: Does it affect mine?
Dear Rusty: Two years ago, after 34 years of marriage, my wife divorced me. She was a full time homemaker most of those years. Is she entitled to half of my Social Security benefit when I collect at age 62?…
Ask Rusty – WEP: Windfall Elimination Provision
Dear Rusty: During my first career, which lasted about 25 years, I worked for companies that withheld Social Security FICA taxes from my income. In my new second career my employer doesn’t take Social Security from my wages, but I’ll…
Ask Rusty – Delayed Retirement Credits vs. collecting benefits and continuing to earn
Dear Rusty: My wife is now 66 and not collecting Social Security. She wants to wait until age 70 to collect the larger benefit. However, I know that she could collect now and her payments will grow if she continues…
Ask Rusty – Deemed Filing & 50% of Spouse’s Benefit
Dear Rusty: I would like to know more about spousal benefits allowing a husband or wife to receive up to 50 percent of a spouse’s Social Security benefits. I believe it is called spousal deeming of Social Security benefits, and…
Ask Rusty – Divorced Multiple Times
Dear Rusty: Reading your current letter regarding Social Security benefits for ex-spouses, I pose this question: Would an individual who has had multiple marriages be entitled to distributions of Social Security for each of his or her marriages? Signed: Thrice…
Ask Rusty – Will my benefit amount ever increase?
Ask Rusty – Will my benefit amount ever increase? Dear Rusty: I’m still working right now, but everyone I talk to about Social Security seems to say that I should wait to take my benefits because once I start the…