Q & A
Ask Rusty – Veteran Asks About Special Credits for Military Service
Dear Rusty: I just learned that if I served in the military during an active-duty period, i could get extra earnings for Social Security and that these benefits would be automatically added to my record, but I was never asked…
Ask Rusty – Should my Husband File and then Suspend His Benefits?
Dear Rusty: My financial advisor used a computer program which told my husband to take his SS at age 68, then suspend it after a few months. What I understood was if my husband started and then stopped taking distributions,…
Ask Rusty – Husband Upset about HIs Wife’s Survivor Benefit
Dear Rusty: This is a matter that I find particularly irksome. My wife – a retired teacher – was told that, should I pre-decease her, she is not eligible to get survivor benefits from my Social Security payments. I’m sure…
Ask Rusty – Federal Retiree Asks About His Social Security
Dear Rusty: I retired with a (gross) $4600 per month Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) annuity from the US Postal Service in December 2022. I am 66 and will attain full retirement age in November of this year. I know…
Ask Rusty – Does Some of my Social Security Payment Include Repayment of my Contributions?
Dear Rusty: I have a question about my Social Security benefits. Would I be correct to assume that part of the monthly Social Security income I get is a repayment of what I contributed to the fund while I was…
Ask Rusty – Does Congress Pay into Social Security?
Dear Rusty: I’ve been told that members of Congress do not have Social Security deducted from their pay; Additionally, that their retirement dollars come from the Social Security Administration purse even if they only serve as a member of Congress…
Ask Rusty – I was Self-Employed and Don’t Have Enough Credits for Social Security
Dear Rusty: For a thirty-year period, I was making a living as an independent contractor and freelancer. I was working on behalf of myself. Thus, I was only paying state and federal taxes when applied. Due to changes in the…
Ask Rusty – Should I Retire at 65 or 67? And What About Earnings & Taxes?
Dear Rusty: I’m just trying to figure out how to determine whether to retire at 65 or 67 and, if I retire, approximately how much could I make outside of my Social Security without being overly taxed. Signed: Thinking About…
Will IRA Withdrawals Affect My Medicare Premiums?
Dear Rusty: I am a member of AMAC and learn so much from the Ask Rusty column. I hope you can give me some information about a question that has come up in my family. My husband is retired and has…
Ask Rusty – Grieving Husband Asks About His Survivor Benefits
Dear Rusty: My wife died May 4, 2024. I notified Social Security, and they have removed the direct deposit made to my joint checking account on May 8, 2024. What are my options now for obtaining any benefits from my…