spousal benefits
Understanding Social Security’s Marital Benefits–An Important Element of Retirement Planning
Social Security can be a complex area, with its thousands of rules, regulations, and options that should be understood to make the best claiming decision for each individual’s situation. While there is the immediate option of spousal benefits and the…
Marital Status and Its Affect on Your Social Security Benefits
For those beginning to explore the Social Security benefits that will be available when they elect to claim, the issue of marital status becomes a pretty important factor. For example, benefits for a spouse may be available if the spouse’s…
Understanding Spousal Benefits…And Why They May Not Exist for You.
For married couples looking ahead to retirement finances, the issue of spousal benefits can become a major factor in the planning process. For this reason alone, it’s good to have a clear understanding of how the calculations work and what…
A Quick Refresher on Spousal Benefits
Although so much of Social Security’s rulebook involves complicated qualifications, there are a few very basic premises that anyone planning their retirement finances should know. Many folks are already aware of these basics, but it’s still a good idea to…
A Quick Review of Spousal/Survivor Benefit Rules
The general issue of which benefits are available to spouses and survivors contains some fairly explicit rules, so it’s always a good idea in financial planning exercises to be sure they’re well understood. The editorial staff at moneywise.com offers a…
Attention, Women: Some Rules You Should Know About
Social Security is, as most people know, gender-neutral. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t portions of the rulebook that women need to pay special attention to. Tom Margenau, a 32-year veteran of various positions with the Social Security Administration, offers…
Spousal Benefits: The Importance of Knowing the Rules
With Social Security benefits playing a key role in so many retirement financial plans–and especially for married couples–being fully aware of the many rules that govern eligibility for–and calculation of– spousal benefits is critical. From the provisions for one spouse…
What you should know before you collect spousal benefits
Coordinating your benefits with your spouse’s benefits can help you to get the most out of your Social Security payments. Your first step in maximizing your Social Security benefits should be to know the rules. There are three rules you…
Knowing How Your Benefit Increases (or Decreases) is Important
As most folks are aware, eligibility for Social Security benefits begins at age 62. What many folks are not aware of, however, is how much the benefit claimed at that age will be reduced from what would be available at…
Ask Rusty – Are Spousal Benefits Always a Factor?
Dear Rusty: Both my wife and I have worked our entire lives. When we retire, will we both be entitled to full benefit amount each, or will there always be a spousal factor in there? Also, how are those benefits…