spousal benefits
Social Security Advice for Women Could Equally Benefit Men
The Motley Fool’s Selena Maranjian takes a look at a series of tips provided by the Social Security Administration to help women make the best decisions for their benefits, but also notes that these ideas are essentially unisex. Calling them…
The Often Misunderstood Subject of Spousal Benefits–Some Clarifying Comments
Questions about benefits available to spouses fall into the most active category we deal with at the AMAC Foundation’s Social Security Advisory Service. For example, in 2022 the topics of spousal benefits and survivor benefits accounted for nearly a quarter…
Subtle Missteps That Can Lead to You Short-Changing Yourself on the Benefits Front
Even today, it’s surprising that many folks still are not fully aware of some of the very basic aspects that govern the amount of benefit they will be able to draw from Social Security. For example, our AMAC Foundation Social…
Ask Rusty – Will WEP and GPO Affect My Wife’s Spousal Benefit?
Dear Rusty: My wife worked for the US Postal Service in New York for about 22 years, and then in the private sector for about 15 years. She began collecting her “deferred annuity” from the USPS at age 62 and…
Social Security comes with its own rules and stipulations
Retirement planning involves coordinating your retirement savings vehicles, such as pensions, annuities, 401(k), IRAs, Thrift Savings Plans, and Social Security. Most individuals who have paid FICA taxes on their wages may qualify for Social Security benefits based on their own…
Social Security and Your Retirement Financial Plan–Assembling the Pieces
If you are beginning to take a look ay how your retirement years will be financed, congratulations! Many folks, unfortunately, do not take a long-term view on this subject and often find themselves arriving at key decision points unprepared to…
An Update on Spousal Benefits and Some Details You May Not Know
Social Security has myriad rules and regulations, and many times not knowing some of the key points can cause certain benefit opportunities to be overlooked. This is true in the case of spousal benefits, and particularly in the area of…
Complications That Married Couples Face When Claiming Benefits
Anyone who’s looked into the process for claiming Social Security benefits knows that it can be deceptively complex. Many uninitiated approach the process with the simplistic view that when you turn 62, you just go and sign up. They quickly…
Testing Your Readiness to Claim Social Security Benefits
Anyone who has taken a look at Social Security or is trying to determine whether they’re ready to file knows full well that it’s kind of a tricky decision point. Unless you’re age 70, at which point continued deferral would…
Ask Rusty – About “Survivor” Benefits vs. “Spousal” Benefits
Dear Rusty: I will be 70 in August and will file my application for benefits in May. I know I’ll get my maximum possible amount at age 70, but I need you to clarify things I have read. Per an…