spousal benefits
Qualifying for Spousal Benefits in a Divorce Situation
The rules surrounding the availability of Social Security benefits for divorced spouses can seem a bit daunting at first look. In a nj.com article by Karin Price Mueller, the set of parameters applied to benefit eligibility for a divorced spouse–in…
Social Security goes beyond simple payouts to workers
Almost 70 million people, or more than 1 in every 6 U.S. residents, collected Social Security benefits in 2022. Social Security goes beyond paying benefits to workers; it pays benefits to surviving spouses, divorced spouses, and others. However, Social Security…
Avoid these common Social Security missteps
Social Security is the largest government agency, with over 65 million Americans receiving Social Security benefits each month as of August 2022. Like most programs administrated by the federal government, there are rules and exceptions to those rules that make…
A brief look at spousal benefits
A spouse can choose to retire as early as age 62 but doing so may result in a benefit of as little as 32.5 percent of the worker’s primary insurance amount. But what if you never paid into Social Security;…
Ask Rusty – Octogenarian Asks About Wife’s Spousal and Survivor Benefits
Dear Rusty: I am now 80 and my wife is 76, and we both took early Social Security benefits at age 62. When my wife took her Social Security, it was a lot smaller than mine, so they took a…
Ask Rusty – Surviving Spouse Benefits Explained
Dear Rusty: If I file at age 63 what percentage does my wife receive if I die? Does this percentage change if I wait to file closer to my full retirement age? And what does my wife receive if I…
Social Security Spousal Benefits: Three Things to Know
In this piece, Todd Campbell explains what married and divorced people should know about qualifying for Social Security spousal benefits, as this information could significantly increase your retirement income. There are a myriad of rules on who can collect spousal benefits and how much…
Ask Rusty – Maximizing Spousal Benefits
Dear Rusty: My husband turns 68 next year, and I will be turning 66. He plans on continuing to work and retiring at age 70 to maximize his monthly Social Security benefits. I am retiring next year due to a…
Disability and Social Security Spousal Benefits
The question of how a spouse’s SSDI benefits relate to the ability to apply for benefits on the other spouse’s work record is one that arises frequently. Newsday’s Lynn Brenner provides an analysis of these two types of benefits coincide, including…
How do age differences impact your Social Security decisions?
Whether it’s a single marriage situation or a re-marriage, the decision on when and how to file for Social Security benefits can be a key part of a couple’s retirement financial strategy. In a recent Washington Post article, columnist Michelle…