The question this week is from someone asking how to minimize the impact of GPO on his wife’s non-covered pension and his Social Security benefits. “My wife is a schoolteacher in the 401(a) Defined Contribution Plan within the Ohio State Teachers Retirement System (STRS). In addition to her teacher’s retirement account, I have a defined-benefit […]

This week we have a question from someone curious about the timing of the transition from Social Security Disability to Full Retirement Age (FRA) benefits. “My Social Security Disability will be converting over to FRA, and I would like to know if I have a wait time before it turns into FRA.” From Disability to […]

Many people wonder, “Should I file retroactively for Social Security Benefits?”. The question this week is from someone considering taking retroactive benefits on Social Security at age 70. “I’m ready to file for my Social Security benefits when I reach age 70 in 18 months. I’ve researched the retroactive benefit option. Even though exercising it […]

This week the question is from a young widow wondering how remarrying affects Survivor Benefits from her deceased husband’s Social Security: I was married to my spouse for just 4½ years, and he recently passed away. I’m only 36, so I may remarry down the road, but I’m wondering how that will affect my claiming […]

The question this week is about two different Social Security concepts: filing a restricted application and employing the file-and-suspend strategy: I need clarification on filing a restricted application for Social Security. My wife was born in October 1953, and I was born in March 1955. She is considering applying this year, at 66, for her […]

This week, a question from a husband who is almost 68 years old and is wondering if he can claim spousal benefits from his wife’s Social Security benefit, which she will claim early at age 62. This brings into play the Spousal Benefit Rule of Deeming: My wife will be 62 in August 2019, and […]

This week, a question from a retired U.S. Marine who wants clarification on a Social Security earnings credit for military members: I retired from the USMC in 2002. I recently ran across an old email in our financial files, dated 2001. It was about a potential increase in Social Security retirement benefits specifically for veterans. […]

In the complex world of Social Security and Taxes, there are always little “issues” floating around that could come back to harm you if you make decisions while being unaware of all the consequences.  I am talking about legally reducing your taxes today and what effect you may see later on in your Social Security […]

We had the following simple, yet interesting new question come in recently: “I often read on your blog about suspending your own retirement benefits in order to receive delayed retirement credits, but can you also suspend your spousal benefits?” You Can Suspend Spousal, But… The reason we never talk about suspending spousal benefits is that […]

I received the following question: My wife and I have full legal and physical custody of our granddaughter. She is 16 months old and my wife and I have been taking care of her since she was 1 month old. To care for her my wife had to close her business. My wife is 59 years of age and […]