Help with My Social Security.com

We received the following question about the Social Security earnings test from a reader this week… “I am turning 62 in May and have applied for Social Security to begin in July. As I am young and healthy, I intend to work until I am at least 67. This year (2018) the earnings limit is […]

We received an email this week with a question about how the earnings test is applied to withdrawals from retirement accounts… “When applying the earnings test and considering the one time exclusion of annual income from earlier in the year, do investment withdrawals (401k or IRA) count toward the monthly limit? What if the withdrawal […]

This week we received the following question about how to escalate a Social Security customer service issue. “I have been waiting for reimbursement of an underpayment in the amount of $400 for my Social Security Disability benefits since July 2017.  I have visited the local SS office on several occasions thinking this was being handled.  […]

In the past we have mentioned how important it is to fully consider all the ramifications of your choice of when to file for Social Security.  For the most part you get one attempt to do it right and the wrong decision may very well cause you to leave money “on the table”.  But what […]

This week we received a question that is effectively a two for one since the question involves the difference in the application of COLAs (Cost of Living Adjustments) and DRCs (Delayed Retirement Credits).  As with most things related to Social Security, the details can be very confusing… “My FRA (full retirement age) was January 2017. […]

We received the following question regarding Social Security Disability and Survivor benefits recently: “My spouse receives Social Security disability and has for several years. I worked full time and then went to part time as I now have his responsibilities as well as my own. His situation worsened and I gave up working in 2015. […]

This week we received a question about the timing of becoming “insured” in the Social Security system.  Reaching insured status grants you the eligibility to receive benefits.  There are actually three versions of insured status.  Explaining the differences probably warrants its own blog post, so for purposes of answering this person’s question I will just […]

The following multi-part question came in recently: “I am on SS disability benefits now.  Next year I reach my full retirement age of 66.  It is my understanding that my disability benefits will automatically convert to a retirement benefit.  Is this true, and will it be the same amount?  Also, I do not have 35 […]

The Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) is a defined benefit pension plan available to those who worked for the federal government prior to 1987.  Those in CSRS did not pay into Social Security since the CSRS system was designed as a replacement to Social Security.  In 1987 CSRS was replaced by the Federal Employees Retirement […]

We recently received the following question that relates to both the Earnings Test and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). “My sister has been teaching over 30 years and she will be turning age 60 in 2019. She belongs to the Teachers Retirement System of Texas and is not eligible for her own social security benefits.  […]