Posts Tagged ‘Money’
As an adult, can my friend get social security benefits that she didn’t receive as a child?
**JUST ME** asked:
Her dad received social security disability benefits while he was alive. He died in 1995 when she was 15. She is now 29. She asked me if she was eligibe to receive his social security benefits as an adult. I don’t think she is. If not, where did the money he contributed go?
Social Security Benefits
Her dad received social security disability benefits while he was alive. He died in 1995 when she was 15. She is now 29. She asked me if she was eligibe to receive his social security benefits as an adult. I don’t think she is. If not, where did the money he contributed go?
Social Security Benefits
where do social security benefits come from?
lily asked:
my father died when i as 4 years old, since then we have lived mostly off of social security benefits.
my question is,
my father died when i as 4 years old, since then we have lived mostly off of social security benefits.
my question is,
is that the governments money (like welfare) or is that money that my father once earned?
Social Security Benefits
How are social security benefits calculated?
glcm1961 asked:
On my annual social security report, my income for 6 of the past 19 years were incorrect, significantly lower than they should have been. Are benefits upon retiring based on your average income over your working life, or only based on the last year’s income that you worked? Is it worth the hassle to correct what was on the report? Will those errors impact the monthly benefit I receive upon retiring? I think my former employer cooked the books and didn’t pay SS taxes – is that why the statement is in error? Can I use my old tax returns to prove that I actually made more money than the statement shows? I have a lot of questions but any answers I receive will be greatly appreciated.
Mark
On my annual social security report, my income for 6 of the past 19 years were incorrect, significantly lower than they should have been. Are benefits upon retiring based on your average income over your working life, or only based on the last year’s income that you worked? Is it worth the hassle to correct what was on the report? Will those errors impact the monthly benefit I receive upon retiring? I think my former employer cooked the books and didn’t pay SS taxes – is that why the statement is in error? Can I use my old tax returns to prove that I actually made more money than the statement shows? I have a lot of questions but any answers I receive will be greatly appreciated.
Mark
Is it true that your social security benefits are based on the last few years of your salary?
GriffinsNC asked:
A friend who is nearing retirement says that she has to earn as much as possible for the last few years before she retires so that she can get the most social security benefits. Is it true that if you change jobs and make less money (in a less stressful job!) that it will affect what you get at retirement?
Micheal
A friend who is nearing retirement says that she has to earn as much as possible for the last few years before she retires so that she can get the most social security benefits. Is it true that if you change jobs and make less money (in a less stressful job!) that it will affect what you get at retirement?
Micheal
When to Take Social Security
Shelby Smith asked:
One of the most important retirement decisions facing most Americans is: WHEN TO START SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS. Conventional wisdom has always been “take it as early as possible — age 62″. Why? Several reasons are given: (a) it might not be there if you wait; (b) you can take the benefits and invest them and have more money later; (c) I might die early and never get a dime.
About three-fourths of Americans have heeded this advice and for most it was, or will prove to be, a big mistake. Why? There are several reasons: spousal benefits, higher benefits for delaying, penalties for starting early, penalties if you work while drawing benefits and are less than normal retirement age, and Social Security benefits get favorable income tax treatment.
Spousal benefits: If you qualify for Social Security benefits they will last the rest of your life — what’s more, if you’re married and your spouse is entitled to a lower amount, she/he will “step up” to the higher amount at your death. The spousal benefits say a spouse gets at least 50% (even if they paid zero into their Social Security account) of what the other spouse qualifies for AND the larger amount when the first spouse passes on. So by delaying your benefits your surviving spouse could get a bigger Social Security check every month for the rest of her/his life. Since “break-even” is about age 80 and joint life expectancy is closer to 90 for a married couple age 62, the odds of getting more are overwhelming. In fact, if Las Vegas gave the same odds you’d be booking reservations today.
For every year you delay taking Social Security benefits beyond age 62, your benefits grow between 7.5% and 8.0% annually PLUS a cost of living adjustment (COLA) based on inflation. In the past 30 years inflation has averaged over 3% annually…so your Social Security benefits will grow by over 10% a year. Where else can you get an investment backed by the U.S. Government and pay you over 10% annually? Stop looking, they don’t exist unless you want to take loads of risks. So if you are healthy, married and can afford to wait, postponing Social Security until age 70 will pay great dividends. Social Security will be there because with 50 million current getting benefits and another 76 million (the boomers) coming of age, politicians who vote to do away with Social Security will be unemployed.
If you start benefits at age 62 (the earliest time possible) you get about 25% less than if you wait until your normal retirement age (age 66 for most 62-year olds). This 25% less is for the rest of your life AND COLA is applied to a lower amount to compound the injury. Again, postponing make a great deal of sense.
If you start Social Security before normal retirement age and continue to work, your benefits will be reduced $1 for every $2 you make over about $13,000 annually. Yes, you’ll get this back later but when you consider taxes and the time value of money you’ll be worse off.
The big reason to delay is because Social Security benefits are taxed differently than other income: it is never 100% taxed and it is easy to manage the taxes on your Social Security benefits. PLUS, if taxes rise you’ll want to have as much of your retirement money in tax advantaged places (like larger SS benefits) as possible. Which way to you think income taxes are headed? Let’s see: record federal deficits, fighting terrorism, rebuilding our highways, bridges & infrastructures, an aging population, cleaning up the environment, etc. which must be financed by the federal government with income taxes. No doubt in my mind…how about you?
If you’d like to make sure you get Social Security right — and also take your qualified money (IRA, 401(k), 403(b), TSP, etc.) at the right time and use your other savings & investments wisely, I invite you to read my Guide to Social Security…and a Better Retirement by going to http://www.theretirementpros.com/eReport_Social_Security.php
You’ll have one chance to get Social Security right, so get all the info you can to make a good decision — most Americans haven’t and they’ll pay a lot more in taxes on their retirement money. Less money in retirement means less of a retirement. For more info on Retirement Planning, go to the Retirement Pros website at http://www.theretirementpros.com/
Dustin
One of the most important retirement decisions facing most Americans is: WHEN TO START SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS. Conventional wisdom has always been “take it as early as possible — age 62″. Why? Several reasons are given: (a) it might not be there if you wait; (b) you can take the benefits and invest them and have more money later; (c) I might die early and never get a dime.
About three-fourths of Americans have heeded this advice and for most it was, or will prove to be, a big mistake. Why? There are several reasons: spousal benefits, higher benefits for delaying, penalties for starting early, penalties if you work while drawing benefits and are less than normal retirement age, and Social Security benefits get favorable income tax treatment.
Spousal benefits: If you qualify for Social Security benefits they will last the rest of your life — what’s more, if you’re married and your spouse is entitled to a lower amount, she/he will “step up” to the higher amount at your death. The spousal benefits say a spouse gets at least 50% (even if they paid zero into their Social Security account) of what the other spouse qualifies for AND the larger amount when the first spouse passes on. So by delaying your benefits your surviving spouse could get a bigger Social Security check every month for the rest of her/his life. Since “break-even” is about age 80 and joint life expectancy is closer to 90 for a married couple age 62, the odds of getting more are overwhelming. In fact, if Las Vegas gave the same odds you’d be booking reservations today.
For every year you delay taking Social Security benefits beyond age 62, your benefits grow between 7.5% and 8.0% annually PLUS a cost of living adjustment (COLA) based on inflation. In the past 30 years inflation has averaged over 3% annually…so your Social Security benefits will grow by over 10% a year. Where else can you get an investment backed by the U.S. Government and pay you over 10% annually? Stop looking, they don’t exist unless you want to take loads of risks. So if you are healthy, married and can afford to wait, postponing Social Security until age 70 will pay great dividends. Social Security will be there because with 50 million current getting benefits and another 76 million (the boomers) coming of age, politicians who vote to do away with Social Security will be unemployed.
If you start benefits at age 62 (the earliest time possible) you get about 25% less than if you wait until your normal retirement age (age 66 for most 62-year olds). This 25% less is for the rest of your life AND COLA is applied to a lower amount to compound the injury. Again, postponing make a great deal of sense.
If you start Social Security before normal retirement age and continue to work, your benefits will be reduced $1 for every $2 you make over about $13,000 annually. Yes, you’ll get this back later but when you consider taxes and the time value of money you’ll be worse off.
The big reason to delay is because Social Security benefits are taxed differently than other income: it is never 100% taxed and it is easy to manage the taxes on your Social Security benefits. PLUS, if taxes rise you’ll want to have as much of your retirement money in tax advantaged places (like larger SS benefits) as possible. Which way to you think income taxes are headed? Let’s see: record federal deficits, fighting terrorism, rebuilding our highways, bridges & infrastructures, an aging population, cleaning up the environment, etc. which must be financed by the federal government with income taxes. No doubt in my mind…how about you?
If you’d like to make sure you get Social Security right — and also take your qualified money (IRA, 401(k), 403(b), TSP, etc.) at the right time and use your other savings & investments wisely, I invite you to read my Guide to Social Security…and a Better Retirement by going to http://www.theretirementpros.com/eReport_Social_Security.php
You’ll have one chance to get Social Security right, so get all the info you can to make a good decision — most Americans haven’t and they’ll pay a lot more in taxes on their retirement money. Less money in retirement means less of a retirement. For more info on Retirement Planning, go to the Retirement Pros website at http://www.theretirementpros.com/
Dustin
In general do a man retire early to get more Total social security benefits even monthly payment is less?
Guo Chun M asked:
A lot of people privately calculate that men retire early can get more money from their social security benefits through out years, depite the monthly paymont is less, it is true to acturally retire early for men, even this idea is discouraged by someone?
William
A lot of people privately calculate that men retire early can get more money from their social security benefits through out years, depite the monthly paymont is less, it is true to acturally retire early for men, even this idea is discouraged by someone?
William
Are the long-term benefits of Social Security worth it?
KP11 asked:
I have been studying Social Security and picking about the different ideas of it. I have become a little annoyed with it.
I have been studying Social Security and picking about the different ideas of it. I have become a little annoyed with it.
It seems that the amount of taxes that one pays out of their income to fund Social Security benefits is not returned in the future. In other words, it seems that we forgoe more money through taxes then we will get returned in benefits from the program.
Do you agree or disagree?
Kimberly
