Ask Larry

I was born on the 27th of November. My disability check was supposed to be in my bank account yesterday. After thinking that I paid my bills I am now OVERDRAWN. I don't know what I can do with no money. The Social security administration has really screwed the pooch. I can't get ahold of the SSA. Why are they screwing people. I need money. I bet the government got there check. I am permanently disabled and my SSDI check is how I support myself and the government has messed things up.

Hi. I wish I had an answer for you, but there's no way for me to know why you didn't receive your direct deposit timely. Only Social Security has access to your records, so they are the only people who can explain why your payment wasn't deposited.

If you're unable to reach Social Security by phone or in person, the only thing I can suggest is to contact the offices of your U.S. congressional representative or one of your U.S. senators. Congress authorizes funding for the Social Security Administration (SSA), so inquiries that SSA receives from members of Congress on behalf of their constituents can oftentimes get expedited results.

Best, Jerry

Can I walk into my social security office to drop off forms? Will I be turned away and told to make an appointment?

Hi. According to Social Security's website, https://www.ssa.gov/agency/emergency/, their local offices have resumed walk-in service for people who don't have appointments. So, based on that I would assume you could drop off forms at your nearest office. However, I don't know if the offices have drop boxes, so there may or may not be a lengthy waiting time involved before you actually get to an employee to whom to can give the forms.

Best, Jerry

Hi Larry. Canadian citizen (worked & paid taxes) living in Florida since 1997 (LPR). Single, no kids, 57 yo. Currently receiving social security disability benefits since 2015 due to diagnosis of incurable blood cancer (multiple myeloma). I can no longer work due to cancer and having difficulty making ends meet as everything is now much more expensive. Can I apply for Canadian disability benefits, even after 7 years of being disabled? And if I do apply, will US disability be decreased because I'm receiving Canadian benefits? I do not file US income tax as my yearly amount is lower ($18,865) than the filing threshold ($25,000). Would I have to file income tax in Canada-and in US-if I'm approved for benefits from Canada? Just trying to see if all the potential “yearly back & forth tax paperwork and the likes” is worth the bottom line dollar amount (would you know how much?). Have no family; it's only me taking care of me. Thank you so very much.

Hi. I'm sorry, but my expertise is limited to U.S. Social Security benefits. I'm not able to answer questions about the Canadian Pension Plan (CPP) nor income tax regulations. You may want to refer to the following Social Security website, which provides general information about the CPP plan and about applying for CPP benefits: https://www.ssa.gov/international/Agreement_Pamphlets/canada.html.

What I can tell you is that when and if you do start collecting a Canadian pension based on your work and earnings, it will likely cause your monthly Social Security disability (SSDI) or Social Security retirement benefit rate to be reduced. That's because of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). WEP can cause a person's U.S. Social Security disability or retirement benefit rate to be calculated using a less generous benefit calculation formula than the formula that is normally used.

However, there is a WEP guarantee provision that limits the amount of reduction that can be caused by WEP to no more than roughly half of the amount of the person's non-covered pension. So, if you do qualify for a Canadian pension, it shouldn't reduce your U.S. benefit amount by more than roughly half of the CPP amount. And, if you have at least 30 years of 'substantial' earnings on which you paid U.S. Social Security taxes, you would be exempt from any WEP reduction to your benefit amount. The yearly amounts of earnings that are considered substantial under this provision are listed on page 2 of the following Social Security publication: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf.

Best, Jerry

Hi- this is my exact question, that you answered in 2015(first part of the question): https://www.forbes.com/sites/kotlikoff/2015/07/22/social-security-qa-after-taking-disability-can-i-suspend-at-66/?sh=6d73f2df7b08. It appears that SSA incorrectly told me that I couldn't do that. So I started getting my FRA amount in 2021(dob July 1955), and when I called , they said that couldn't be stopped. I have started to do Roth conversions, as I have a large IRA, and this is making 85% of my SSA taxable. How do I go about correcting this issue with SSA? And, is my original SS Disability claim basically automatically terminated at FRA, no matter what? Thank you!

Hi. You can voluntarily suspend your Social Security retirement benefits between your full retirement age (FRA) and age 70 in order to earn delayed retirement credits (DRC), regardless of whether or not you previously received Social Security disability benefits. If you need to prove that to Social Security to get them to honor your request, you can refer them to the third example in section A.1. of the following section of their operations manual: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0202409110.

The problem is that you can't voluntarily suspend your benefits retroactively, so if you submit a request for voluntary suspension of your benefits to Social Security in January 2023, for example, the earliest that your benefits could be suspended is effective with your benefit payment for February 2023. If you previously asked Social Security to suspend your benefits and if they didn't honor your request, you'd need evidence that you submitted such a request in order to get them to rectify their error. That's why, even though voluntary suspension requests can be made either orally or in writing, you should always submit such requests in writing and ask Social Security for a receipt.

Your application for Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits isn't terminated when you reach FRA, but your SSDI benefits are automatically converted to Social Security retirement benefits at that time. SSDI benefits cannot be paid to a person for any months starting with the month they reach FRA.

Best, Jerry

Hi, I reached my FRA of 66 in 2019. I am in the application process for SS benefits currently at age 69. SSA reached out to me with the option of receiving a lump sum payment covering benefits from July of 2020. With a reduced benefit going forward from the full amount I would receive at this time from DRC. Curious as to why SSA made this option available. Hoping for some insight from your experience. My instincts are telling me to just stick with the full benefit I have earned with 3+ years of DRC's. Thank you, FD.

Hi FD. The simple answer is that it's part of the Social Security Act that was passed into law by Congress (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0200204030). Part of the Social Security Administration's (SSA) responsibilities is to explain a person's filing options when they apply for benefits. One of the options provided by law to people who apply for benefits after their full retirement age (FRA) is to claim up to 6 months of retroactive benefits.

Therefore, SSA is simply explaining to you that you do have the option of claiming benefits up to 6 months prior to the month you applied, but it's entirely up to you whether or not to do so. Electing retroactive benefits would mean receiving back pay at the cost of a permanently lower monthly benefit rate. You may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully compare and analyze all of your options so that you can determine your best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry

My fiance and I married recently 12/22/22. My daughter, unrelated to him, has been granted ssi for her profound autism disability since 2012 and currently resides in Residential private school. She is 13. My new husband and I are filing separate this tax season and for future taxes and we share no bank accounts, any accounts, homes, bills, and my daughter is my sole and ultimate responsibility not his. His mail goes here and we do live together , but he travels for work frequently and again the bills of the house and the house alone is under my name. I'm not legally changing my name until she is 18. Do I need to report this change to ssi? If i do will she loose ssi? There is no financial change ? Thanks !!

Hi. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) regulations are too complex for me to be able to give you a definitive answer, but you definitely should report your marriage to Social Security. But, if your daughter isn't living with you and your husband, then his income and resources shouldn't count against your daughter when determining her SSI eligibility.

However, even if your daughter only comes home on weekends, holidays, or school vacations, Social Security may classify her as living at home for purposes of deeming of income and resources from her step-parent. In that event, your daughter's SSI eligibility would depend in part on your and your husband's income and resources. For more information, refer to the following Social Security website: https://www.ssa.gov/ssi/spotlights/spot-deeming.htm.

Best, Jerry

hi Larry - I'm 62-years old and working a regular (W-2) job - my wife turns 65 in July 2023 - she is working less than 15-hours/week as a 1099 subcontractor - we have group insurance through my employer - my wife began drawing Social Security benefits late last year - we prefer to stay on my Insurance and not-pay for unneeded Medicare coverage - does she have to sign-up for Medicare during the 3-months before/after July, or will she "automatically" be signed-up since she is already receiving SS benefits? How do we make-sure that Medicare premiums are not-deducted from her SS benefits until we're ready for Medicare coverage? Thank you.

Hi. Since your wife is drawing Social Security benefits she will be automatically enrolled in Parts A & B of Medicare effective with the 1st day of the month she reaches age 65. She should receive a Medicare card in the mail 2 to 3 months before then. The mailing will contain instructions for what to do if your wife doesn't want to enroll in Part B, which include returning the Medicare card she receives. She should then be sent a new card showing that she has Part A coverage only. Part A coverage can't be declined by people who are collecting Social Security benefits, but there is no premium charge for Part A coverage.

Best, Jerry

My husband got a life sentence in prison. Can I get his social security now that I am 62 years old.

Hi. You can't collect your husband's actual Social Security benefits, but you could potentially claim spousal benefits on his record. However, as long as you're still married to your husband then the only way that you could qualify for spousal benefits is if your husband is at least technically entitled to either Social Security retirement or disability benefits.

Your husband can't be paid Social Security benefits while he's in prison, but if he has enough work credits to qualify for benefits and if he meets the other requirements, he could apply for and potentially be approved for benefits. Social Security would then establish technical entitlement for him, but his benefits would be placed in suspense due to his imprisonment. Even if he's only technically entitled to benefits and his benefits are suspended, though, you could still potentially be paid spousal benefits from his record if you meet all of the requirements (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.03/handbook-0305.html).

If you believe that you meet the requirements for spousal benefits you can file an application with Social Security. However, if you have enough credits to qualify for Social Security benefits based on your own earnings history, you can't apply for spousal benefits without also being required to claim your own benefits at the same time. And, if you claim benefits prior to your full retirement age (FRA) your benefits will be reduced for age. Plus, if you're working, then until you reach FRA there's a limit on how much you can earn and still be paid benefits.

You may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully compare and analyze all of your options so that you can determine your best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry

My husband passed five years ago. I can collect widows benefits at 60. Is there a strategy that maximizing this process? For instance...can I collect window benefits then switch to my own benefits at max retirement age and that would then effectively be the highest rate possible if my income was in that bracket? Will my income be affected by collecting widow benefits or is it exempt at 60 should I collect. I don't foresee remarrying.

Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. It sounds like your best strategy for claiming benefits would likely be one of the following:
1) File for reduced widow's benefits at age 60 or as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then switch to your own record at age 70; or,
2) File for reduced retirement benefits on your own record at age 62 or as soon as your earnings will permit at least some benefits to be paid, then file for unreduced widow's benefits at your full retirement age (FRA).

However, if your husband collected reduced Social Security retirement benefits prior to his death, then you'd likely wouldn't want to wait until FRA to claim survivor benefits. And, if you'll be working after age 60, the best time to claim benefits would depend in part on how much you'll be earning.

The short answer is that the best plan for someone in your situation is basically to start drawing the lower of the two benefit rates first and then switch to the higher benefit when it reaches its highest potential rate. Our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) could help sort all of this out for you so that you can determine the optimal strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry

Hi larry, you have helped me so much with prior questions.

I'm concerned with the ss raise do I file taxes?

Hi. My expertise is limited to Social Security benefits, so I can't tell you whether or not you need to file a tax return. If you have any doubts about that, you should check with the IRS.

What I can tell you in general is that Social Security benefits can in some cases be subject to income taxes, but whether or not they are depends on the total amount of your income. You can find basic information about the potential taxation of Social Security benefits on the following Social Security website: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/taxes.html.

Best, Jerry