What-Benefits.com

can social security retirement benefits be taken away

by Eloisa Frami Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
image

If you are already entitled to benefits, you may voluntarily suspend retirement benefit payments up to age 70. Your benefits will be suspended beginning the month after you make the request. We pay Social Security benefits the month after they are due.

Will I Lose my SSDI?

You typically lose SSDI because you have reached the point where you are getting to the point you are considered sufficiently independent. A regular job, sufficient income, etc. will do it. SSDI is based on your disability preventing you from having enough income. The Medicare is based on your disability.

Can you suspend Social Security and restart benefit later?

Prior to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, individuals used to be able to collect Social Security benefits at age 62, suspend benefits, and restart them later. Now, if you collect any time before...

Why would Social Security stop?

Social Security periodically reviews your medical impairment (s) to determine if you continue to have a disabling condition. If we determine that you are no longer disabled or blind, your benefits will stop. We call this review a continuing disability review (CDR). The law requires us to perform a medical CDR at least once every three years ...

Can you get off SSI?

Your eligibility for supplemental security insurance (SSI) may be affected if you leave or enter a nursing home, halfway house, or other similar institution. Also, if you leave the country for at least 30 days, you will no longer receive SSI benefits.

image

What happens if you restart your 401(k) at age 70?

If you restart it before age 70, it will receive fewer delayed retirement credits, but it will still be larger than it was when you reached full retirement age. Delayed retirement credits are allocated on a monthly basis, but add up to an 8 percent increase per year.

Can you suspend your retirement benefits?

An advantage of suspending, rather than withdrawing your retirement benefit, is that you can, if you need a major cash infusion in the case of an emergency, request all your suspended benefits be repaid in a lump sum. Doing so will entail giving up your delayed retirement credits going forward, however.

Do you have to be disabled to collect widows?

Larry Kotlikoff: Yes, you need to be disabled to collect widows benefits early (indeed, as early as age 50). But since you aren’t disabled, you can’t collect a widows benefit until you reach age 60. However, if you take your widows benefit then, it will be reduced.

Is the earnings test a part of Social Security?

Even for those under full retirement age, the earnings test can be far less of an issue than is commonly believed. The reason is that benefits, be they retirement, spousal, or widow (er) benefits, lost due to the earnings test are subject to what Social Security calls “the adjustment of the reduction factor” or ARF.

Does disability change at full retirement age?

Larry Kotlikoff: At your full retirement age (66 and 10 months), your disability benefit will automatically convert into your retirement benefit unless you withdraw it. Your benefit amount won’t change. The only thing that will change is the name of the benefit.

Will Social Security increase for widows in 2015?

Small Social Security increases expected in 2015. Your widows benefit will then be bumped up at full retirement age (66 in your case) based on any months of benefits lost due to the earnings test. This is done via the adjustment of the reduction factor.

How to stop Social Security payments?

Make an oral or written request to the SSA to stop Social Security benefits. You must contact the SSA orally or in writing if you want to restart payments before age 70. In the month you turn 70, however, your suspended benefits will be automatically reinstated. 6 

What happens if you delay your Social Security payment?

If you delay your retirement until past your FRA but before you turn 70, you become eligible for delayed retirement credits, which incrementally boost your monthly payout. For example, if you were born in 1943 or after, you get an 8% annual increase in the principal insurance amount of your Social Security benefit, which results in a payout increase of two-thirds of 1% every month. 2  So, you may want to stop Social Security payments and restart them after some years.

What happens if you withdraw your Medicare application?

If you withdraw your application, you must repay what you received so far. Be aware that this also includes benefits that your spouse or children received, federal tax that was voluntarily withheld from your benefit, and money withheld from your benefit for Medicare Part B, C, and D premiums.

How much tax do you pay on Social Security?

If your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000 as an individual or between $32,000 and $44,000 as joint filers , you may pay tax on up to 50% of your Social Security benefits. If you earn above the upper limit of these ranges, you may pay tax on up to 85% of your benefits. 4 

Does Social Security withdrawal affect veterans?

Changes in Other Government Benefits. If you are entitled to railroad or veteran's benefits, your withdrawal may affect those benefits. Check with the relevant authority, either the Railroad Retirement Board or the Department of Veterans Affairs, to determine whether stopping Social Security would negatively impact your finances.

Do you have to reach full retirement age to receive Social Security?

You Have not yet Reached Your Full Retirement Age (FRA) You are entitled to your full Social Security benefit amount at your FRA, which is based on your birth year. If, for example, you were born in 1957 and started benefits at 62, you would have received a lower benefit then at your FRA of 66 years and 6 months.

How long do you have to pay Social Security if you retire early?

If you take early retirement, you can request that Social Security cease your benefits without any kind of penalty as long as you're within 12 months of the start date . Many people do this when they change their mind on early retirement and decide it's better to wait a few years to draw a higher monthly benefit. If you do request a stop on the benefits within 12 months, then you must repay Social Security the full amount that you've already received. The retirement benefit will increase the longer you wait to resume the payments until you reach age 70.

How long can you wait to draw Social Security?

If you take early retirement, you can request that Social Security cease your benefits without any kind of penalty as long as you're within 12 months of the start date. Many people do this when they change their mind on early retirement and decide it's better to wait a few years to draw a higher monthly benefit.

What age can you request a voluntary suspension of Social Security?

Voluntary Suspension. If you've reached full retirement age -- which is between 65 and 67, depending on the year of your birth -- you can request a voluntary suspension of benefits. Social Security will stop your benefits and won't require a repayment.

What to know before withdrawing your retirement?

There are a few things to know before deciding to withdraw your application. Anyone else who receives benefits based on your application must consent in writing to the withdrawal. You must repay all the benefits you and your family received from your retirement application. This includes:

What happens if you withdraw from tricare?

Information for TRICARE Beneficiaries. If you have TRICARE and your withdrawal includes your Medicare Part A coverage, you may lose your TRICARE coverage. If you do not withdraw your Medicare Part A coverage, you may need to stay enrolled in Medicare Part B to keep your TRICARE coverage.

What do you do if you are entitled to railroad benefits?

If you are also entitled to railroad or veterans benefits, you should check with the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) about how your withdrawal affects those benefits. The RRB and the VA make their own determinations and are responsible for their own programs.

How many withdrawals can you make per lifetime?

You are limited to one withdrawal per lifetime. If you cannot withdraw your application and you have reached full retirement age but are not yet 70, you can ask us to suspend benefit payments. Learn more about: What Happens When You Withdraw Your Application.

Does Medicare Part A or B affect Medicare Advantage?

Withdrawing from Medicare Part A or Medicare Part B can also affect your coverage under a Medicare Advantage plan (previously known as Part C) and Medicare Part D (Medicare prescription drug coverage). Your Medicare Advantage enrollment will automatically end if you withdraw from Medicare Part A, Part B, or both.

Does Medicare Advantage end?

Your Medicare Advantage enrollment will automatically end if you withdraw from Medicare Part A, Part B, or both. You will no longer be eligible for Medicare Part D if you withdraw from Medicare Part A and Part B. You will pay a penalty if you enroll in Medicare Part D in the future.

Do you pay a penalty if you enroll in Medicare Part D?

You will pay a penalty if you enroll in Medicare Part D in the future. If you keep Part A or Part B, you are still eligible for Medicare Part D. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will handle your future bills for Part B premiums if you decide to keep that coverage.

When will Social Security be suspended?

Your benefits will be suspended beginning the month after you make the request. We pay Social Security benefits the month after they are due. If you contact us in June and request that we suspend benefits, you will still receive your June benefit payment in July. You do not have to sign your request to suspend benefit payments.

What happens if you suspend Medicare?

If you suspend your retirement benefits: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), will bill you for future Part B premiums, if you are enrolled in Medicare Part B ( supplemental medical insurance) .

What happens if you are not 70?

By doing this, you will earn delayed retirement credits for each month your benefits are suspended which will result in a higher benefit payment to you.

Can a divorced spouse continue to receive retirement benefits?

However, a divorced spouse will be able to continue receiving benefits.

When do child benefits stop?

Those spousal benefits come irrespective of the spouse's age. However, when the child is older than the age limit, then those child benefits stop. Moreover, a child's reaching age 16 will typically halt the parent's ability to receive benefits.

When do children get Social Security?

When a child reaches a certain age. Certain children and those parents who care for them receive family benefits from Social Security, but those benefits hinge on the age of the child in question.

Can Social Security take away my monthly check?

Tens of millions of Americans rely on their Social Security benefits, and many are in a position in which they can't really afford to lose their monthly checks. Yet there are a few situations in which the Social Security Administration can and will take away benefits for certain recipients.

Does the SSA review your Social Security?

Typically, the SSA does a review at a certain time interval that varies according to the expectation that your condition will or can improve. Social Security benefits are vital for many people's financial security, but there are ways that you can lose the monthly checks you've already started to receive.

What is the normal age to retire?

What Social Security calls normal or full retirement age is somewhere between 66 and 67, depending on the year you were born. At that age, you can claim everything you’ve got coming to you based on your work record.

How much did Social Security scams cost?

From March 2018 to March 2019, more than 76,000 people reported Social Security phone scams that cost them $19 million, the Federal Trade Commission says.

What is the first 750 of Social Security?

The first $750 of your monthly Social Security will always be safe, but what's called an offset could reduce additional amounts. An offset occurs when a legitimate claim is filed against your benefits to pay off a debt. Offsets usually stem from back taxes, unpaid alimony or child support, and defaulted student loans.

How much of your spouse's benefit can you get if you claim it early?

If you claim a spousal benefit early — say at 62 — you may receive as little as 32.5% of your better half's benefit.

What is the cap on retirement income?

In 2019, the cap is $17,640. For every $2 you earn over that, you lose $1 in benefits. During the year you turn your full retirement age, the cap rises to $46,920. One dollar is withheld for every $3 earned above the threshold.

Why do seniors file early?

Many seniors do file early because of job loss or health problems, but doing so dramatically reduces benefits. If your full retirement age is 67 but you file at 62, your monthly benefit will be reduced by 30%.

Do seniors have to pay Medicare Part B premiums?

But the rule doesn't apply to a very small percentage of seniors whose higher incomes require them to pay greater Medicare Part B premiums. Those costs can eat into Social Security benefits, particularly whenever your income rises and crosses a threshold where an increase in Medicare premiums kicks in. 9.

When can I get my Social Security benefits back?

You can ask Social Security to resume payments at any time until you turn 70. If you haven’t done it by then, Social Security will automatically reinstate your benefits in the higher amount.

What happens to Social Security if you are suspended?

When you resume collecting Social Security, you’ll have locked in a higher monthly payment for life.

How to request a suspension of Social Security?

When you resume collecting Social Security, you’ll have locked in a higher monthly payment for life. You can request a suspension by phone, in person at your local Social Security office or in writing.

Can I suspend my Social Security benefits?

Can I suspend Social Security benefits and restart them at a higher value? En español | Yes. If you have reached your full retirement age (the age at which you are entitled to 100 percent of the benefit calculated from your lifetime earnings) but are not yet 70, you can request a suspension of retirement benefits.

Can I collect my wife's Social Security if my husband's Social Security is suspended?

Similarly, you cannot collect spousal benefits on your wife’s or husband’s record if your own retirement payments are suspended. If you have not yet reached full retirement age — currently 66 and 2 months and gradually rising to 67 — the only option for stopping Social Security payments is to apply for a “withdrawal of benefits,” ...

Can you collect family benefits if you are suspended?

A voluntary suspension is for retirement benefits only. There is no such provision for family and survivor benefits. As long as your retirement benefits are suspended, your spouse and children cannot collect family benefits on your work record.

image
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9