ArcaMax

Usually, I will devote an entire column to answering just one question or dealing with just one Social Security issue. But every once in a while, I like to challenge myself by seeing how many questions I can answer in just one column. Obviously, when I do this, my answers will be "quick and dirty." So I've dredged up some of the most common questions I get, and here come some short and concise answers.

Q: I'm 62. My husband is 67 and getting Social Security. Can I file for spousal benefits on his record now and save my own until I'm 70?

A: No, you can't do that. You must always file for your own benefits first. Only after you do that can you look at your husband's record to see if you can get any additional spousal benefits.

Q: I am 60 and not working. My husband recently died. Can I file for widow's benefits now and save my own until I am 70?

A: Yes, you can do that. A widow does not have the same restrictions that apply to a spouse with a living husband. You can file for widow's benefits now and then switch to 100% of your own at full retirement age, or wait until 70 and get about 128%. Or, depending on the money amounts involved, you might be ahead to file for retirement benefits at age 62 (the earliest you can do that), and then at full retirement age, switch to 100% widow's benefits.

Q: If I die, what will my wife get?

A: The answer depends on several factors. But I'll deal with the most common scenario. Assuming you die well after your full retirement age, and assuming your wife is over her full retirement age when you die, as a general rule she will get what you were getting at the time of death. Quick example. You are 85 and getting $1,800 per month. Your wife is 82 and getting $1,200 per month. When you die, she will keep getting her $1,200, and then she will get an additional $600 in widow's benefits.

Q: I took my benefits at 70, so I get an extra 32% added to my retirement rate. When I die, will my wife's widow's benefit be based on my augmented age 70 rate, or on my full retirement rate?

A: It will be based on your age 70 rate. And just to clarify a little further. A benefit paid to a spouse whose husband is still alive is based on his full retirement age rate. But as I just said, a widow's benefit is based on the age 70 rate (assuming the husband waited until 70 to claim his benefits).

Q: I'm already getting my Social Security but I'm still working. Will my additional income and the taxes I'm paying increase my Social Security check?

A: It depends. Your original benefit was based on your average monthly wage using your highest 35 years of inflation-adjusted earnings. If the earnings you have now are higher than the lowest inflation-adjusted year used in your original computation, the SSA will drop out that lower year, add in the new higher year, and adjust your benefit accordingly. But don't expect a windfall. Your benefit might go up by maybe $10 to $20 per month for a year of good earnings.

Q: When my father died, why did we have to return his last check?

A: Several rules come into play here. First, Social Security benefits have never been prorated. Second, benefits are always paid one month behind. And third, the law says you must live an entire month to be due a Social Security check for that month.

Here is a quick example. John dies on June 24. The Social Security check that comes in July (the payment for June) must be returned.

That's the downside to the lack of proration. But there are two upsides. One: let's say John started his benefits when he was 66, and that he turned 66 on April 22. He would get a check for the whole month of April, even though he was 66 for only eight days of the month. Two: if John left a widow, she would get widow's benefits for the whole month of June, even though she was a widow for only six days of the month.

Q: I read that the maximum Social Security retirement benefit is currently $4,152 per month. But we have a neighbor who brags that he gets over $5,000 per month. Is he just lying and trying to impress us?

A: He may be trying to impress you, but he probably isn't lying. The $4,152 figure you quoted is the maximum benefit paid to someone who files for benefits at his or her full retirement age. But many people work well beyond that age and continue to increase the amount of their monthly benefit. In effect, there is no limit to how high a Social Security benefit could go.

Q: We would like to talk to you personally about our Social Security situation. We'd be willing to pay you. Can we please call you to discuss this?

A: I simply don't have the time to work on individual cases. But for 15 bucks, I can give you the kind of help that might even be better than a personal consultation. Buy my little Social Security guidebook called "Social Security - Simple and Smart." In that book, you'll find 10 fact sheets that cover just about any Social Security situation you might encounter. You can find it at Amazon.com.

Q: Is it true that Congress has stolen every nickel of Social Security money?

A: No, it's not true. And I've got no space left to explain the real story. But another of my books will clarify that myth and so many more. It is called "Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts." You also can find this book on Amazon.

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If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called "Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security." The other is "Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts." You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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