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Understanding Social Security Survivors Benefits

Posted on August 15, 2023September 27, 2023 by Emily Promise

Social Security provides retirement income for workers in the United States by replacing a portion of their pre-retirement income based on their lifetime earnings. What happens to your benefits when you or an immediate family member passes? In this article, we explore how Social Security benefits can extend beyond your lifetime and support your loved ones as Social Security survivors benefits.

Defining Social Security Survivors Benefits

Social Security survivors benefits refer to the portion of Social Security funds set aside as a form of life insurance for widows, widowers, and any dependents of eligible workers. Funds begin being set aside from the day you start paying into your Social Security fund. There are two main determining factors when deciding on the presence and status of benefits: the deceased’s work history and the credits they have accumulated. The more years an individual works and is paying into the fund, the more credits they will earn, leaving a more significant benefit for loved ones to access after their passing. The number of credits needed to provide survivors benefits differs based on the worker’s age at the time of death. No one needs more than 40 credits to be eligible for Social Security benefits, so with the ability to earn up to 4 credits per year, anyone working and contributing to Social Security for at least 10 years is eligible. Each situation is different. For more insight, talk to a Social Security claims representative about your situation and choices.

Who qualifies for these benefits?

If you meet the necessary work requirements, different family members may be eligible to collect survivors benefits including:

Spouse
Ex-spouse
Children under a certain age
Parents over the age of 62 and dependent on your income

It is possible to have multiple survivors benefits within a single family but the amount that can be drawn for each within a single household is capped by the maximum family benefit. The percentage of benefits they receive will vary as follows, according to the Social Security Administration:

Spouse or ex-spouse, full retirement age or older: 100%
Spouse or ex-spouse, age 60 through full retirement age: 71.5% – 99%
Spouse or ex-spouse with a disability, age 50 – 59: 71.5%
Spouse or ex-spouse caring for a child under age 16: 75%
Child under age 18 or who has a disability: 75%
Single surviving dependent parent: 82.5%
Both surviving dependent parents: 75% to each parent

Taxes and Optimizing Payout

Survivors benefits can be claimed even if the person making the claim is currently working. The amount may be reduced based on multiple factors including the survivor’s age and income. When you receive benefits of any kind, it is important to factor in taxes. The amount paid in taxes is determined by a calculation of combined income, which is defined as your adjusted gross income (AGI), plus nontaxable interest, plus half of your Social Security benefits.

When filing as a single individual if your combined income is:

Below $25,000: Your Social Security benefits are not taxed
$25,000 – $34,000: 50% of your Social Security benefits are taxable
Over $34,000: 85% of your Social Security benefits are taxable

When filing status is married filing jointly if your combined income is:

$32,000 – $44,000: 50% of your Social Security benefits are taxable
Over $44,000: 85% of your Social Security benefits are taxable

Children may be subject to taxes on benefits if they hold trust accounts or brokerage funds.

Someone already receiving their own Social Security benefits must choose between those and survivors benefits, they can not take both. Like retirement benefits, waiting until age 67 allows the payment amount to increase annually. Delaying survivors benefits may result in a larger payout overall than delaying your own Social Security. Talk to a financial professional to work out which option will have the highest payout.

How to Apply for Social Security Survivors Benefits

Social Security survivors benefits are not automatic, you will need to go through a formal application process which can be completed by phone, online, or in person at a Social Security Administration office. Documents you will need to complete the process include:

Proof of death of your loved one
Birth certificate, for both you and your loved one
Proof of US citizenship, for both you and your loved one
Your loved one’s W-2 form or self-employment tax returns for last year
A marriage certificate, as a spouse
A final decree of divorce, as an ex-spouse
For other circumstances, other documents may be required

If you need assistance throughout the filing process, you are able to go into a Social Security Administration office either by yourself or with an advisor to work with a representative on your case.

Contact Blakely Financial today to learn more about your Social Security survivors benefits.

Blakely Financial, Inc. is an independent financial planning and investment management firm that provides clarity, insight, and guidance to help our clients attain their financial goals. Engage with the entire Blakely Financial team at WWW.BLAKELYFINANCIAL.COM to see what other financial tips we can provide towards your financial well-being.

Commonwealth Financial Network® or Blakely Financial does not provide legal or tax advice. You should consult a legal or tax professional regarding your individual situation.

Electing Delayed Social Security Retirement Benefits

Posted on June 26, 2023September 27, 2023 by Steve LaFrance

What is it?

You can elect to delay receiving Social Security retirement benefits.

You can choose to delay receiving Social Security retirement benefits until you are past normal (full) retirement age. Perhaps you want to work longer because you enjoy it, or maybe you want your retirement benefit to be higher when you finally do retire.

Your benefit will be increased by the delayed retirement credit.

If you are eligible to receive Social Security retirement benefits but you delay receiving benefits until after normal retirement age, you will be eligible to receive the delayed retirement credit. The delayed retirement credit increases your retirement benefit by a predetermined percentage of your primary insurance amount (PIA) for each month you delay receiving retirement benefits up to the maximum age of 70. The amount of the credit you receive depends upon two factors:

What year you were born
How many months you delayed receiving retirement benefits past normal retirement age

If you were born in 1943 or later, you will receive 2/3 of 1 percent more per month or 8 percent more per year if you delay receiving retirement benefits. So, for example, if your normal retirement age is 66, and you delay retirement until age 70, your benefit at age 70 will be 32 percent more than it would be at age 66. If your normal retirement age is 67, and you delay retirement until age 70, your benefit at age 70 will be 24 percent more than it would be at age 66.

Although the delayed retirement credit increases your Social Security retirement benefit, it does not increase your PIA.

When can it be used?

You must be eligible to receive delayed retirement benefits.

In order to receive delayed retirement benefits, you must meet the following criteria:

You must be at least one month older than normal retirement age, and
You must be fully insured for retirement benefits (in most cases have 40 quarters of coverage).

You must apply for benefits.

Receiving delayed retirement benefits is not automatic. You must apply for benefits when you want to begin receiving them. The Social Security Administration (SSA) recommends that you contact an SSA representative two or three months before you want to begin receiving benefits. You can call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 for more information.

Strengths

Your retirement benefit will increase.

If you continue to work past normal retirement age and delay receiving Social Security retirement benefits, you may increase your retirement benefit in two ways. Not only will you receive a delayed retirement credit, but your earnings after normal retirement age may be substantial enough to increase your average indexed monthly earnings (AIME), upon which your benefit is based.

Your surviving spouse’s benefit will increase.

If you elect to receive delayed retirement benefits, then die, your surviving spouse (at normal retirement age) may receive 100 percent of the benefit you were receiving. Therefore, if your spouse has a life expectancy substantially greater than your own, you might consider delaying retirement so that your spouse may receive a higher benefit after you die.

Your delayed retirement credit isn’t counted toward your family maximum.

When you retire, your family may be eligible to receive benefits based on your PIA. These benefits may be limited by the family maximum, which generally ranges from 150 to 180 percent of your PIA. However, if you delay receiving retirement benefits, your delayed retirement credit won’t count toward your family maximum and can be paid whether or not your family’s benefits are limited by the family maximum.

Tradeoffs

Delaying retirement won’t necessarily increase your lifetime retirement benefit.

Just because you receive a higher monthly benefit when you delay retirement doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll receive a higher overall lifetime benefit. If you delay receiving retirement benefits, the amount of each benefit check will be higher, but you’ll receive fewer benefit checks than you would have if you begin receiving retirement benefits at normal retirement age. How many fewer checks you receive will depend upon how many years you delay receiving retirement benefits.

For example, assume the following facts apply to you:

You delay retirement by 4 years, and retire at age 70 instead of at age 66, making you eligible for an 8 percent delayed retirement credit for each year you delay retirement. You will receive 48 fewer benefit checks.
Your PIA is $1,000, so if you retire at age 66, your annual benefit will be $12,000. If you retire at age 70, your monthly benefit will be increased by $320, so your annual benefit will be $15,840.
Assume that even if you’ve saved or invested all or part of your benefits, your real rate of return is 0 percent.

Using these factors, it would take you more than 12 years from the time you retire at age 70 to reach the point at which your benefits would crossover with the amount you would have accumulated if you began receiving benefits at age 66 (does not take into account annual cost of living increases):

By this Age	Accumulated Benefit if Retirement Age is 66	Accumulated Benefit if Retirement Age is 70 (32% credit has been earned)
70	$ 48,000	$0
76	$120,000	$95,040
82	$192,000	$190,080
83	$204,000	$205,920

If you were to die before reaching this crossover point, your lifetime benefits would be lower than if you had retired at your normal retirement age. Conversely, if you were to die after reaching this crossover point, then your lifetime benefits would be higher. That’s why life expectancy is one of the factors to consider when deciding whether to delay receiving Social Security retirement benefits.

The delayed retirement credit won’t increase benefits paid to most family members.

When you earn the delayed retirement credit, your retirement benefit will increase. However, because the delayed retirement credit doesn’t affect your PIA, benefits that are paid to family members won’t increase (unless you die, at which time your surviving spouse may receive the same benefit you were receiving).

How to do it

Decide whether you want to delay receiving retirement benefits by comparing your options.

You can estimate your retirement benefit online using the Retirement Estimator calculator on the Social Security website (ssa.gov). You can create different scenarios based on current law that will illustrate how different earnings amounts and retirement ages will affect the benefit you receive.

Consider the following questions before making your decision.

Why do you want to delay receiving retirement benefits?
Can you afford to delay receiving retirement benefits, or do you need Social Security retirement income as soon as possible?
Do you expect to live long enough to benefit from delaying your retirement benefits?

How important is it to increase the amount of survivor income available to your spouse?

Apply for delayed Social Security retirement benefits.

Three months before you’re ready to retire, fill out an application for benefits with the SSA.

Don’t forget to apply for Medicare benefits at age 65. See Questions & Answers.

Tax considerations

If you continue to work past normal retirement age, you will continue to pay Social Security or self-employment tax on your covered earnings. Even though your earnings may increase your AIME (and thus your retirement benefit), you may not be able to recoup those payroll taxes.

Questions & Answers

If you delay receiving Social Security retirement benefits, can you still receive Medicare at age 65?

Yes. Anyone age 65 or older who is entitled to receive Social Security benefits is eligible to receive Medicare, even if he or she has not yet filed an application for Social Security benefits. However, enrollment in Medicare is automatic only for individuals who are receiving Social Security retirement benefits for at least four months before reaching age 65. If you elect to delay receiving retirement benefits, you will need to apply for Medicare benefits online, in person, or through the mail.

Can you delay receiving Social Security retirement benefits until you’re 71 or older?

Yes, but there’s no advantage to waiting longer than age 70 to begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits. You can earn the delayed retirement credit only up until age 70. In addition, if you want to work, any money you earn from working after age 70 won’t decrease your Social Security retirement benefit. So why wait?

Blakely Financial, Inc. is an independent financial planning and investment management firm that provides clarity, insight, and guidance to help our clients attain their financial goals. Engage with the entire Blakely Financial team at WWW.BLAKELYFINANCIAL.COM to see what other financial tips we can provide towards your financial well-being.

Commonwealth Financial Network® or Blakely Financial does not provide legal or tax advice. You should consult a legal or tax professional regarding your individual situation.

Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network®, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.

Social Security Update: Cost of Living Adjustment

Posted on October 18, 2022September 27, 2023 by Robert Blakely

If you receive Social Security benefits, you can expect them to be boosted by 8.7% in 2023. This cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) was announced by the Social Security Administration on October 13th, and it is a massive increase from that of previous years.

What does this mean for you, and what does it imply for the future?

In 2022, the Social Security cost-of-living adjustment was 5.9%, which was the highest in forty years. The last time the COLA was this high was in 1981, at 11.2%. This adjustment rate is set automatically, based on the inflation rate each year between July and September as it compares to the previous year, and has been set this way since the 1970’s. The amount is based on the rise in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

Use the extra benefit wisely

Despite these annual adjustments for inflation, a 2021 study found that the buying power of Social Security benefits declined by 30% from 2000 to early 2021, in part because the CPI-W is weighted more heavily toward items purchased by younger workers than by Social Security beneficiaries. Due to this method of setting the COLA, you should not anticipate that the increase you are seeing in 2023 will be continued in the upcoming years; be sure to handle the extra money wisely to prepare for future years in which your benefits may not be as high.

While the COLA will actually take effect with the December 2022 benefits, payments will be made in January 2023. To gauge how much more money you may see next year, take your net Social Security benefit, add in your Medicare premium, and multiply that by the 2023 COLA.

If you have not yet begun to claim Social Security benefits, you may consider delaying until they are needed. Your benefits will still reflect the cost-of-living adjustments whether you claim them now or in a later year. Each year that you delay, benefits will increase 8% from your retirement age until age 70. Obviously, this strategy will not be ideal for every person, especially if you have health concerns, but you can change your mind at any point and begin receiving payments- you don’t have to delay until age 70 even if that was your initial plan. Conversely, if you are not ready to retire or decide to go back to work after retiring, you can still receive your social security benefits.

If you are in need of a financial planner to help you get the most out of your benefits to enjoy a long and comfortable retirement, contact Blakely Financial today.

Engage with the entire Blakely Financial team at WWW.BLAKELYFINANCIAL.COM to see what other financial tips we can provide towards your financial well-being.

Blakely Financial, Inc. is an independent financial planning and investment management firm that provides clarity, insight, and guidance to help our clients attain their financial goals.

Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.

Working While Receiving Social Security Benefits

Posted on March 31, 2022September 27, 2023 by Robert Blakely

The COVID-19 recession and the continuing pandemic pushed many older workers into retirement earlier than anticipated. More than 50% of Americans aged 55 and older said they were retired in Q3 2021, up from about 48% two years earlier, before the pandemic.¹

For people age 62 and older, retiring from the workforce often means claiming Social Security benefits. But what happens if you decide to go back to work? With the job market heating up, there are opportunities for people of all ages to return to the workforce. Or, to look at it another way: What happens if you work and want to claim Social Security benefits while staying on your job?

Retirement Earnings Test

Some people may think they can’t work — or shouldn’t work — while collecting Social Security benefits. But that’s not the case. First, however, it’s essential to understand how the retirement earnings test (RET) could affect your benefits.

The RET applies only if you are working and receiving Social Security benefits before reaching full retirement age (FRA). After reaching full retirement age, any earnings do not affect your Social Security benefit. Your FRA is based on your birth year: age 66 if born in 1943 to 1954; age 66 & 2 months to 66 & 10 months if born in 1955 to 1959; age 67 if born in 1960 or later.
If you are under full retirement age for the entire year in which you work, $1 in benefits will be deducted for every $2 in gross wages or net self-employment income above the annual exempt amount ($19,560 in 2022). The RET does not apply to income from investments, pensions, or retirement accounts.
A monthly limit applies during the year you file for benefits ($1,630 in 2022) unless you are self-employed and work more than 45 hours per month in your business (15 hours in a highly skilled industry). So, for example, if you file for benefits starting in July, you could earn more than the annual limit from January to June and still receive full benefits if you do not make more than the monthly limit from July through December.
In the year you reach full retirement age, the reduction in benefits is $1 for every $3 earned above a higher annual exempt amount ($51,960 in 2022 or $4,330 per month if the monthly limit applies). Starting in the month you reach full retirement age, there is no limit on earnings or reduction in benefits.
The Social Security Administration may withhold benefits as soon as it determines that your earnings are on track to surpass the exempt amount. After that, the estimated amount will typically be deducted from your monthly benefit in full. (See example.)
The RET also applies to spousal, dependent, and survivor benefits if the spouse, dependent, or survivor works before full retirement age. Regardless of a spouse’s or dependent’s age, the RET may reduce a spousal or dependent benefit based on the benefit of a worker who is subject to the RET.

Back to Work

In this hypothetical example, Fred claimed Social Security in 2021 at age 62, and he was entitled to a $1,500 monthly benefit as of January 2022. However, Fred returned to work in April 2022 and is on track to earn $31,560 for the year — $12,000 above the $19,560 RET exempt amount. Thus, $6,000 ($1 for every $2 above the exempt amount) in benefits will be deducted. Assuming that the Social Security Administration (SSA) became aware of Fred’s expected earnings before he returned to work, benefits might be paid.

In practice, benefits may be withheld earlier in the year or retroactively, depending on when the SSA becomes aware of earnings.

The RET might seem like a stiff penalty, but the deducted benefits are not lost. Your Social Security benefit amount is recalculated after you reach full retirement age. For example, if you claimed benefits at age 62 and forfeited the equivalent of 12 months’ worth of benefits by the time you reached full retirement age, your benefit would be recalculated as if you had claimed it at age 63 instead of 62. You would receive this higher benefit for the rest of your life, so you could receive substantially more than the amount that was withheld. There is no adjustment for lost spousal benefits or lost survivor benefits based on having a dependent child.

If you regret taking your Social Security benefit before reaching full retirement age, you can apply to withdraw benefits within 12 months of the original claim. You must repay all benefits received on your claim, including any spousal or dependent benefits. This option is available only once in your lifetime.

1) Pew Research Center, November 4, 2021

This material has been provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute either tax or legal advice. Although we go to great lengths to make sure our information is accurate and useful, we recommend you consult a tax preparer, professional tax advisor, or lawyer.

Engage with the entire Blakely Financial team at WWW.BLAKELYFINANCIAL.COM to see what other expert advice we can provide towards your financial well-being.

ROBERT BLAKELY, CFP® is a financial advisor with BLAKELY FINANCIAL, INC. located at 1022 Hutton Ln., Suite 109, High Point, NC 27262. He is the founder and president of Blakely Financial, Inc.

Blakely Financial, Inc. is an independent financial planning and investment management firm that provides clarity, insight, and guidance to help our clients attain their financial goals.

Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.

Diversification and asset allocation programs do not assure a profit or protect against loss in declining markets, and cannot guarantee that any objective or goal will be achieved.

Social Security Scam Phone Calls Are On The Rise

Posted on February 18, 2020September 27, 2023 by Blakely Financial

Authored by ROBERT BLAKELY, CFP®, AIF®, CHFC®

Over the past several weeks, I have received quite a few calls on my cell phone warning me about activity in my Social Security account. Luckily, I know these are fake calls and I hang up, but there are many people that are scared by these calls and are lured in, calling the number back and providing personal information, including their Social Security numbers and bank account information.

Tax time is upon us and this is the perfect time for hackers to utilize Social Security numbers to claim tax refunds before legitimate taxpayers have a chance to file their tax returns.

In addition to the increase in phone calls, there is also an increase in fake documents by email, convincing victims to comply with the demand for Social Security numbers, bank account information and payments. These letters oftentimes use official letterhead and government jargon. A telltale sign that these letters are from scammers is misspelled words and grammatical errors in addition to demands of payment with gift cards, cash, internet currency, wire transfers or prepaid debit cards.

In the event there is a real problem with your Social Security record, Social Security will mail you a letter. There might be an attempt to claim one of your dependents as their own on another tax return. Learn more at What to Do When Someone Fraudulently Claims Your Dependent.

You might find that your tax return was rejected due to a duplicate Social Security number. You will have to fill out the IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit. Respond immediately by calling the toll-free number and have a copy of your prior year’s tax return to verify your identity. Once you verify your identity and determine with the Social Security department that there was an attempt by scammers to file your return, the IRS will remove the fraudulent return and allow you to file using a paper return for the current filing season. If it was your legitimate return filed by you, it will be released for processing and your refund will be sent.

In the unfortunate event that your identity has been compromised, visit Identity Theft Victim Assistance: How it Works for direction.

Just remember, now more than ever, you must protect your Social Security number and keep it safe from these scammers. Follow these best practices, in order to keep your information safe:

Do not answer calls from numbers you do not recognize and do not provide personal information through an email
Do not click on links in those emails
Consider credit freezes that allow new credit and accounts from being opened in your name. Check on your credit report annually at annualcreditreport.com
Maintain strong passwords for all online access

And as always, if you have any questions, feel free to call our team at Blakely Financial for more information.

Engage with the entire Blakely Financial team at WWW.BLAKELYFINANCIAL.COM to see what other expert advice we can provide towards your financial well-being.

ROBERT BLAKELY, CFP® is a financial advisor with BLAKELY FINANCIAL, INC. located at 1022 Hutton Ln., Suite 109, High Point, NC 27262. He is the founder and president of Blakely Financial, Inc. celebrating 25 years in business.

Blakely Financial, Inc. is an independent financial planning and investment management firm that provides clarity, insight, and guidance to help our clients attain their financial goals.

Securities and advisory services offered through Commonwealth Financial Network, Member FINRA/SIPC, a Registered Investment Adviser.