Social Security Income: Tips To Help You Get The Most Out Of Your Social Security Income



As you move nearer to retirement, deciding when to start your Social Security retirement benefits might seem much like rolling the dice. There are so many choices to make, including:. One of the primary choices you've got to make is when to start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits. Some of the questions you may need to think about include:

Should you collect Social Security at age 62 or 66, or even later?

At what age should your spouse start collecting Social Security?

Will you receive your spouse's benefits if he/she dies before you?

Can you collect on your spouse's earnings record if he/she earned more than you?

Is it possible to collect on an ex-spouse's earnings?

If your head wasn't spinning before, it is now! Here are some tips to help you get the maximum Social Security retirement income you are entitled to:

Improve Your Social Security Earnings:

Your Social Security retirement benefits is dependent on your highest 35 years of salary so it is advisable to get as many "high earning" years in as possible. Therefore, working just one year more at a high paying position could create a big difference in your retirement benefit.

Delay Applying for Your Social Security Retirement Benefits:

You are penalized for every month you receive your Social Security before you reach your full retirement age, with the highest penalty being 25% if where you start taking benefits at age 62. Although receiving your benefits earlier might be tempting, those people who are willing to wait can increase their Social Security benefits by up to 30% (including cost of living increases) by waiting until full retirement age.

Work Part-Time While in Retirement:

While you're limited in the amount you can make while you're below full retirement age and collecting Social Security, once you attain full retirement age you may earn as much as you want without your retirement benefits being decreased. One other plan is to take a part-time job when you finally retire and delay collecting Social Security benefits.

Collect Based on Your Husband or Wife's Benefits:

If you're married, you can collect Social Security spousal benefits based on your earnings, or you may collect half of your spouse's benefit, whichever is larger. If you and your spouse aren't the same age, you'll need to do some planning to make certain you maximize your benefits, but this is undoubtedly a technique to consider if one spouse earns significantly more compared to the other, as well as if one spouse has been out of the work force for many years.

Take advantage of Your Ex Spouse's Benefits:

The spousal benefit applies to ex-spouses as well. If you were married to your ex-spouse for at least 10 years, and you are not presently married to someone else, you can collect as much as 50% of your ex spouse's benefits. You do not have to contact your ex-spouse to claim your benefits; in fact they may never know unless you inform them, also it won't impact their benefits in any way.

These are just some ways to help you maximize your Social Security retirement benefits. Receiving your Social Security retirement benefits can be a very complicated decision and will have an effect on the rest of your retirement, so remember to seek advice from a professional before you make any decisions yourself.

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