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Your Social Security Questions Answered

Read answers to reader-submitted Social Security questions from Martha Shedden, NARSSA’s Co-Founder and Chief Learning Officer, and her team of experts. Submit your own question to Martha here.

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If you remarry, do you still get to collect a widows benefit?

Full question: If you remarry at 61 do you still get to collect widows benefit of your deceased husband? Hi there, Yes, if you are not remarried before age 60 (50 if disabled), you can collect survivor benefits based on your deceased’s earnings record. All the best, Martha

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Is my Medicaid waiver difficulty of care payment included as income?

Full question: Is my Medicaid waiver difficulty of care payment included as income for my minor disabled child to receive SSI? Hi there, Parental income is deemed as income to a person under 18 who has a disability and this reduces the child’s SSI because the parents still have a legal obligation to support the…

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My husband is about to file for benefits. I am already collecting mine. Can I wait to collect my spousal benefit?

Full question: Hi Martha. Had a case recently where a younger spouse with a small benefit claimed her own benefit at age 62. She will get a spousal benefit eventiually when her husband files for his. When her husband files, does she have to immediately start the spousal benefit, or can she wait a few…

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Who can help me with an overpayment issue?

Full question: I had an overpayment. I made the mistake of telling them I had paid to file bankruptcy (but that I had not begun the process yet). They went into a deep dive looking for the bankruptcy I told them I hadn’t filed. It took many months to get it started again. But now…

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Are there benefits specifically for caregivers?

Full question: My girlfriend and I have lived together for about 13 years. She has within the last month and a half been diagnosed with cancer and she is unable to take care of herself. Hospice comes in 2 or 3 times a week to bath and examine her. I take care of her every…

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Can I switch from retirement benefits to ex-spousal benefits?

Full question: At age of 62 I start receiving my Social Security benefits under my work record (my ex- was not yet eligible, he was 61.5). Then at 71 can I switch to ex- and receive his, the full 50% SS benefits? (His benefits are 2.5 bigger than my. “Deemed filing” is NOT apply here….

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