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Martha Shedden is RSSA’s President and Co-Founder. Read Martha’s responses to questions regarding Social Security. View all questions or browse by category. Submit your own question to Martha here.

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How do I switch from survivor benefits to my own benefits?

Full question: I will be 70 in May and have been collecting my deceased spouse’s benefits. Do I have to apply for my own benefits or is there a way to switch? Hi there, If your own retirement benefit at age 70 is a greater amount than the survivor benefit, you could switch to that…

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Will my survivor benefit be impacted by my VA disability compensation?

Full question: I am retired military receiving retired pay. I am also receiving 100% VA Disability compensation. My spouse was drawing SSDI at the time of her death (aged 53). I have not remarried and will turn 60 next year. Am I eligible to receive a Survivor Benefit? If so, is there a reduction due…

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As a green card holder living in the US, what are the rules of the “substantial presence test”?

Full question: As a green card holder living in the USA do I really have to physically spend the hour at the SSA office to report we are in the US every month, (or fill out the paperwork every 6 months like we did when we lived in Mexico for her SS benefits visits)? No…

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Are children over 18 eligible for child benefits?

Full question: So my kids were getting benefits while they were with me but now it’s under the care of my in-laws so the benefits got cancelled, so now they are over 18 years old so can they claim the rest of what they never got and how? And do they need to a their…

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Is there a list of countries I can move to and continue to receive my monthly benefit?

Full question: Hi Martha. I’m 70 live in SC and collect monthly SSA benefits. Is there a list of countries I can move to and continue to receive my monthly benefit? Does it matter whether I become a citizen of that country? Hi there, If you are planning to live outside the United States, the…

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If I was underpaid, how do I recover it from the SSA? If I overpaid, am I really responsible to pay it back?

Full question: In July of 2002, I was awarded Social Security Disability when I was 55. I turned 56 in November, 2002. I received Disability benefits in full through 2008. In 2009 when I was 62, the SSA started taking Medicare premiums from my checks. I assume that at that time they switched me to…

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