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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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Can I file for spousal benefits now and my retirement benefits later?

Hello, If you were born in 1953 or earlier, then yes you may. This is a couple’s filing strategy known as filing a restricted application and it is in the process of being phased out by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. The name comes from the fact that a person restricts their application to…

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I think I made a mistake by claiming Social Security at age 62. Can I change my mind?

Hi there, Yes, you can change your mind, and this is known as withdrawing your application. You can reapply later. If you change your mind about starting your benefits, you can cancel your application for up to 12 months after becoming entitled to retirement benefits. If you are already entitled to Medicare, you may choose to…

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I want to retire next year, but I have only worked for 29 years. How will this impact my benefits?

Hi there, The Social Security Administration uses your highest 35 years of earnings, after adjusting for inflation, to calculate your benefit amount. If you do not have 35 years of earnings, zeros will be used for the years with no earnings. This is not uncommon at all. In your case, you will have 6 years…

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