Retirees Claiming Social Security And Medicare Are In For Rare Savings Combination In 2023
Retirees will get a rare treat in 2023 thanks to a combination that some experts say might never happen again: a historically high cost-of-living adjustment for Social Security benefits and a decline in the cost of Medicare Part B premiums.
See: The Best Cities With Great Weather To Retire on $2,000 a Month
Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced that the standard monthly premium for Medicare Part B enrollees will be $164.90 in 2023, down from $170.10 in 2022 the first decline in a decade. The annual deductible for all Medicare Part B beneficiaries will fall to $226 in 2023 from $233 in 2022.
Those cheaper premiums and deductibles will coincide with what will be the highest COLA in decades. As GOBankingRates previously reported, the adjustment should be 8.5% or higher in 2023, up from 5.9% in 2022 and the biggest hike since an 11.2% increase in 1981. The Social Security Administration is expected to announce the official 2023 COLA in mid-October, following the September 2022 inflation numbers.
Even if the 2023 COLA is on the low end of projections, at 8.5%, it would translate into an extra $130 or so a month for the typical Social Security beneficiary. Thats based on the average monthly benefit for all recipients, which was $1,546.59 as of August 2022, according to the SSA.
How Much Disability Can I Get For Hearing Loss
There is no definitive answer to this question, as the amount of disability benefits you may receive for hearing loss will depend on a number of factors, including the severity of your hearing loss, your age, your employment history, and your overall health. However, the Social Security Administration does provide benefits for those with hearing loss that meets their eligibility requirements, so it is worth checking into if you think you may qualify.
If you have profound hearing loss or deafness, you should be able to apply for Social Security disability benefits. According to the SSA, hearing loss of the most significant type is considered a disability. Before you can apply for disability benefits for hearing loss, you must have an audiometric test on both ears. If you suffer from hearing loss without cochlear implants, you must meet the SSAs listing requirements to qualify for disability benefits. You must not be able to repeat more than 40% of a list of standardized words spoken in a word recognition test. If you are suffering from hearing loss, the SSA will also consider your ability to perform daily tasks and work. When you have hearing loss, it is important to determine whether you can perform tasks that require good hearing and word recognition.
Why The Maximum Monthly Social Security Benefit Could Become Even Harder To Get
Social Security calculates benefits for seniors on an individual basis, and the monthly benefit you’re entitled to during retirement will hinge on different factors. Those include the amount of money you earned during your career, the number of years you worked, and the age at which you sign up for Social Security.
This year, the maximum Social Security benefit you can collect is $4,194. And most seniors don’t receive a monthly benefit anywhere near that high.
But as difficult as it is right now to claim the maximum monthly Social Security benefit, in the future, it could become even more difficult. Here’s why.
You May Like: View My Social Security Benefits Online
What Is A Disability Evaluation
An evaluation of the disability, particularly the extent and impact of the disability, is used to determine whether a persons quality of life can be improved or if the government or physicians can provide assistance or interventions whenever necessary. It is not necessary to confuse disability and impairment.
The Importance Of A Cdr
The purpose of a CDR is to determine whether or not a disabled person should continue receiving benefits. When someone returns to work after an extended absence from it or when their health improves, a CDR is usually triggered. If you are an SSDI beneficiary, it is important to remember that a CDR can be activated at any time. If you are concerned that your disability was incorrectly determined, you should consult an SSA representative.
How Does The Ssa Calculate The Offset
Three numbers determine whether your workers comp payments will reduce your SSDI benefit:
- Your monthly workers compensation benefit amount
- Your monthly SSDI benefit amount
- Your average current earnings You can learn more about the SSAs three computation methods for this figure here. Often, your ACE differs from your pre-injury average weekly wage under workers comp because the administrative agencies use different definitions and formulas.
Your monthly workers compensation benefit amount + your monthly SSDI benefits payment must equal or be less than 80 percent of your ACE. Otherwise, the SSA will reduce your SSDI payment until you meet the threshold.
Recommended Reading: How Are Ssa Retirement Benefits Calculated
A You Can Continue Working And Start Receiving Your Retirement Benefits
If you start your benefits before your full retirement age, your benefits are reduced a fraction of a percent for each month before your full retirement age.
You can get Social Security retirement benefits and work at the same time before your full retirement age. However your benefits will be reduced if you earn more than the yearly earnings limits.
After you reach your full retirement age, we will recalculate your benefit amount to give you credit for any months you did not receive a benefit because of your earnings. We will send you a letter that explains any increase in your benefit amount.
If you delay filing for your benefits until after full retirement age, you will be eligible for delayed retirement credits that would increase your monthly benefit. If you also continue to work, you will be able to receive your full retirement benefits and any increase resulting from your additional earnings when we recalculate your benefits. Once you reach full retirement age, your earnings do not affect your benefit amount.
If you start receiving retirement benefits before age 65, you are automatically enrolled in Original Medicare when you turn 65. If you or your spouse are still working and covered under an employer-provided group health plan, talk to the personnel office before signing up for Medicare Part B. To learn more, read our Medicare publication.
Adults With A Disability That Began Before Age 22
An adult who has a disability that began before age 22 may be eligible for benefits if their parent is deceased or starts receiving retirement or disability benefits. We consider this a “child’s” benefit because it is paid on a parent’s Social Security earnings record.
The Disabled Adult Child who may be an adopted child, or, in some cases, a stepchild, grandchild, or step grandchild must be unmarried, age 18 or older, have a qualified disability that started before age 22, and meet the definition of disability for adults.
Example
It is not necessary that the DAC ever worked. Benefits are paid based on the parent’s earnings record.
- A DAC must not have substantial earnings. The amount of earnings we consider substantial increases each year. In 2022, this means working and earning more than $1,350 a month.
Working While Disabled: How We Can Help
Recommended Reading: Social Security Benefits In Florida
Does Social Security Increase If Spouse Dies
As previously stated, if you reach full retirement age, you are entitled to 100% of the benefit your spouse was entitled to. If you claim survivor benefits between the ages of 60 and your full retirement age, you will receive between 71.5 percent and 99 percent of the deceaseds benefit.
If a Social Security beneficiary dies, his or her surviving spouse is entitled to survivor benefits. If the surviving spouse reaches full retirement age, they can collect 100 percent of the s benefit. If the death is reported, Social Security will automatically switch you from spousal benefits to survivor benefits, and you will continue to receive spousal benefits on your work record until the death. The Social Security offices reopened on April 7, but you should call ahead and make an appointment if you havent already. If a widow or widower is 60 years old or has been married to the deceased for at least nine months, he or she will be eligible for survivor benefits. It is not possible to apply for survivor benefits if remarriage occurred before the age of 60 .
How Much Can I Earn And Still Get Benefits
When you begin receiving Social Security retirement benefits, you are considered retired for our purposes. You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. However, there is a limit to how much you can earn and still receive full benefits.
If you are younger than full retirement age and earn more than the yearly earnings limit, we may reduce your benefit amount.
If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, we deduct $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2022, that limit is $19,560.
In the year you reach full retirement age, we deduct $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above a different limit. In 2022, this limit on your earnings is $51,960. We only count your earnings up to the month before you reach your full retirement age, not your earnings for the entire year.
If your earnings will be over the limit for the year and you will receive retirement benefits for part of the year, we have a special rule that applies to earnings for one year. The special rule lets us pay a full Social Security benefit for any whole month we consider you retired, regardless of your yearly earnings.
Read our publication, How Work Affects Your Benefits, for more information.
When you reach full retirement age:
You May Like: Tax Benefits Of Being Self Employed
What About Your Spouse And Children
Your spouse may also receive Social Security benefits once you retire, even if they never worked outside the home. If your spouse is at least 62 years old, then they can apply for benefits at a reduced rate. By waiting until full retirement age, however, your spouse can receive up to half the amount of your monthly benefits. Payments received by your spouse do not lower your own payments.
Your ex-spouse can also collect Social Security based on your earnings. To qualify, ex-spouses must meet the following conditions:
- The marriage must have lasted at least 10 years
- Two or more years must have passed since the divorce
- They must not have remarried
- They must be at least 62 years old and must not qualify for higher Social Security benefits based on their own employment history
If you reach retirement age and have children who are below age 18or 19 and still enrolled in elementary or secondary school, or older than 18 but severely disabledthen those children may also qualify to receive benefits based on your monthly entitlement. Your children can receive monthly payments up to half of the amount to which you are entitled, and these payments will not decrease your own Social Security benefits.
The limit for benefits received by your spouse and children varies but is normally 150% to 180% of your full retirement benefits.
When Will I See The Increase In My Social Security Checks
Social Security payments are made on Wednesdays, following a rollout schedule based on the beneficiary’s birth date.
If you were born from the 1st through the 10th of the month, your benefits are paid on the second Wednesday of the month.If your birthday falls between the 11th and 20th of the month, your checks are paid on the third Wednesday, and you’ll see your first COLA increase on your Jan. 18 check.
Those born between the 21st and the end of the month receive benefits on the fourth Wednesday, which, in 2023, is Jan. 25.
Get the So Money by CNET newsletter
Read Also: Age For Social Security Retirement Benefits
Social Security Disability Spousal Benefits
The spouse of a disabled worker may qualify for benefits. To qualify, the spouse must be:
- At least 62 years old
- Any age and care for the spouses child who is under age 16 or disabled
The spousal benefits begin when the disabled workers benefits start. It ends at the death of the disabled worker or the spouse, or when the SSA determines that the person no longer qualifies.
Social Security Benefits For Child Of Disabled Parent
The child of a disabled worker can qualify for benefits if they meet the conditions for coverage as a retired workers child. To qualify, the child must be:
- Unmarried and younger than 18, or 19 if still in high school
- Unmarried and age 18 or older if the child has a disability that began before age 22
You May Like: Age For Maximum Social Security Benefit
How Much Does A Surviving Divorced Spouse Get From Social Security
If you are the surviving divorced spouse of a worker who died after having worked long enough to qualify for Social Security benefits, you may be eligible to receive benefits. To qualify, you must have been married to the worker for 10 years or more. If you are at least 60 years old, you can receive benefits even if you remarried.
When a couple divorces, it is common for navigating Social Security and Divorce to be difficult. It is required for a divorced spouse to meet certain requirements in order to receive benefits from their former spouse. If you are an ex-spouse of a living spouse, you may be entitled to 50% of the amount he or she collects as a lifetime annuity. If your ex-spouse dies and you are not yet eligible for Social Security benefits, you will be able to collect on their records. If you have been collecting spousal benefits or have received retirement benefits from your own employment record, you may be eligible for survivor benefits. When you marry again before the age of 60 and are still married, you will not be eligible for surviving spouse benefits. If you remarry, you may not lose your Social Security benefits in certain circumstances. If you have more than one former spouse, you may be eligible for benefits based on the higher earners work record. You should also consider whether you will be required to pay taxes on your Social Security benefits.
You Can Receive Benefits Before Your Full Retirement Age
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, but the benefit amount will be lower than your full retirement benefit amount.
If you start receiving your benefits before your full retirement age, we will reduce your benefits based on the number of months you receive benefits before you reach your full retirement age.
If you wait until age 70 to start your benefits, your benefit amount will be higher because you will receive delayed retirement credits for each month you delay filing for benefits. There is no additional benefit increase after you reach age 70, even if you continue to delay starting benefits.
Recommended Reading: Which States Tax Social Security Benefits
Can I Apply For And Receive Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits After Settling My Workers Comp Case
Yes.
Workers injured on the job or diagnosed with an occupational illness may qualify for Social Security disability insurance benefits in addition to payments received under federal law or state workers comp programs.
But the Social Security Administration may offset your disability insurance benefits by the amount of your periodic workers comp payments or lump sum settlement unless you address the Social Security offset in the settlement documents.
Can An Ex Wife Get Death Benefits And Keep Her Own Social Security Benefits
In cases where the deceased ex-spouse was a child of the marriage, you may receive a percentage of the ex-spouses benefits if you are caring for the child from the marriage who is under the age of 16 or disabled. If you have already claimed Social Security, you can still apply for survivor benefits, but you wont receive both.
If you divorced, your ex-spouses earnings may be considered sufficient to qualify for Social Security benefits. Divorced spouses are required to be divorced for at least two continuous years, and the ex-spouse is not eligible for retirement benefits. Divorced spouses are entitled to 50% of their former spouses retirement benefit in the case of divorce. A divorced spouse who has been married twice is entitled to both of the benefits, but not both. The ex-partner of a remarrying spouse may also be eligible for Social Security benefits if the ex-partner has worked for the new spouse for at least five years before the marriage.
You May Like: Taxes On Social Security Benefits Calculator
Apply For Survivors Benefits
You should notify us immediately when a person dies. However, you cannot report a death or apply for survivors benefits online.
In most cases, the funeral home will report the persons death to us. You should give the funeral home the deceased persons Social Security number if you want them to make the report.
If you need to report a death or apply for benefits, call 1-800-772-1213 . You can speak to a Social Security representative between 8:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can find the phone number for your local office by using our Social Security Office Locator and looking under Social Security Office Information. The toll-free Office number is your local office.
If you are not getting benefits
If you are not getting benefits, you should apply for survivors benefits promptly because, in some cases, benefits may not be retroactive.
If you are getting benefits
If you are getting benefits on your spouse’s or parent’s record:
- You generally will not need to file an application for survivors benefits.
- We’ll automatically change any monthly benefits you receive to survivors benefits after we receive the report of death.
- We may be able to pay the automatically.
If you are getting retirement or disability benefits on your own record:
- You will need to apply for the survivors benefits.
- We will check to see whether you can get a higher benefit as a widow or widower.