Hey Marc! – I have a client that we are working with who has questions about her widow benefit. The husband passed away, and the wife is age 58 and is eligible to receive a widow’s benefit at age 60. Her FRA is 67. I looked back on the NSSA training and found that deemed filing does NOT apply. Doesn’t this mean, that the client can claim her own SS benefit and wait to take her widow benefit until her FRA so that it isn’t reduced?

Answer – You are correct that DEEMED FILING does not apply to surviving spouses. A surviving spouse may begin their own retirement benefit at age 62 and switch to a full widow(er) benefit at FRA or begin the widow(er) benefit at age 60 and switch to their own benefit as late as age 70. You are a quick learner!

Hey Marc! – We have a client who called SSA. My primary question is how could the client be getting the exact same amount of Benefit if he files in November compared to filing at FRA this past July. To me it doesn’t make sense but she swears she called three times. Three SSA representatives, and they all said the same thing. Why isn’t the benefit increasing for Delayed Retirement Credits.

Answer – DRC’s are not added to a persons benefit until after the year they are earned. His full retirement age is reached July 2021. If he takes benefits in July he will receive his full retirement age benefit with no DRC’s. If he files effective November the payments he receives for November and December will not include any DRC’s so it is the same amount as if he took benefits in July. However, in January he will receive the 4 months DRC increase (2.67%) added to his benefit. He eventually gets the increase but not until the year he earned the credits ended. DRCs earned in year of beginning benefits are credited to record in January of the following year. Exceptions is beginning at age 70. In this situation recipient will receive all of DRCs when benefits begin.

Hey Marc! – My client recently changed her e-mail address and cell phone number. How does she change the Second Factor Authentication in her online My Social Security account?

Answer – Social Security recently issued instructions on changing the Second Factor Authentication. Second Factor Authentication serves as an extra level of security to prevent prying eyes from viewing sensitive information. Step by step instructions to change this feature can be found at SSA.gov.