# Social Security Question - can you help??



## rebecca (Feb 3, 2016)

I have a question about Social Security calculations.... The answer will affect where I live so I would appreciate any feedback !  

I got a job in California which would double my income from what I earned in Pennsylvania. I moved there thinking the high income would affect my social security payout when I take it at 70 (God willing!). I started the job at age 62. However, I have heard - but not gotten verification - that calculations stop at age 59 as the PI (whatever) is calculated only on wages earned from age 21 to the end of age 59. Is that correct? If so, I will not stay in California where everything is so expensive. My income from 62-70 would be double what I could get in PA and I will stay here in California IF my high income (near the cap of 115,00) is calculated into my benefit calculations.  Any information would be extremely appreciated.


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## Linda (Feb 3, 2016)

Can you find the answer on the SS website?  You said you don't trust the employees to ask them but if it's in print on the website it should be true.  Otherwise why not spend a couple hundred for an attorney's time and ask him or her?  That would probably be the best bet.


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## Babsinbloom65 (Feb 3, 2016)

rebecca said:


> I have a question about Social Security calculations.... The answer will affect where I live so I would appreciate any feedback !
> 
> I got a job in California which would double my income from what I earned in Pennsylvania. I moved there thinking the high income would affect my social security payout when I take it at 70 (God willing!). I started the job at age 62. However, I have heard - but not gotten verification - that calculations stop at age 59 as the PI (whatever) is calculated only on wages earned from age 21 to the end of age 59. Is that correct? If so, I will not stay in California where everything is so expensive. My income from 62-70 would be double what I could get in PA and I will stay here in California IF my high income (near the cap of 115,00) is calculated into my benefit calculations.  Any information would be extremely appreciated.



https://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10070.pdf  See if this helps you Rebecca.


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## Butterfly (Feb 4, 2016)

Babsinbloom65 said:


> rebecca said:
> 
> 
> > I have a question about Social Security calculations.... The answer will affect where I live so I would appreciate any feedback !
> ...



Babs, SSA employees are not going to purposely give you misinformation -- some may make mistakes, but they are not out to screw you.  They have absolutely no incentive to do that -- matter of fact, it's the other way round -- many of their phone calls are monitored and they stand to lose their jobs if they go around giving out misinformation.

The best thing to do, if you need information, is to call the 1-800 number and talk to their main office.  You are much more likely to get the true scoop from them than at your local office -- because they seem to be better informed and understand what they are doing better.  At some point, you are going to have to trust the SSA, as they are the ones calculating your ultimate benefits when you DO take your retirement benefits.  In my work in law offices, I did a lot of Social Security work, and always found their main office to be helpful and give accurate information.  As a matter of fact, after I retired at 67, I got a letter from SSA saying they had found some additional reported income that somehow didn't make it into their original computations and they raised my benefit amount and gave me a back payment for what I should have been getting all along.

Their income to include n your benefit amount does not stop at 59 -- it is calculated based on the 35 years in your work life in which you earned the most.


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## Babsinbloom65 (Feb 4, 2016)

Butterfly said:


> Babs, SSA employees are not going to purposely give you misinformation -- some may make mistakes, but they are not out to screw you.  They have absolutely no incentive to do that -- matter of fact, it's the other way round -- many of their phone calls are monitored and they stand to lose their jobs if they go around giving out misinformation.
> 
> The best thing to do, if you need information, is to call the 1-800 number and talk to their main office.  You are much more likely to get the true scoop from them than at your local office -- because they seem to be better informed and understand what they are doing better.  At some point, you are going to have to trust the SSA, as they are the ones calculating your ultimate benefits when you DO take your retirement benefits.  In my work in law offices, I did a lot of Social Security work, and always found their main office to be helpful and give accurate information.  As a matter of fact, after I retired at 67, I got a letter from SSA saying they had found some additional reported income that somehow didn't make it into their original computations and they raised my benefit amount and gave me a back payment for what I should have been getting all along.
> 
> Their income to include n your benefit amount does not stop at 59 -- it is calculated based on the 35 years in your work life in which you earned the most.



Hey Butterfly, I think your message is meant for rebecca, not me? I certainly don't believe Social Security is out to screw me...only Politicians and the Government who steal our Social Security savings, etc.  But I can't agree with you on the best thing for Rebecca to do is call the main Office number because when you call that number you will get a bunch of computerized voices that will keep sending you to hell and back until they finally let you talk to a human being...which according to how many other people ahead of you are waiting to talk to that same human being...could take you up to an hour or more. A better solution is to go on the Social Security.gov website and look for that answer which I think rebecca will find in my original reply to her posting, or to look online to find your local Social Security Office telephone number and call that number. You will still have some waiting time but I have found it is not as long as the 1-800 number. For a short time I worked for Social Security typing numbers on the cards.


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## Butterfly (Feb 4, 2016)

Babsinbloom65 said:


> Hey Butterfly, I think your message is meant for rebecca, not me? I certainly don't believe Social Security is out to screw me...only Politicians and the Government who steal our Social Security savings, etc.  But I can't agree with you on the best thing for Rebecca to do is call the main Office number because when you call that number you will get a bunch of computerized voices that will keep sending you to hell and back until they finally let you talk to a human being...which according to how many other people ahead of you are waiting to talk to that same human being...could take you up to an hour or more. A better solution is to go on the Social Security.gov website and look for that answer which I think rebecca will find in my original reply to her posting, or to look online to find your local Social Security Office telephone number and call that number. You will still have some waiting time but I have found it is not as long as the 1-800 number. For a short time I worked for Social Security typing numbers on the cards.



Oops.  Sorry!  

My recommendation to call the 800 number is just based on my experience with our local office here, which is not the greatest.  Waiting time at the 800 number can be a while, or you can opt to have them call you back by selecting that option on their phone menu.  At least that's the way it worked when I last called them about myself.  I've received excellent service from them, both when calling for clients, or for myself.


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## rebecca (Feb 4, 2016)

Thank you Babs, Butterfly and Linda,

No, my question was not answered. What I am trying to find out is if the much higher income I am earning in California starting at age 62 is part of the calculation in the index. It seems the index stops at age 59. IF my high income is NOT going to affect my social security calculations then I will return to the much cheaper East coast and not stay in California. I have read, in a book on social security, and at the website which I will include here, that indexing is based on all my (much lower) wages from age 21 to age 59. The higher wages in my 60's will not affect the calculated indexed wage?

Here is the quote "The Social Security benefit is based on indexed wages from the year of age 22 through the year of age 59 plus actual wages for the year of age 60 through the year prior to the elected retirement year (e.g., 2010 for those electing to take benefits in 2011). In order to determine indexed wages, an index factor for each year is calculated by dividing the national average wage index (NAWI) for the age-60 year by the NAWI for each year from the year of age 22 through the year of age 59. Indexing stops with the age-60 year."

What confused me is the [FONT=Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]phrase "plus actual wages for the year of age 60 through the year prior to the elected retirement age"  because it is followed by "NAWI for each year from the year of age 22 through the year of age 59"

Any insight/definitive knowledge of these seemingly contradictory statements?[/FONT]


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## Babsinbloom65 (Feb 4, 2016)

rebecca said:


> Thank you Babs, Butterfly and Linda,
> 
> No, my question was not answered. What I am trying to find out is if the much higher income I am earning in California starting at age 62 is part of the calculation in the index. It seems the index stops at age 59. IF my high income is NOT going to affect my social security calculations then I will return to the much cheaper East coast and not stay in California. I have read, in a book on social security, and at the website which I will include here, that indexing is based on all my (much lower) wages from age 21 to age 59. The higher wages in my 60's will not affect the calculated indexed wage?
> 
> ...



I'm sorry we weren't able to be of help to you. On Social Security's website there is an article about the maximum benefit that Social Security will pay out...I believe it was $2, 700 and something. So the way I understand that is you would not get more than the maximum they will pay out. The best thing to do is speak to someone with Social Security and they can either give you the correct info or connect you to someone who can.


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## Butterfly (Feb 4, 2016)

I agree.  You are going to have to call social security and ask them.    I read your quote above to mean that wages from age 60 to retirement are not subject to the indexing, not that wages from age 60 to retirement are not counted.  The indexing is related to the consumer price index, or one of the other economic indexes, and is applied to wages counting toward retirement benefits.   BUT, I think you are going to have to call them to find out the answer to your question.  Just call them and get it over with.  

Be sure they understand your question; as it seems more complicated than it sounds initially.


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## Kitty cats (Feb 7, 2016)

I'm almost 66 and going to apply for ss has anyone applied online? If so is it pretty easy and how long after I apply will start getting ss. Thanks


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## Butterfly (Feb 7, 2016)

Kitty cats said:


> I'm almost 66 and going to apply for ss has anyone applied online? If so is it pretty easy and how long after I apply will start getting ss. Thanks



I applied online.  It's very easy.  I started getting my benefits pretty quickly -- I can't remember the actual time, but it was pretty fast.


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## GgrannyJ (Feb 12, 2016)

I found this article from Forbes that might be helpful.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/kotliko...scure-incentive-to-keep-working/#3e0dfa9867d4


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