Skip to main content
AARPMiller
AARPMiller
Contributor ⭐
September 27, 2011

Share your concerns about Social Security

  • September 27, 2011
  • 337 replies
  • 187712 views

1)     In the article,  Social Security Fears, many Social Security myths are addressed. What concerns you the most about Social Security? 

      This topic has been closed for replies.

      337 replies

      Show previous replies
      HenryClay
      HenryClay
      Contributor ⭐
      October 29, 2013
      In Response to Share your fears about Social Security:
      1)       In the article,    Social Security Fears , many  Social Security myths  are addressed.  What concerns you the most about Social Security? 
      Posted by AARPMiller

      You can calculate your Social Security Payments !
      You can find out how much you will receive, at different ages, and make an informed decisions on when  , exactly, to retire.

      Try it!
      J
      jimsims0417
      Contributor ⭐
      May 6, 2014

      My fear is that I will not be able to afford to live here in a manner that I can eat and take all the medications I need to live. I am making chooses now that are not heaklthy for me like eating hambuger instaed of lamb or fish, Chicken I am so tierd of chicken and I can not remember when I had steat last. My wife and I live on a very thin budget and I have so much fear over what will happen to her when I am gone. I do not understand why we are being put in thisd terrible postion. I worked hard for thirty years and have very little to show for it, I lost my home to a short sale because we were under water and I cauld not afford to live in the house any longer. I am sick and tired of living in constant fear over wether I can afford to feed my wife and I pay rent and all the buills we ned to be somewhat comfortable. Last month I had to cut cable we ahve basic channel but I can not afford that now. There are some very simple things that could be donme to correct this problem,

      1) increase the age to collect SS starting with the people that ware in their late 40's

      2) increase the limit on paying SS tax to $350,000.

      3) investigate Medicare claims before you pay thenm to a new company.

      4) Pay back all IOUs from Congress immediately

      5) Pass a bill in Congress that hands off all SS funds from this time foward.

      6) Increae cola for the elderly now on SS

      7)  Build more elderly housing oin this country starting in the, starting in the northeast, Maine, Mass, New Hampshire, Conn* & Rhode Island.

      😎 Elimate sales tax on all elderly people over the age of 66. stae & Federal

      9) make a one time increase to SS so as to make the income livable and relieve fear.

      10) hands off of the SS funds no congressional body nor anybody else touchs our money

       

      B
      bernbang
      Contributor ⭐
      May 6, 2014

      I have conflicting answers for this so looking for someone that may have done this.

      I am 63 and not planning to retire until 65.  My wife is soon to be 62 and we planned to have the spousal benefit when I filed of about 1/2 of mine.  Can she collect her own now until I file and still get the same amount of about 1/2 of mine?  Advisor says go for it even though I will pay tax because it doesn't affect her later.  True or false.

      CrockettMC
      CrockettMC
      Contributor ⭐
      May 26, 2014

      @bernbang 

      I'm not certain that I've understood your question correctly.

      Based on my personal experience and knowledge, you have to apply for Social Security retirement benefits before before your spouse can claim a Social Security spousal benefit.

      The age at which you claim your retirement benefit determines the benefit amount that your spouse is entitled to receive.  If you retire before full retirement age, the maximum spousal benefit will be decreased by 8% for each year earlier that you retire.  In addition, your spouse's spousal benefit will be reduced by 4% for each year before your spouse reaches full retirement age.

      To maximize the Social Security spousal benefit, you would want to defer claiming your retirement benefit until your full retirement age and defering claiming the spousal benefit until the spouse reaches full retirement age at which your spouse can receive 1/2 your benefit.

      J
      jb65548036
      Contributor ⭐
      May 14, 2014

      As soon as president Obama was elected to a second term, he turned against the very people who got him a second term. The older voters feel cheated from this shyster president because of his attempts to change the cost of living for Social Security and agreed with the Republicans on cutting all benefits!  Thanks for nothing Obama! I voted for him both times ONLY because I disliked Romney so much.  The elderly cannot win when they are dealing with such dishonest crooks.

      J
      jpeter1
      Contributor ⭐
      May 21, 2014

      I started receiving SSA retirement pension when I turned 62. I went back to work afterward and I have been contributing FICA eversince. Somehow will my retirement pension increase ... if so how often.

      CrockettMC
      CrockettMC
      Contributor ⭐
      May 26, 2014

      I retired at the end of January 2013 after turning 68.  I worked the entire month and had, in addition, accumulated 3 years worth of banked vacation plus most of the 2012 holidays that I was unable to take due to project requirements.

       

      The income received in 2013 resulted in my 1978 income being dropped from the PIA and replaced by my 2013 income.  The amount of my Social Security retirement benefit was adjusted and I began receiving it in February 2014.

       

      It appears that the re-calculation of your retirement benefit occurs once a year after your previous year's earnings are reported to the IRS by your employer.

       

      My wife's spousal benefit didn't change but her benefit is based on a different set of years that would have been used to calculate my PIA at age 66.

      P
      pp8717
      Contributor ⭐
      May 27, 2014

      My fear is that Social Security, after I've paid into it all my life, will not exist or will be next to nothing by the time I retire.  I'm 45.

      J
      JBROVE
      Contributor ⭐
      June 8, 2014

      i'm worried about congress dipping into social security to fund their wasteful spending

      M
      mg6845
      Contributor ⭐
      June 8, 2014
      my children have been on ssi for awhile. i get the judge court order childsupport taken from my children. i have done my research on the ssi online page od children on ssi and it is not to be deemed. only people on tanf are to be deemed by ssi. i have never been on tanf at all. i have brought it to the attention of a supervisor at tge local ssi. still nothing and i have called and looked for a person to represent me or help me but i have hit a brick wall. here in texas its hard to find someone with intelligence. i struggle every month my income fluctuates to the point i cant even atend college at all. due tolack of funds.
      C
      cavankb
      Contributor ⭐
      July 15, 2014

      I quote from the AARP article addressing survivor benefits "Widows and widowers can receive 100 percent of their deceased breadwinner spouse's full retirement benefit if they wait to claim until they reach their own full retirement age, currently 66 for people born from 1945 to 1956. However, a reduced survivor benefit can be taken as early as age 60."  However, many surviving spouses receive a nasty surprise when they find out that in order to do so they will have to give up their own retirement benefits.  Will this ever by remedied?

      drawpoker
      drawpoker
      Contributor ⭐⭐
      July 17, 2014

      "a reduced survivor benefit can be taken as early as age 60."  However, many surviving spouses receive a nasty surprise when they find out that in order to do so they will have to give up their own retirement benefits. "

       

      Not quite.   No one is ever forced to give up their own retirement (drawing on their own work record instead of spouse)  if that monthly amount is higher.  

       

      Here is where I think you are confused.   As you say,  a widow (er) can start drawing on deceased spouse at age 60.  If she does,  she gets like 70.5 , 71 %  (I would have to look it up to be exact) of the spouses full benefit.  Spouse's full benefit meaning what he would have gotten at his full retirement age,  65,  66. 

       

      Now, let's say,  in your scenario,   a widow does this yet she continues to work herself.  Full time,  at a decent salary.  Now,  because she is going to be going over the earnings limit, she is going to have to give back a good deal of that social security check she is getting on husband's account.   But,  if this is what she wants,  fine.   The reward would come in 6 years.  She could then switch her monthly benefits from spousal to HER record,  since she herself is now at full retirement age,   and get a fatter soc. sec.  check for the rest of her life.  She was not locked in to taking spousal benefits as you seem to think.  She could make the switch if it meant more $$$

      Soc. Sec.  has always allowed people to pick whichever gives the most money if a person is eligible to draw on more than one account. 

      I think what you are griping about is  -  if a widow or widower starts drawing spousal benefits at their age of 60,  you seem to think when they turn 66 or 67,  whatever is their own full retirmemt age,  the benefit checks should be bumped up to 100% (maximum benefit amount)

       

      Sorry,  it doesn't work that way.  

       

       

       

       

      J
      jg8987
      Contributor ⭐
      July 29, 2014
      In my knowledge I believe that being disabled I should at least have enough money to cover all my bills, food prices, and a small bit of entertainment. On what I receive it is all gone the first day. I can barely round up enough for my medications. I am on quite a lot.
      Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement