Latest / Dr Ed Weir Show / Social Security Benefits If You’re Remarried? 2026 Rules Explained!

Transcript

Social Security Benefits If You’re Remarried? 2026 Rules Explained! · Dr Ed Weir Show

0:00
All right, let's see if we can find some
0:02
money for you, your family, your
0:03
friends. That uh little old guy down the
0:06
street, little old lady down the street.
0:08
This time we're going to talk about
0:10
today spouse benefits, divorce spouse
0:13
benefits, independently entitled divorce
0:15
spouse benefits, surviving spouse
0:17
benefits, widow widowerower, dw
0:20
benefits, disabled widow benefits. We'll
0:21
talk about that all that today. We've
0:23
got a bunch of questions here. got uh
0:26
the the team the the community out there
0:28
want me to answer one specific specific
0:30
question and uh let me go get into a
0:33
little bit what we're going to talk
0:34
about today. We'll get into the live Q&A
0:36
as well. All right. So, um there's a lot
0:39
of people out there that are losing
0:41
money on spouse benefits, particularly
0:43
divorced spouse benefits. So, we're
0:45
going to see if we can find some money
0:46
out there. We have found a lot of people
0:50
some money um on this. So, are you able
0:53
to be remarried
0:56
and get benefits on an ex
0:59
ex's social security record? Yes.
1:05
But
1:06
there's there's always a butt with
1:08
social security in terms of there's over
1:10
20,000 pages of policy and there's
1:13
exceptions the exceptions exceptions.
1:14
Here's what people mess up is they were
1:17
married to a particular person for 10,
1:20
15, 20 years when they were younger.
1:22
They got divorced, they got remarried,
1:27
and then they got divorced again. And
1:29
they thought they think they continue to
1:32
think and lose money because of it. They
1:34
continue to think, well, I got
1:35
remarried. And and if you look at social
1:37
security policy, it says, yeah, if you
1:39
got remarried, you can't collect
1:40
benefits on a previous spouse. Yeah, but
1:42
continue on. And it says, "But if you're
1:44
now currently not married, then you can
1:48
collect benefits on an expouse." And
1:50
we've got a this is a this is a proud
1:53
day. We've finally got um our new
1:57
website up, 24help.org.
1:59
It's got some guy's mug on there. I'll
2:01
see if I can take that off later. But
2:03
anyway, and we've got a lot of
2:05
information. I've been working on this
2:07
for a long time. There's a bunch of I'm
2:08
sure there's little things you're going
2:10
to find and and let me know in the
2:11
comments. say, "Hey, I I pushed this
2:13
button and it didn't work yet. Please
2:15
let me know." It's a it's a work in
2:16
progress. There's a lot of information
2:18
there. We're trying to help as many
2:19
people as we possibly can. So, um, let's
2:23
go into the first tool, and I certainly
2:25
hope this works. Um, I'm not a computer
2:28
guy, so, uh, we we'll see here. Okay.
2:31
So, um, there's, uh, there's tons of
2:34
questions in here. This is officially
2:36
it's it's what this is based on is
2:40
official official government policy.
2:44
20,000 pages of social security policy,
2:46
Medicaid policy, Medicare policy, SNAP,
2:51
a whole bunch of it. I consolidated all
2:53
of this and then translated all into
2:56
English. So there's there's the policy
2:59
and it's correct. It's 100% correct. We
3:02
check it on a regular basis from anytime
3:04
Social Security updates, anything,
3:06
Medicare updates, anything, we change
3:07
our our database there and then I
3:10
translate it so y'all can so we can
3:12
actually understand it. I've read these
3:14
policies for decades. And I've even got
3:15
a a chat. You can actually actually talk
3:18
to me and you can download the chat. um
3:21
you go to the bottom there and you can
3:24
add the little chat to your home screen
3:26
and that's where we get the 24 help is
3:28
because we're able to help you 247 and
3:32
there's an audio version in there as
3:34
well. Um I don't think it's activated
3:36
yet but you can actually talk to me and
3:39
it's got my voice but it's an it's a v
3:41
it's an AI type of situation but anyway
3:44
so this is going to help a lot of
3:46
people. So but I'll we'll get back to
3:47
this in a little bit. Um, so can I get
3:50
expouse benefit? You click on it there
3:52
and
3:53
make it a little bit bigger. This is
3:55
really a lot of people use this on their
3:57
cell phones. All right. So this is the
4:00
issue. Is your ex still out there
4:02
somewhere? If yes, they're still alive.
4:05
Then you click the next button. Were you
4:07
legally married? Was it a formal
4:09
marriage? Common law marriage? Never
4:11
legally married? Then obviously, you
4:12
know, yeah, that's a big X there. Common
4:15
law marriage do help. do do you know
4:18
depends on a particular state the
4:19
particular time so let's say it's a it's
4:21
a formal marriage and the question is
4:24
how long were you married everybody how
4:25
long did you have to be married if it
4:27
was if it was a divorce had to be
4:29
married at least 10 years so let's put
4:31
16 years there and what is your current
4:34
marriage status so that's so if you're
4:37
remarried then you're still married but
4:40
if you got remarried here's the key if
4:42
you got remarried
4:44
I've taken application ations from
4:46
people
4:48
and they were married four times, five
4:50
times, six times and
4:54
part of the retirement application is
4:55
going through each one of those. So,
4:57
okay, you know, okay, regular retirement
5:00
application when you go in there takes
5:02
about 10 15 about 15 20 minutes, depends
5:05
if you got uh, you know, scrambled
5:07
earnings, all kinds of different issues,
5:09
but it doesn't take that long. Um, and
5:11
now with social security being backed
5:13
up, they're trying to get people out the
5:15
door or not even bring them in the door,
5:17
do them over the phone. But if all of a
5:18
sudden you say, "Okay, yeah, I was
5:20
married four times for at least 10
5:21
years." Like, "Oh, okay. This interview
5:22
is going to last a lot longer because
5:24
the Social Security employee has to go
5:26
through every single one." So, if you
5:28
were married to someone and the first
5:30
person you were married to has the most
5:32
the highest amount that you can get,
5:35
then it doesn't matter what the other
5:36
three whether you were married three
5:37
times after that. So, the trick is you
5:40
can be remarried. A lot of you can't you
5:43
you can't believe how many people are
5:44
out there saying, "Well, yeah, I I
5:46
wanted to collect benefits on on an ex,
5:48
but I got remarried." Okay, that's fine.
5:50
But are you currently married? No, I'm
5:52
not married. Well, then then you can
5:53
possibly get benefits. Okay, so
5:56
unmarried. Click that. And how old are
5:59
you right now? Let's say you're 63. How
6:02
old is your spouse? Let's say 62.
6:06
And is your ex-spouse already collecting
6:08
benefits? And let's say no, you don't
6:11
know. And here is the the next one a lot
6:14
of people lose money on. It's called
6:16
independently entitled divorce spouse
6:18
benefits. Your exspouse does not have to
6:22
be receiving benefits. Does not have to
6:24
be receiving benefits. They just have to
6:28
be at least 62 years old. Okay. How
6:31
many? And then here's the other one. For
6:33
that one, you had to be at least
6:35
divorced at least two years. So, let's
6:37
put three years there. And this is that
6:39
independently entitled divorce spouse
6:40
benefits. The PIA, most people don't
6:43
know it. Most people don't know what
6:44
their own PIA, that's the benefit amount
6:46
at your full retirement age. And yeah,
6:49
you just put I don't know. So according
6:52
to this um you can get up to 50% of your
6:55
uh that person's full benefit amount and
6:59
you may be eligible for independently
7:02
entitled divorced spouse benefits. And
7:04
what is that divorced? You had to be
7:06
divorced at least two years. Your ex has
7:08
to be at least 62 years old. And you can
7:11
file even if they haven't filed. And
7:14
remember if the ex passes away later
7:17
then all the calculations change. And I
7:19
even got you here. You log in, you call
7:22
social security. I even got here what
7:24
you tell social security. Um, and about
7:27
common law marriages, uh, spouse, we've
7:31
got a ton of information on this website
7:34
and it's 100% free. Go in there. people
7:37
that are um having issues with uh
7:39
Medicaid right now or worrying about
7:41
Medicaid. We're joining together and
7:44
getting
7:47
trying to help each other with Medicaid
7:49
with all of the changes coming based on
7:51
the one big beautiful bill. If you are
7:54
on disability and you're worrying about
7:55
CDRs, I've been talking about for a
7:57
while. We're going to help you out with
7:58
the CDRs, those continuing disability
8:00
reviews. Well, there it is. It's finally
8:02
there. just go ahead and we're going to
8:04
send you a package once your CDR
8:07
[snorts] is up and we're going to help
8:08
you through the entire process. All
8:11
right. So, what about survivor benefits?
8:15
If you were married to someone and for
8:18
survivor benefits, you just had to be
8:20
married to that person for 9 months
8:25
and but you had to be it's not not a
8:27
divorce type situation. You couldn't be
8:29
married 9 months and then get divorced.
8:31
You had to be married to the person when
8:33
they actually passed away and you didn't
8:35
have to be married 10 years. Again, so
8:37
many people are losing money because of
8:39
that. So, please subscribe, like, share,
8:41
do all that stupid stuff we have to do
8:42
to get this information out there. So,
8:46
you just had to be married to the person
8:48
for 9 months. Actually, less if it was
8:50
an accident, if they passed away because
8:52
of an accident or they were active duty
8:53
in the military. But
8:57
you got remarried after. Okay. Same
8:59
situation. You were married to someone
9:01
in your 20s and 30s, they passed away
9:03
after nine months and then you got
9:05
remarried later. The key is are you now
9:08
unmarried? Are you now since divorced,
9:11
unmarried from, you know, your second or
9:13
third or fourth marriage, whatever. Or
9:16
with surviving spouse benefits, you can
9:19
you can remarry after 60 years old. They
9:22
disregard any marriages after 60 years
9:24
old. So you could have been married to
9:25
someone in their 20s and 30s. They
9:27
passed away. [snorts] You got married re
9:29
married and divorced, married and
9:31
divorced and
9:33
then at 60 you got married after 60.
9:37
You're good. You can collect surviving
9:39
spouse benefits. It's all it's all kind
9:40
of crazy complicated. um you go on to
9:43
the website there you you can search you
9:46
can actually ask me and uh yeah you can
9:50
have a conversation with me and again
9:52
that's based on social security policy
9:55
um the answer I give you is based on
9:57
social security policy so it's kind of
9:58
like searching you know 20,000 pages of
10:00
policy but the the bad part is you have
10:03
to sit there and look at my face the
10:04
entire time but but it's a small little
10:06
image there so all right let let me let
10:08
me answer this one question everybody on
10:10
the uh the community out wants me to
10:12
answer this uh person's question here.
10:16
So, when claiming survivor benefits, do
10:18
you get 100% of what they were receiving
10:21
if I wait until full retirement age?
10:25
Ye of what they were receiving.
10:30
Um, but that's that's that's the key.
10:34
So, but one of the things is full
10:37
retirement age for survivor benefits is
10:41
a little bit different than regular
10:43
full retirement age for benefits on your
10:45
own record. That's one of those weird
10:47
things that people don't understand.
10:49
Say, say for instance, your full
10:51
retirement age is 67 years old. Your
10:54
survivor full retirement age might be 66
10:58
and 10 months or 66 and 8 months. It's
11:00
kind of it's kind of strange, but
11:02
anyway. So, there's [clears throat]
11:02
that.
11:04
Survivor benefits are really complicated
11:06
to to figure out. It depends on when
11:10
your your spouse, the deceased spouse,
11:14
when and if they started collecting
11:17
social security benefits.
11:19
So if they started collecting early, you
11:21
get 100% of essentially that benefit
11:24
amount.
11:25
You might actually get tad bit more
11:28
depends on there's called this rib. um
11:32
there the benefit amount and so there's
11:34
yeah there's it's all kinds of crazy
11:36
calculation for survivor benefits. If
11:37
they were receiving benefits um at full
11:40
retirement age then you got then you get
11:42
100% e if they took if they waited to
11:46
collect benefits after their full
11:48
retirement age. You get 100% of their
11:49
full benefit amount plus up to 24% if
11:54
depending on how long they waited to
11:55
collect their social security benefits.
11:56
So anyway, it's all crazy complicated.
11:59
The easiest way to do it is to call
12:01
Social Security, set up an appointment,
12:03
talk to a title two CS, title two of the
12:06
Social Security Act claim specialist,
12:08
and then basically you kind of file a
12:10
claim. So say, "Okay, I think I might
12:13
start I want to start survivor benefits
12:15
this month or next month or whatever."
12:17
And you call them up and then you can
12:20
get the definitive numbers. If you just
12:22
call up and talk to somebody on the
12:24
phone, the regular generalist on the
12:25
phone on survivor benefits, too many
12:28
people are getting the wrong calculation
12:30
because it sometimes gets complicated.
12:32
Depends on when your ex started
12:34
benefits. So, if you want a certain 100%
12:37
accurate, then you need to actually file
12:40
a claim. They go through the process and
12:42
then they tell you your official number
12:44
and it and you don't have to take it.
12:46
You can say, "Oh, okay. That's the
12:48
official number. Ah, never mind. I'll
12:50
wait till next year or two years from
12:51
now or whatever the case may be. So,
12:53
they're not, you know, they're not going
12:54
to, you know, it's like a used car
12:55
salesman. It's like, uh, um, yeah, sorry
12:58
for used car salesman out there. It's
12:59
not like, oh my gosh, I lost a sale.
13:01
They they've got another 400 claims
13:03
waiting on their desk to deal with. So,
13:04
they're they're they're not worrying
13:06
about your claim. Um, so hopefully that
13:09
answers your question. And then follow
13:11
up. I have VA benefits. Do I need part A
13:13
and B? Another good question there. And
13:16
guess what? That's a the the very very
13:18
common questions I get is uh the most
13:22
common ones I put them right up here. Um
13:24
do I need part B? That's that's what you
13:27
just asked. When should you start? What
13:28
about expouse benefits? Can I file for
13:30
disability? I actually got a video
13:31
question about that. I got a letter from
13:32
Social Security. And we're coming up.
13:34
We've got a um a letter
13:41
translator.
13:43
So, [snorts]
13:44
I got a scary letter from Social
13:45
Security and it goes through the entire
13:48
thing and it tells you, "Okay, this
13:50
particular letter, this type of letter
13:51
does this. This type of letter means
13:53
this. Here's what you have to do." So,
13:57
um I already found one little mistake
13:59
there on the new website. So, let me uh
14:01
let me jot that down. Um and if you find
14:03
anything else, do me a favor. Um on the
14:05
YouTube comments, put it in the YouTube
14:07
comments. Hey, Ed, I went here and the
14:09
explanation wasn't clear enough. this
14:11
font was too small or whatever the case
14:14
may be and then let me know and uh we'll
14:16
get our computer people to actually look
14:18
at it. I'm not going to touch it because
14:20
I'll break it. Um but anyway, so let's
14:23
see what we're looking at here for do I
14:25
need part B? Ah, should I sign up for
14:27
part B? Wow, look at that. You know,
14:29
I've had that question a bunch of times,
14:30
right? [snorts] So, same type of thing.
14:33
Um, and it'll walk you through the
14:35
entire thing. You But to to answer your
14:38
specific question, I've actually got the
14:40
answer to your question in that little
14:42
tool for other people as well, but since
14:44
you're here asking,
14:46
you have VA benefits.
14:49
So, I'm I'm assuming you you're not
14:52
Triricare Champ, VA, Triricare for Life
14:55
or anything like that. You have just
14:56
regular VA benefits through the VA.
14:59
You're you're like I am. I'm a former,
15:00
you know, Marine Corps sergeant. Um, but
15:03
I didn't retire retire even though eight
15:06
years in the Marine Corps is considered
15:07
20 years and every all the other
15:09
services, but we won't go there. But I
15:12
didn't retire so I can't get, you know,
15:14
try care for life, you know, the
15:16
retirement. But if I was eligible,
15:18
[snorts] I could get VA benefits and use
15:20
the VA clinic. I'm not, but anyway. Um,
15:24
so you're using a VA clinic and you're
15:27
happy with it generally and you don't
15:31
want to pay $22.90
15:34
for part B, right? Um, and that's what
15:38
you're talk that's that's your question.
15:42
Part A, I'm sure you don't care about
15:44
because it's zero premium, right? So if
15:46
you start your social security benefits,
15:47
you start part A automatic. It's zero
15:50
premium for most people. 99.9% of
15:52
people. It's zero premium for you. So,
15:55
okay, whatever. You'll take it. Part B,
15:57
you don't want to waste the $22.90.
15:59
Understood.
16:02
If you have VA, that is not considered
16:04
creditable coverage.
16:07
So, you don't have to take it. You're an
16:09
old military person. You know, there's
16:10
you don't have to do anything in life
16:12
there. Nothing is mandatory. The
16:15
repercussions are if you don't and you
16:18
change your mind later and you decide to
16:20
sign up for part B for whatever reason
16:22
because the VA clinic the customer
16:24
service went down you move there's no
16:25
more V clinic VA clinic they closed the
16:27
VA clinic you need a second opinion
16:30
whatever the case may be and you want to
16:31
go back to part B number one you can't
16:33
do it until January February March
16:36
the general enrollment period which the
16:39
there right now we're in the general
16:40
enrollment period if you forgot to sign
16:41
up for part B you can sign up for it
16:43
right now it'll start April 1st
16:44
you just might have to pay a penalty
16:46
penalty for the retail. And by the way,
16:48
we're also in the the we're we're
16:50
winding down the
16:53
um open enrollment period as well. That
16:56
is for those people that have Medicare
16:58
Advantage plans that may have chosen the
17:00
wrong one or they don't know whether
17:01
they chose the right one or they're
17:03
they're they changed their doctors and
17:05
they need something else or they found
17:06
out their medications were too expensive
17:08
and so they want to check out another
17:09
option. then you can call our partners a
17:11
chapter there and you have until March
17:14
31st to change it. You've got one
17:16
opportunity to change it. If you do it
17:20
by March 31st, the new plan will take
17:22
effect April 1st. If you don't do it by
17:24
March 31st, then you'll for most people
17:27
have to wait till October and then the
17:28
new plan will start January 1st unless
17:30
you move or you know you're new to
17:32
Medicare or something like that. But
17:33
anyway, you give them a call and they'll
17:34
help you out.
17:36
So, in terms of you and the VA, um, if
17:40
you don't sign up for it, then you could
17:41
be penalized. 10% for every 12 months
17:44
you didn't have health insurance. So,
17:48
and then
17:49
here here's there's a couple of ways to
17:52
get out of paying for Medicare Part B.
17:56
One is um, let me
18:00
uh, Medicaid. That's the what we're
18:04
having a lot of issues where Medicaid is
18:06
under attack right now. And so we're
18:08
going to try to band together, get
18:10
everybody um to let us know what's going
18:13
on in their particular state. And so
18:16
make sure you sign up and power and
18:17
numbers. Um but Medicaid, if you're
18:20
eligible for Medicaid in your particular
18:22
state, and states call it different,
18:23
Arizona, they call it access, and
18:25
California they call it medical. Um, but
18:28
if you're eligible for Medicaid, you
18:31
sign up, they will pay for your Part B
18:32
premium, that $22.90.
18:36
If
18:37
uh want a Medicare Advantage plan, they
18:40
have Medicare Advantage plans that are
18:42
called Part B give back. And again, you
18:45
can call chapter and they pay for part
18:47
of your part B. And a lot of those
18:49
plans,
18:50
they they know their their their
18:53
audience is people on the VA, so they
18:56
call them honor plans or patriot plans.
18:59
Um because a lot of vets get those
19:01
because they so they can have their cake
19:03
and eat it too. They can have their VA,
19:05
but they can also have a fallback and
19:08
they don't have to pay the full $22.90.
19:11
So there might be one available in your
19:13
area that will pay for part of your part
19:15
B. So, uh, all right. Let's see what
19:19
other kind of questions we got here. Um,
19:22
looks like, uh, this person kind of
19:24
asked about a thousand questions there,
19:25
but, uh, I think we answered all of
19:27
them. To receive death benefits, you
19:28
have to wait until you're turned 60, but
19:31
you can't have remarried before 60. Um,
19:35
exceptions on both of those. To receive
19:38
survivor benefits, you can collect
19:40
survivor benefits as early as 50 years
19:42
old. That's what that disabled widows
19:43
benefits I was talking about. disabled
19:45
widows benefits between 50 and 59 years
19:48
old. Okay. 60 you again you can remarry.
19:52
This is this is the thing that people we
19:55
we know what you mean but people
19:57
misinterpret that and they say oh yeah I
20:00
was married to someone and then I got
20:01
remarried so I can't collect benefit. No
20:03
no you can remarry
20:06
before 60 for survivor benefits. You
20:09
just have that other marriage has to end
20:13
in marriage, divorce, anulment or death.
20:17
So, and yes, you're correct on the other
20:20
part. You can uh remarry after 60.
20:23
Actually, if you're on disabled widow
20:25
benefits, you can actually remarry after
20:26
50 years old. See, there's exceptions,
20:28
exceptions, exceptions. And guess what?
20:30
my little chat virtual chat AI. And um
20:34
I'm sure people are going to call me out
20:35
on it that uh um I always said if I was
20:39
going to make a virtual version of my
20:41
myself, I was going to put more hair on
20:43
my head. I didn't. So yeah. All right.
20:47
May maybe later. Um Oh, wow. Focus lady.
20:50
Nice. Oh, wow. Thank you very much. Wow.
20:53
Nice donation. We appreciate that. Thank
20:55
you for your support. Um never married.
20:58
Um, family member got SSDI, cut off due
21:01
to rural location, and she is now
21:04
homeless after being considered holding
21:06
out as married for 29 years after
21:08
domestic violence, identity, theft. What
21:10
can she do? A verified by local. Wow.
21:15
So, it was a holding. So, it was a
21:17
common law and that particular state
21:19
recognizes common law at that particular
21:22
here. Here's one mistake that people
21:24
make is they say, um, yeah, I was we
21:29
held out as that's the terms they use.
21:31
We held out as a as a as a husband and
21:34
wife. We were kind of common law for,
21:35
you know, 10, 20, 30 years. And someone
21:38
says, "Yeah, we don't recognize it in
21:40
this state." And you're like, "Oh, wow.
21:42
That's I guess you can't get it." don't
21:45
some states don't recognize it in the
21:47
state now,
21:50
but the time that you were holding out
21:54
as a you know acting as a husband and
21:56
wife, they did recognize it. So, there's
21:58
a lot of people out there missing those
21:59
benefits. All right, so focus lady,
22:01
thank you for helping this person out.
22:03
Let's see if we can uh see what we can
22:04
do. Never married family. Okay. Check
22:08
the um yeah the and don't don't do the
22:13
research yourself on on common law.
22:16
That's what Social Security's job is.
22:18
They have I've done this way a lot a lot
22:21
of times. Um you just you just say,
22:24
"Hey,
22:26
we were common law." And then Social
22:28
Security has in their 20,000 pages of
22:31
policy, they have the particular states
22:35
laws
22:36
and when
22:38
if if those common law are no longer on
22:41
the books, but they they they recognize
22:44
common law in the 60s or 70s or 80s or
22:46
whatever the case may be, they don't do
22:47
it now, but they because they changed
22:48
the law, but at that time they did, then
22:50
you should be good. Um and then if they
22:53
say yeah at that particular time in that
22:55
particular state yes they did recognize
22:57
they did recognize common law and then
22:59
they will tell you according to the
23:01
state because this is all you know
23:03
marriage and divorce or state issues.
23:04
Social security just has to go by
23:06
whatever the state says and [snorts] in
23:08
those particular cases they look at it
23:09
and says okay this particular state in
23:11
order to prove that you have to have
23:12
this this this and this and the social
23:14
security employee will tell you. So
23:15
focus lady thank you. um tell that
23:18
person to call social security
23:20
immediately.
23:22
And um yeah,
23:25
you know that why was the SSDI cut off
23:28
due to a rural location? That that one
23:30
right there makes no sense whatsoever.
23:32
And that's this is why we've started um
23:36
this up here, the CDR help. Oh, let me
23:38
move this out of the way. um the CDR
23:42
help where we find out when um you're
23:46
going to get your review and we get you
23:49
prepared. We'll send you a package if
23:51
you're going to have your CDR, your
23:53
continuing disability review in October.
23:55
We'll send it to you a few months before
23:56
and it'll go through the entire thing.
23:59
It'll tell you um what to expect and
24:01
again, don't stress it, you know, be
24:04
prepared and that's what we're doing is
24:06
help you get prepared. So, you can just
24:08
click that and then uh tell us when it
24:10
is and then we'll send you the the
24:12
entire thing and you can be prepared. Um
24:15
and then there's that
24:18
that hairless Dr. Ed virtual assistant
24:20
chat you can always ask questions to.
24:22
But, uh yeah. Um yeah, the SSDI was cut
24:27
off because of a rule thing. That
24:28
doesn't make any sense. Um was it cut
24:31
off recently? because they do have
24:33
appeal rates usually within 60 days but
24:35
there's a lot of good cause that so
24:38
focus lady yeah give us a little bit
24:39
more information on that what why the
24:41
why did they cut it off her SSDI why did
24:43
they cut off her disability because she
24:44
lived in a rural area um but for the
24:48
common law thing immediately call social
24:49
security
24:51
and and don't tell the person on the
24:54
phone don't tell them common law or
24:55
anything like that because
24:58
yeah that's none of their business say I
25:00
want to file for benefits on an ex's his
25:02
record. We were married. Just say it.
25:04
I've married for 10, 20, 30 years,
25:06
whatever the case may be. And then once
25:08
you get your time with Title 2C, title
25:10
two of the Social Security Act claim
25:12
specialist, you just tell them at that
25:14
time. Okay? They'll say, "Where's your
25:16
marriage and divorce decree?" Okay, it
25:18
was actually common law. Okay, no
25:20
problem. Let's pull up the policy. What
25:22
state? This state. When was it? Okay,
25:25
here's what you need. So, and let us
25:27
know how that go let us know how that
25:28
goes. and and the SSDI thing being cut
25:31
off because she lived in the country.
25:32
That yeah, that makes that makes no
25:35
sense.
25:36
Um, all right. Uh, let's see. Hello. We
25:40
are a married couple. If the lower
25:42
earner turns on as fraud as is 67 and
25:45
the higher earner passes, does the lower
25:47
earner partner get the full higher
25:49
amount or do they get a lower amount?
25:51
Well, if you're saying the low earning
25:53
turns 67, they would get the the full
25:56
amount because they're the, you know,
25:59
the they're their their full retirement
26:01
age. So, you get here's the other thing
26:04
about surviving spouse benefits,
26:07
which makes the calculations even more
26:08
difficult is that depending on the
26:12
situation,
26:14
the benefit at 62 and a half might not
26:18
increase. You're like, "Oh, if I wait
26:19
until full retirement age,
26:22
the benefits on surviving spouse will
26:24
always increase." No. Depends if the ex
26:28
took their benefits early. This is
26:30
called the wibl limb, widow's limb.
26:32
Social Security called it the the the
26:34
the rib limb. But anyway, potato,
26:40
your max will be 82.5%.
26:44
Not 100%. even if you wait till your
26:46
full retirement age because the previous
26:47
person Yeah. So it's it's a weird
26:49
calculation. Survivor benefits is just
26:51
strange. So yeah, if you wait till your
26:54
full retirement age, you essentially get
26:55
100% uh of that person's benefit amount.
26:58
But on survivor benefits, I would always
27:01
call and confirm that. And the way you
27:03
do it particularly at 62 and a half. So
27:05
if you have anybody waiting to collect
27:07
survivor benefits later because it'll go
27:09
up to 100% at their full retirement age
27:11
around just before 60 62 I'd have them
27:14
call and say okay I just want to double
27:17
check. um after 62 1/2 are my benefits
27:21
going to continue to increase or are
27:23
they going to be pretty much the same
27:25
from 62 1/2 until 67 or again earlier
27:29
because the board's just they make it
27:32
all crazy difficult right they make it
27:35
way too difficult um that's why we have
27:38
the most popular channel for social
27:40
security and stuff because people if if
27:42
if it was easy and they were understand
27:44
it then I would have to make some other
27:47
type of videos and blow up something. I
27:49
don't know. Whatever. Yeah. You never
27:50
seen Do I have to donate here to get Ed
27:53
to answer my question? No. And I asked
27:56
your question before you even asked
27:57
that. So, absolutely not. I get hundreds
27:59
of questions and they just fly up and I
28:01
press the button and see what pops up. I
28:03
don't It's just me, myself, and I here.
28:05
So, there's nobody screening anything.
28:07
There's some uh other similar type
28:10
channels out there that they say, "Hey,
28:11
we're going live. We're we're we're
28:14
answering live questions, but they're
28:15
just recorded and edited and then Yeah.
28:18
So, yeah, we don't we don't play that
28:20
here. Um, if they passed and never
28:24
collected Social Security benefits and
28:26
you file for widow's benefit 60, do you
28:28
get 100%. No. At that time, if you if
28:30
they passed and never collected, you
28:33
will get a you will get 100% of their
28:35
benefit amount once you hit your
28:38
survivors full retirement age, around
28:40
just before 67 or so.
28:43
If you started at 60, then you'll get
28:45
71.5%.
28:48
You'll be fully reduced.
28:52
I'm 68 years old, in the process of
28:54
getting divorced from my wife. She is 15
28:56
years younger than I am. Can I file
28:58
against her social security once we get
28:59
divorced? Um, not until she turns at
29:02
least 62 years old, unless she's on
29:04
disability benefits. And the benefits
29:06
also the the calculations also have to
29:08
match. your benefit amount has to be
29:10
less than half of her full benefit
29:13
amount. So, got a couple of uh video
29:16
questions that people have sent in.
29:22
Hi, my question is, I have guardianship
29:25
over my two grandsons for the last four
29:28
years. My son apparently never worked
29:31
and paid in Social Security. Now, I'm
29:33
being told I cannot claim any Social
29:35
Security benefits for my children. They
29:38
said, "It's out of the goodness of my
29:39
heart, me taking my kids, my grandkids,
29:41
and paying for them fully out of my own
29:43
pocket." Well, now I'm on Social
29:45
Security and my pay has been cut in
29:46
half. So, I have a 16-year-old left at
29:49
home. Is there any way that they will
29:51
let me get Social Security off of my
29:53
benefits?
29:56
>> Okay. Um,
29:58
yeah, let's see here. For
30:02
they they really need to change the law
30:03
on this one. There's too many
30:05
grandparents taking care of their
30:06
grandchildren. Um, and you, so if the
30:10
parent,
30:12
the grandchild can get benefits off of
30:14
the parents record if the parent is
30:16
receiving retirement benefits,
30:17
disability benefits, or deceased and
30:20
also with all of those actually had to
30:22
pay into social security.
30:25
The child can get benefits on a
30:27
grandparents record if the grandparent
30:31
adopts the child and the grandparent is
30:34
receiving retirement benefits,
30:35
disability benefits, right? Um, but you
30:39
have to adopt the child
30:41
or the parents, both parents have to be
30:44
deceased or disabled. So, if any of
30:47
those apply, then they can get benefits
30:50
off the grandparents record.
30:52
guardianship unfortunately doesn't work.
30:55
They they should definitely change the
30:57
law because so many people are taking
30:59
care of their grandchildren nowadays.
31:02
They really need to do something about
31:03
that. And and I'm not sure why um you
31:06
said that your benefits were cut in
31:07
half. Yeah. What's going on with that
31:10
one? Also, there are county programs um
31:14
that the city state uh county programs
31:17
are called non-needy caretaker. So if
31:20
you're taking care of a grandchild
31:22
and you're not necessarily needs-based,
31:26
welfare-based situation yourself, but
31:29
because you know, you're taking care of
31:31
grandchildren, grandchild, you're, you
31:32
know, doing the right thing. Um, they're
31:35
called non needy caretaker and they pay
31:40
you the the state, city, county,
31:42
whatever pays you money for what you're
31:45
doing. So check that out. if there's
31:48
anybody uh it's really depends on the
31:50
particular city, state, locality,
31:52
whatever. Um whether those exist, if
31:55
there's anybody out there that knows
31:58
about that in their particular state,
32:00
I'm going to have to put uh on the
32:02
website. That's what we're trying to do.
32:03
We're trying to consolidate all of that.
32:05
So, we're working on a caretaker type of
32:07
situation for those people taking care
32:09
of their, you know, grandchildren, their
32:12
parents, their uncles, aunts, and all
32:14
that kind of stuff. We're going to put
32:15
some resources together to get you all
32:17
to help out. um to to help you help
32:20
other people.
32:23
>> My name is David from Oklahoma.
32:25
I will turn 62 in April. I've had five
32:30
total shoulder replacements.
32:32
I can barely get my right arm up due to
32:37
nerve damage in my right shoulder and
32:40
arm into my fingers. Do I qualify at all
32:44
for Social Security disability?
32:46
>> [snorts]
32:48
>> All right. And guess what? That is a
32:51
very common question. And that's exactly
32:54
why
32:57
I've got it as one of my frequently
32:59
asked questions right there. Can I file
33:00
for disability? And it goes right in
33:02
there, tells you exactly. Um, yeah, kind
33:05
of goes through the entire thing. The
33:08
page kind of popped down to the bottom
33:09
there, didn't it? That shouldn't have
33:10
done that. So, we're going to have to
33:11
fix that. Am I even eligible? So, there
33:13
you go.
33:14
um go through there. But the long story
33:17
short, if your Social Security defines
33:20
disability as the inability to work
33:22
because of your disabling condition and
33:24
your disabling condition has to last 12
33:27
months or longer. And [snorts] people
33:29
make the mistake and says, "Oh, okay. Um
33:31
I I became disabled. I guess I have to
33:33
wait till 12 months of being on being
33:36
disabled to collect Social Security
33:37
benefits to file." No, 12 months is your
33:40
disability has to have lasted or will
33:42
last 12 months or longer. So, if your
33:45
particular situation, young man, if you
33:48
can't work because of that, file, file.
33:51
You can do it online. You can call up,
33:53
schedule appointment. I would definitely
33:56
get the process done immediately. Start
33:58
it because right now it's taking months
34:01
and months and months and months to get
34:03
a decision. And you know, the sooner you
34:06
get it started, sooner you get the
34:08
process started, the better. And you can
34:10
go online, and that's the way I kind of
34:12
recommend. We've got some experts that
34:14
help people out filing online. So, if
34:17
you need help on that, reach out to
34:18
them. Those those are individual paid
34:20
appointments to to support them. Um, but
34:23
yeah, you can just file online. Um, and
34:28
because you're also 62,
34:31
you can do what's called a rib dib is
34:34
where you can file for retirement
34:36
benefits and disability benefits at the
34:38
same time. And you're not going to get
34:40
two checks in this particular two full
34:43
checks.
34:45
Why people do that is because they go
34:47
ahead and file for disability benefits
34:48
and they realize it's going to take six
34:50
to nine months if you're lucky to get a
34:51
decision and you need money within that
34:56
six n months, right? So people then file
34:58
for retirement benefits, get the
35:00
retirement benefits started while
35:01
they're waiting for their disability
35:03
benefit, the disability claim to be
35:06
decided. So that is an option a lot of
35:08
people take. Um, well, I do know what
35:11
that my PIA will probably be less than
35:13
half of what hers is because she's uh
35:16
still working. I'm not. Okay. Yeah. So,
35:18
is if she So, she's working. So, she's
35:20
not on disability. So, she just has to
35:22
be 62 years old for you to collect
35:25
benefits on her record. And you also
35:28
have to be at least you you have to be
35:30
collecting benefits on your own record.
35:32
So, Pink, love to see your channel. I
35:34
know you can't put the link here, but if
35:35
you're not private, can you Oh, someone
35:37
uh uh someone's got another channel.
35:39
Yeah. got a cool channel, let us know.
35:41
We'll be more than happy to show some
35:43
love. The squirrels are fat and happy
35:46
after brutally. Okay, we got a
35:48
interesting community here. We're a
35:51
married couple. Oh, okay. I already
35:53
answered this one. Uh Jen, I remarried
35:57
and my new spouse is on disability, but
35:59
I want to know is I can get my benefit
36:02
for from my ex-spouse. I was with him
36:04
for or them 20 years and he's father of
36:07
my seven kids. Wow. Seven kids. Wow.
36:08
That's you defin but you said expouse.
36:12
You didn't say he's disabled and so
36:15
doesn't sound like it because you're
36:17
remarried and you're current again
36:19
remarried not an issue. Are you
36:21
currently married? Sounds like you are
36:23
currently married and your expouse is
36:27
still out there and not a surviving, you
36:31
know, not a deceased spouse type
36:32
situation. So, this would be a no unless
36:36
we're talking about a surviving spouse
36:37
benefit and you remarried after the age
36:40
of 60, but it doesn't sound like uh
36:41
that's what you're talking about. So, um
36:44
let's see. Say, "Where can I get the
36:46
process started to get paid to take care
36:48
of an elderly?" Um Social Security
36:51
doesn't do that. There are some places
36:54
and that's definitely one of the uh the
36:56
caretaker thing we're working on is in
37:00
some states they have a program that
37:04
pays you to take care of someone that
37:07
needs to be taken care of because
37:08
they're disabled, elderly, whatever the
37:10
case may be. And depends whether your
37:12
particular state has it. Social Security
37:14
doesn't have it. That's not Social
37:15
Security. Uh Medicare doesn't have that
37:17
paid type thing. Um they they they have
37:20
it but it's you through companies and
37:22
stuff but uh yeah uh what is the name of
37:25
the new website? It's it's I can't
37:27
believe I able to I was able to find it
37:30
but it is 20 Oops. It is 24help.org.
37:38
I can't believe that website um name
37:42
um was available. And uh yeah 24help.org
37:47
or is that the most awesome name? I
37:50
can't remember. I was like, "Oh my gosh,
37:51
that's 24help.com is not take is taken.
37:55
Nobody's using it." If I call them up,
37:57
they'll probably say, "Yeah, you can
37:58
have it for a million dollars." And I
38:00
ain't doing that. So So 24help.org.
38:04
Surely I just started my Social Security
38:06
benefits at 65. So if anybody wants to
38:08
buy that 24help.com and donate it to the
38:11
cause,
38:13
please. Um, I just started my social
38:15
security benefits at 65. My husband will
38:18
start in June of 2026. That's his full
38:21
retirement age. When he starts getting
38:22
his, what can I qualify for in regards
38:24
to my spousal benefits? Um, so you were
38:29
just started in 60 65 and then he'll be
38:33
so you'll be another a year. So you'll
38:35
be 66. So you'll you'll you won't be
38:38
fully reduced, but you won't get the
38:40
full benefit amount because you have to
38:42
file for benefit, spouse benefits once
38:44
he files for benefits. It's called
38:45
deemed filing. So when they take his
38:49
application, they will ask him, "Are you
38:52
currently married?" And he say, "Oh
38:53
yeah, I'm currently married. Is your
38:54
wife collecting?" Yep. So they you'll
38:55
have to take an application at that time
38:57
and get your benefits started. Um
39:02
some people they don't because they want
39:04
to wait and but it's called dean filing.
39:06
You're supposed to file and so but yeah
39:11
um not sure if I can file ex-husband. Is
39:15
it file ex-husband? Yeah or find okay
39:18
here's something I need to talk about.
39:20
So um whether you can find an ex doesn't
39:23
matter. Social security can find them.
39:25
So, if you don't know where that person
39:26
is, don't know if they're working or
39:28
they're alive, past, whatever the case
39:30
may be, whether their benefit amount is
39:32
less than half of yours, whatever, all
39:33
that kind of good stuff, don't worry
39:35
about it. Call Social Security.
39:37
If you don't have your Social Security
39:38
number of the person, don't no problem.
39:40
Just give them the person's name, their
39:43
date of birth, or their age, where they
39:45
were born, and Social Security can find
39:47
it. If the Social Security employee
39:48
can't find it in the database, then just
39:51
call again and hopefully get a better
39:52
employee. I found millions of so
39:56
people's social security numbers with
39:57
just less than well not a million but I
40:00
found a I have found a million but the
40:02
the difficult ones John Smith and from
40:05
North Texas sometime in the 60s. Yeah I
40:07
was able to find that person that the
40:10
John Smith the person was talking about.
40:12
So it's pretty easy to find. Um, so you
40:14
don't need the social security number.
40:16
And they won't tell you the benefit over
40:19
the phone whether you're how much you're
40:21
going to get and all that kind of stuff
40:22
until you prove that you actually, you
40:24
know, are entit eligible or entitled for
40:26
those benefits. And then even then
40:29
they're kind of ky. They won't tell you
40:31
how much that person's receiving and all
40:33
that kind of stuff. But you can kind of
40:34
figure it out in no time. So
40:37
um, can you explain the five-star rating
40:40
method on Medicare Advantage plan? does
40:41
not explain on any paperwork I've
40:43
received. Do I need all five stars? No,
40:45
it's the uh Medicare CMS, Center for
40:48
Medicare Medicaid Services, kind of
40:50
changed the whole fivestar thing. They
40:52
made it more stringent. If you're One of
40:54
the things about the five stars is that
40:57
if you're not eligible to switch your
41:00
plan, you can switch to a five-star
41:02
plan. It's kind of like in, you know,
41:04
the government says, "Okay, your plan is
41:07
good. Um, but there's another plan in
41:10
your area that's really really good.
41:12
We've reviewed it and they've that been
41:13
really good. So, if you want to upgrade
41:14
to a a better plan, you can do that more
41:18
often. Um, so you can call a chapter and
41:20
see if that's available. So, basically
41:22
the five-star plan is um the government
41:25
reviews those and they made the the kind
41:28
of the the review a lot more stringent
41:31
lately. it's harder to get those five
41:32
those five stars and uh
41:37
they've reviewed the customer service of
41:39
that particular company and how they do
41:41
their you know all that kind of that
41:42
particular plan not not only that the
41:45
company because some companies have one
41:48
of their plans is fivestar and the other
41:50
one is like terrible. So it's not not
41:52
only the company it's you know it's
41:54
other things within that particular
41:56
plan. So again, you can reach out to
41:58
chapter and
42:01
even if a if a plan is five stars and
42:04
they have like outstanding customer
42:06
service, who cares if they don't take
42:08
your doctor? So it's like, wow, great
42:11
customer service,
42:13
but I can't go where I want to go. So
42:17
that's the key right there. You want to
42:18
find someone that covers your doctor,
42:21
saves you as much money on
42:22
prescriptions, and then if they answer
42:24
the phone within five minutes or five
42:26
hours, uh, that's, I guess, another
42:28
consideration, right?
42:30
I'm almost frau, full retirement age. I
42:32
receive $700 disabled widows benefits.
42:35
When I reach full retirement age, if I
42:37
open a home business, will I lose all
42:39
part of my widow benefits? Nope. Um,
42:41
when you're for your time and age, you
42:43
can make a billion dollars a month and
42:45
it won't affect your social security
42:46
benefits negatively at all. So,
42:50
uh, hope it goes great. Do a Dion War
42:53
walk on by. Yes. Yes. Remember her show
42:55
in the 70s? Deion Warwick. Yeah. It's
42:57
her, uh, daughter, cousin, nephew,
43:01
niece, nephew. Um, Whitney Houston,
43:04
right? I think I made more earnings than
43:06
my ex. Am I yet eligible to file for
43:09
something for my ex? Married almost 10
43:11
years. He is uh he is living. Okay. So
43:16
remember, social security determines
43:18
your benefit amount by your high 35
43:20
years of earnings.
43:23
So
43:24
don't just say, well, yeah, last few
43:26
years I made more of the money than that
43:28
person. Well, it's it's over the high 35
43:30
years. And
43:33
I wouldn't take the chance. I would call
43:34
up and you just say, "Hey, I'm
43:37
collecting benefits." Because you have
43:38
to start collecting benefits on your own
43:40
record if he's still collecting if he's
43:42
if he's still living. And you just say,
43:45
"I'm collecting benefits. I want to see
43:47
if I'm getting any money off this other
43:48
guy I was married to." And they'll look
43:50
for his social security number, find it,
43:52
and they'll look at his PIA, his primary
43:55
insurance amount, which is a benefit at
43:56
his full retirement age, and they'll
43:58
tell you whether you can get any more
44:00
benefits. And again, there be kind of ky
44:03
on how much it's going to be until you
44:05
actually prove your relationship. So,
44:07
can you explain the give back program,
44:09
please? Absolutely. So, it's that
44:11
Medicare Advant, it's a it's a Medicare
44:12
advantage plan and they're called Part B
44:15
give back and you sign up for them and
44:18
most Medicare advantage plans are zero
44:20
premium
44:22
but that's doesn't mean free because you
44:26
know it's zero premium per month but
44:28
then you have to pay for the you know
44:29
specialist you have to pay for an MRI
44:31
have to pay for the hospital there's all
44:32
kinds of you know extra you know stuff
44:34
you have to pay for going so it's not
44:36
free yeah it just happens to be zero
44:38
premium And some of those even pay for
44:43
part of your part B. They're called
44:44
Medicare Advantage Part B give back. But
44:47
be careful. Be careful of those. And and
44:49
as I said, most of those or a lot of
44:52
those um are really popular with vets
44:55
who use the VA because they want to get
44:59
their, you know, keep their part B just
45:01
in case, but they don't want to pay the
45:02
full boat, the the full $22.90.
45:05
But what I say be careful is
45:11
This is breaking news, but these health
45:13
insurance companies, they're in it for a
45:15
profit. I know it's amaz who would who
45:18
would have thunk it, right? They're in
45:20
it to make money off of us, right? Okay.
45:23
So, with that understanding, you've got
45:25
the CEO of the health insurance company
45:29
and he wants to buy a nice big 100 foot
45:31
boat so he can take it to the Riviera
45:33
this weekend and, you know, compare
45:35
compete with the other billionaires. So,
45:37
he is going to give you two options.
45:39
He's going to give you a regular plan
45:41
that doesn't pay your part B, or he's
45:44
going to give you one that pays a h1red
45:45
or $200 of your part B. And if you'll
45:49
say, of course, I'll take the one that,
45:51
you know, pays for part of my part B.
45:52
And he's like, okay, well, I just lost a
45:54
hundred bucks. How can I get it back?
45:57
Well, I'm going to charge a whole bunch
45:58
of stuff to this one. This one right
46:00
here, the one that I pay $100, $200 for,
46:02
I'm going to charge this person $300 a
46:04
night for a hospital if they ever go to
46:05
the hospital. This one over here, 50
46:07
bucks a night. This one over here, I'm
46:09
going to charge in $300 for an MRI, $200
46:11
for a CAT scan. This one, $50, $75. So,
46:16
if you're if you're young, healthy, and
46:21
you're lucky, you don't you don't
46:24
foresee getting in an accident or
46:25
getting sick that year, yeah, go for it.
46:28
Um, get that Part B, you know, 100 bucks
46:30
a month, $1,200, take a vacation to
46:32
Hawaii. Um, but and then next year say,
46:37
"Okay, I'm still younish, still healthy,
46:40
still don't plan on having an accident
46:42
this year, so I'll I'll roll the dice
46:43
again and get another $1,200 and this
46:45
time go to Jamaica."
46:47
But, and then as the years go by, it's
46:50
like, "Ah, yeah, let me go ahead and
46:53
switch the other plan." So, that's the
46:55
trick right there because all Medicare
46:57
Advantage plans are only good for one
46:59
year. There's nobody that's had a
47:01
Medicare Advantage the same Medicare
47:02
Advantage plan for more than right now
47:04
for more than three months.
47:07
Three months and 20 days. And you're
47:09
like, "No, I had the same plan last
47:11
year." No, you had the same card and
47:13
maybe the same card name, but the plan
47:16
itself has changed. All Medicare
47:19
Advantage plans expire midnight on
47:21
December 31st. And and if you don't do
47:24
anything that same kind of plan, but all
47:26
the details, a lot of the detail, they
47:28
can change whatever they want. You just
47:30
haven't found it. There's so many people
47:31
that they said, "Ed, I signed up for a
47:34
Medicare Advantage plan and I went to
47:36
the hospital and they charged me $300 a
47:37
night for a hospital. What happened when
47:40
I signed up? It was only $100." Oh,
47:42
yeah. Three years ago. Yeah, that that
47:43
was a nice plan three years ago. But
47:45
yeah, you've had three other plans
47:46
since, and this year is a different
47:48
plan. So, and people don't check. And
47:52
guess what? That billionaire that wants
47:54
that 100 foot yacht um doesn't want you
47:56
to check to see if there's anything
47:58
better out there for you either. So, my
48:01
husband was on social security
48:02
disability and he passed at the age of
48:04
60. I am not disabled. If I apply for
48:06
widows benefits at 59, will the benefit
48:08
be calculated in his full retirement age
48:10
amount or no? Um so, you can't collect
48:15
um
48:16
I'm you're not disabled. So, you you
48:19
have to wait till 60. So you can start
48:22
your benefits at, you know, or you can
48:23
start the application at 59 n 10 months,
48:26
but your benefits won't start until you
48:28
turn 60 and it will be based you'll get
48:32
71.5%
48:34
of his full benefit amount because he
48:36
was he was on disability. So social
48:38
security considers him not to have taken
48:41
benefits early because there's no such
48:42
thing as early disability. Disability is
48:44
disability disability. If he had taken
48:47
early retirement, then the calculations
48:49
would be all funky. But yours is pretty
48:52
easy. If you start benefits on his
48:54
record at 60 years old, you will get
48:57
71.5%
48:58
of his full benefit amount. That's an
49:00
easy one to calculate.
49:03
When does the earning test kick in? Want
49:05
to work, collect survivor benefits, and
49:07
still work and start covered to my
49:08
Social Security in September? If once
49:11
you start your benefits, anything before
49:13
you start your benefits, Social Security
49:14
doesn't care. So
49:17
again, this is all based on people under
49:20
their full retirement age. So if you're
49:21
under your full retirement age, then
49:24
this year, $24,480,
49:27
you have to stay under if you're going
49:30
to let's So it looks like you want to
49:32
start your um benefit, survivor benefits
49:35
or whatever at uh uh in September. So
49:38
between
49:39
so up until August, from January to
49:42
August, you're going to make a billion
49:45
dollars. No problem. Social Security is
49:47
going to ask, "Hey, in in September when
49:49
you file for benefits, they're going to
49:50
say, hey, how much you going to make
49:52
this year?" A billion dollars. Oh, okay.
49:54
Wow. Cool. All right. So, you're way
49:56
over the annual earnings limit of
49:58
$24,480
49:59
$880. We don't care. You're going to
50:02
start your benefits in September. How
50:04
much are you going to make starting
50:05
September and then for the rest of the
50:07
year? Oh, I'm going to be under $2,040,
50:10
the monthly limit. If they say, "Okay,
50:12
cool. Let's start your benefits starting
50:13
of September, October, November,
50:15
December, and then next year you have to
50:17
stay under the full retirement age,
50:20
whatever it is next year." So,
50:23
all right. Uh, divorced after 20 years
50:26
and now I'm remarried. Uh, she never
50:29
remarries and turns 67 this year. Can I
50:31
file on her? I'm disabled now. No,
50:34
because you're remarried and you're
50:36
currently married, right?
50:39
So, she never remarries until can I file
50:42
and she she could file on you. She she's
50:45
not remarried.
50:47
And if her benefit amount her full
50:48
benefit full her full benefit amount is
50:51
less than half of yours, then she can
50:53
file on your record if you're at least
50:56
62 years old. but you can't file on hers
50:59
because you're currently married and
51:03
your ex is still out there alive and
51:05
kicking. So
51:08
yeah, the the five operations on the
51:10
shoulder, the guy that left the video
51:13
question that five. Wow, that's
51:16
um define to the ALJ what limits you
51:18
from working and can you do other work?
51:22
So the ALJ ALJ the administrative law
51:24
judge that's the third level of appeal.
51:27
Um, actually it's it's a third level,
51:30
second level of appeal. Anyway,
51:33
so yeah, they have a
51:38
a work um specialist there that finds
51:41
out what's available in the economy and
51:42
whether Yeah, they look at all kinds of
51:44
weird things and the administrative law
51:47
judge consults with that uh that work
51:49
person and determines whether based on
51:54
your age,
51:56
um your work experience, the market,
52:00
whether whether you can actually work
52:02
find a job well work anybody can find a
52:05
job this is one of the reasons people
52:07
don't file for disability is people say
52:09
well I I can work
52:12
anybody can find a job anybody whether
52:15
you can keep it for more than five
52:16
minutes that's the issue or five days or
52:19
five weeks that's the issue because you
52:20
know with internet you can you know do
52:22
this you know online shopping for
52:24
whatever company or you I don't know but
52:26
you can most people can you know click a
52:30
couple of buttons for 5 minutes, but
52:31
then they're like, "Oh, now now I've got
52:33
to go to the bathroom and or you know,
52:35
my pain is so terrible." So people say,
52:37
"Well, yeah, I can kind of work, you
52:39
know, for a few days and stuff and and
52:41
they say, but you know, then I can't for
52:43
3 weeks."
52:45
That's yeah, I'm not a I'm I'm not a
52:47
medical doctor, but that sounds like
52:48
you're not able to work because of a
52:49
disability. So many people out there.
52:51
And then there's people out there that
52:52
say all the all the people that that
52:56
annoy me. Um, the people that say you're
53:00
always denied for disability the first
53:02
time, that is 100% incorrect. Please,
53:05
everybody, if you ever hear anybody say
53:07
that, tell them to stop because it
53:10
really just destroys people that should
53:13
file for disability benefits, but you
53:15
know, they're they're going through
53:16
financial issues. They're going through
53:18
their disability. They're having that
53:20
type of issue. And then they hear this
53:22
negativity out there. Oh, don't file.
53:24
It's you're just a waste of time. You're
53:25
going to be denied anyway. No. Stop it.
53:27
Stop it. Need to support other people
53:29
out there. So, started watching a week
53:32
after my award letter in June of 2025
53:34
after several years of waiting. Wow.
53:37
Several years of waiting. Um, two uh
53:41
took two years here to get disability.
53:43
So, yeah. So, it sounds like you went
53:46
you filed the initial claim, then you
53:49
filed the reconsideration, which takes
53:52
another 6 to9 months, and then you did
53:54
the the administrative law judge. And
53:57
that one that one alone takes up to a
54:01
year more to even see the judge. So,
54:04
hello everyone. I'm here um here, but
54:06
really not on chat tonight. Just
54:07
listening to Ed. Hoping it was a great
54:09
night. Yes, thank you. Thanks for
54:11
joining us. Hi, Ed. I started my Social
54:14
Security and pension benefits. I'm
54:16
earning a bit over $3,300 a month. Is
54:18
this okay? It looks like I'll be earning
54:20
up to $34,000 a year. Is this okay? Do I
54:22
need to file anything because of this?
54:24
So, yeah, if you're just receiving
54:27
Social Security and pension, that
54:28
doesn't affect the the annual earnings
54:30
limit at all. Um annual earnings limit
54:33
is only earned income or net income from
54:36
business. So, it doesn't count your
54:38
social security or pension or anything
54:39
like that. So, in terms of filing taxes,
54:45
everybody knows I don't do taxes and
54:47
I've been trying to cancel my
54:48
subscription to the IRS for decades. So,
54:51
but if remember or taxes you're
54:55
thinking, "Oh, I'm over let me pull up
54:59
the chart here. So, you're making
55:01
$34,000."
55:04
So, you're saying, "Oh my gosh, I up to
55:07
85% of my social security taxes are
55:09
going to be are going to be taxed."
55:12
Probably not because only half of your
55:16
Social Security benefits is counted in
55:18
there. So, what' you say you made?
55:20
34,000. Let's say 20,000 of that is from
55:24
Social Security. So, they only count
55:26
half of that. 20,000, half, 10,000. So,
55:30
and then the other 14. So you're making
55:32
$24,000.
55:33
Did I do that math right? But anyway, so
55:35
you're paying zero premium or zero taxes
55:38
on your social security. So you might
55:39
pay taxes other things, but in terms of
55:41
your social security check, yeah, they
55:43
only count half of that. So many people
55:44
miss that one. My husband passed at 53.
55:48
How can I make sure that I'm getting the
55:50
right amount of widow benefits? Is there
55:52
a chart? Oh, I wish there was. I wish it
55:54
was that easy. I worked a lot more than
55:56
he did and now I'm on disability at 58.
55:58
Okay. So, this proves that you can
56:02
receive disability benefits and then
56:04
other types of benefits. Um,
56:08
right. Okay. So, you're actually if
56:10
you're 58 getting widows benefits, then
56:13
you're getting disabled widows benefits.
56:15
So, between 50 and 59, you're getting
56:17
DWIB disa disability widows disabled
56:20
widows benefits.
56:22
So, that's also 71.5%
56:26
of that person's full benefit amount.
56:28
So you're just are you also receiving
56:31
disability benefits on your own record
56:33
in and also disabled benefits both? If
56:37
you're not if you're just receiving
56:38
disabled widows benefits then if you're
56:41
not touching benefits on your own record
56:43
your own record is going continuing to
56:45
go up and then maybe in the future your
56:47
benefit on your own record might be more
56:49
and then you switch over on to that. Um,
56:53
but yeah, in in terms of widow benefits,
56:56
because you're receiving disabled widow
56:57
benefits, you're receiving 71.5% of that
57:00
person's benefit amount. And whether
57:02
that is correct, the the 71.5% is
57:05
correct. That's what you'll get. But
57:07
71.5% of what
57:10
if uh he passed at 53, so he never
57:13
collect Social Security benefits, so he
57:14
never went through the process to
57:16
confirm his hopefully he confirmed his
57:18
work record while he was still around. I
57:21
recommend everybody do that because you
57:23
never know when you're no longer still
57:25
going to be around. So every and people
57:28
are dependent after you pass. So check
57:32
your work record, you know, like the old
57:34
days when they used to send out the
57:35
letter every year um from social
57:37
security and says here's how much you
57:39
might make for full retirement age
57:40
disability benefits and here's how much
57:42
you paid in social security last you
57:43
know whatever. They don't do that
57:45
anymore. Um, so you have to go into
57:49
social security, go into
57:50
mysoulcurity.gov
57:52
and check it out and make sure your
57:53
earnings record for you.
57:56
Um, you could they make social security
57:59
makes it difficult to do this. You could
58:00
request his work record and look at it
58:03
and see if his anything is incorrect.
58:05
But if you see a mistake there, how are
58:08
you going to prove it? Do you have his
58:09
tax records and everything? So that is
58:12
one possibility. So
58:15
hello, I'm currently doing my initial
58:17
application. It's submitted
58:18
automatically after doing the financial
58:20
part and before doing any of the health
58:22
info advice on the phone call they
58:24
scheduled for more info. Okay, they uh
58:28
uh before doing any of the health info.
58:32
Yeah, I know exactly what that is. They
58:34
they they married those two apps and
58:36
yours got unmarried, yours got divorced.
58:39
basically is you filled out the 3368 and
58:42
it was supposed to take you to the 3441
58:45
and social security had forever to
58:47
figure how to bring those two together
58:49
and sometimes I guess those two no
58:52
longer those two forms don't marry and
58:54
so yours got divorced for some reason a
58:56
computer issue you know whatever so you
58:59
did the initial part your name how you
59:03
worked uh where you married your address
59:06
direct deposit all that kind of stuff
59:07
and then it was supposed to take you to
59:09
the form on 3441
59:11
um to Yeah, but it didn't. So,
59:15
they're going to have to do it. Um
59:17
someone's going to have to do it.
59:18
They're call you up and get it done.
59:22
Yeah. Make make sure they get it done as
59:24
quickly as possible because every day
59:26
you wait to do that is another day you
59:28
you wait for a decision. So,
59:32
Ed, I received a CDR appointment for
59:34
next week. It has misinformation on both
59:36
figures. I started getting my social
59:38
security at 63. It's very small. I also
59:40
get less than $30 a month from SSI.
59:43
Okay. So, you're receiving SSI and SSDI.
59:45
Okay. So, that means you're full benefit
59:48
amount is $994. So, you're getting, you
59:51
know, uh $994. So, you're getting $964
59:57
on your SSDI and $30 from SSI for a
1:00:00
total of the $994. So, you have a CDR
1:00:03
appointment. um
1:00:07
CDR appointment.
1:00:09
I know Social Security just announced
1:00:11
last week that they're changing the
1:00:13
continuing disability reviews and that's
1:00:14
one of the reasons we decided to, you
1:00:17
know, kind of uh speed up our website a
1:00:20
little bit and that's why you'll
1:00:22
probably might see some weird fonts or
1:00:25
something like that or um links that
1:00:27
might not click, but I think we got all
1:00:28
the links figured out.
1:00:30
Yeah, a lot of people um with that new
1:00:33
CDR program they're coming out with,
1:00:35
it's a lot of people are going to be
1:00:37
kind of stressed about that and I think
1:00:39
Social Security because it's a brand new
1:00:41
thing, they're going to mess up things
1:00:42
for a while. So, let's keep up on them.
1:00:46
But an appointment, um usually with a
1:00:49
CDR, they send you the forms, you fill
1:00:51
them out, and then they do their thing.
1:00:54
The only time you really have an
1:00:56
appointment is if um you see a
1:01:00
consultative exam where they have you
1:01:02
see one of the social security
1:01:03
contracted doctors or maybe you have an
1:01:07
appointment um for the SSI portion. It's
1:01:12
only $30, but they still have to go
1:01:14
through the bells and whistles, all the
1:01:15
all of the not bells and whistles, all
1:01:17
all the things about SSI. It's a welfare
1:01:19
based program. And so yeah. All right.
1:01:22
We as usual I wasn't able to get to all
1:01:25
the questions. I apologize. But guess
1:01:27
what? I am now available 247
1:01:31
24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days of the
1:01:35
year. I am always available. You just uh
1:01:38
click on the uh my little um chat there
1:01:41
and I will answer your questions. It is
1:01:46
still, you know, kind of AI generated
1:01:49
the what it is. is I put all of that
1:01:51
information. There's tens of thousands
1:01:53
of pages of policy in there. And then I
1:01:57
translated it into English and then when
1:02:00
you talk to me, my talk to my virtual
1:02:02
me, the AI goes in there and grabs the
1:02:06
pieces that I tell it to do. And
1:02:08
sometimes AI does it. I've been checking
1:02:11
it out and it's pretty pretty scary.
1:02:13
Awesome. So, it's it does pretty well.
1:02:15
But if you have an issue, please let me
1:02:17
know. All right, y'all. take care. Um,
1:02:20
and please register for the new site. If
1:02:23
you're on Medicaid, let's join together
1:02:25
and monitor this stuff. Your particular
1:02:27
state, CDR, make sure you do there. Um,
1:02:30
and talk to my little chat there. I can
1:02:34
Oh, there's an also a thing. Um, we can
1:02:36
set you up with alerts if you've got
1:02:38
issues. So, you're worried about the
1:02:40
trust fund, you're worried about your
1:02:42
CDR, your Medicaid, and
1:02:45
there's a way to go in there when you go
1:02:47
in there and set up alerts. If like if
1:02:49
you have uh grandma in Florida that's on
1:02:52
SSI or Medicaid or something like that,
1:02:54
you can set up alerts
1:02:57
monthly just because I'm not going to
1:02:58
spam anybody. I I've told people for
1:03:01
over a year that I'm going to send you a
1:03:03
newsletter and I' I still haven't sent a
1:03:04
newsletter. So, that tells you how much
1:03:06
I hate email. Um, but if you ha if you
1:03:09
have someone, a sister in Texas, a
1:03:11
grandma in Florida, whatever, and you
1:03:12
want to look out for them, you can set
1:03:14
up alerts and we can let you know, hey,
1:03:17
in Florida, they're kicking people off
1:03:19
Medicaid. Here's the issue with this.
1:03:22
And you might might be a good idea to
1:03:24
call grandma and say, hey, did you
1:03:25
receive this letter? There's a lot of
1:03:26
scam stuff going around. So, we keep you
1:03:28
updated on all that type of stuff as
1:03:29
well. So, um, so please check it out
1:03:32
and, uh, let me know what you think in
1:03:34
the comments. And if you see any issues,
1:03:36
please please please let me know. And uh
1:03:38
yeah, we'll see you all tomorrow.