How Much Do You think You Need to Retire/What Age Will You/Spouse Retire: General Retirement Issues (Part 2)

I won’t do that!

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I’ve had similar sub teaching requests. Just no for me… … my district is enduring a full press MAGA board take-over, no masks, no tracing, no dashboard. As a result they have no cafeteria subs, no bus driver subs, no spEd aides , no sub janitors. Tonight the board approved $1500 sign on bonuses for these positions plus another $1500 at the end of tthe year. This Anti-vaccine/anti mask stance is going to cost the district hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Now back to retirement, I am tracking my SS application online. Accordingly no to the website, we are at stage two of three. Since my husband claimed at 66 there is no benefit to me for not claiming at 66and x months. My benefit might be enough to cover my Medicare (have a state pension not covered by SS).

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I agree with this rule, though I am sometimes guilty of going on too long. When you’ve posted 30 times repetitively about the same subject, repeating the same thing, it’s well past time to stop.

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@dragonmom on your SS, you might want to call your local SSA office - you can obtain that 800 number from web site.

My SS is on step 2 of 3 and they told me after Oct 1, after my Medicare gets processed (I already have my Medicare A and B card but it begins Oct 1), my SS will go to complete. I am drawing SS for Oct and my first check will come electronically the 2nd Wed in Nov, and that is my payment time - 2nd Wed of each month.

If your husband is newly claiming like you, and he has not started receiving his yet, if he is on the phone with you - you can check both the status of yours and his SS with one phone call to local SSA office.

They don’t. Paying on your own is an option only if you are not collecting SS (or if it is insufficient)

Me too…and my SS covers my Medicare with a $30 a month net deposit to my bank account.

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Our plan, based on advise from our financial planner and husband’s investigations, involves deferring SS at least for now. Of course many factors involved and would be different for each case. Admittedly it makes me a little nervous.

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The good news is that both of our Medicare supplements are in place and paid for; both of our drug plans are in place and paid for. I can now leave town to meet my new grandson and help my DD.

So our local SSA office gave a verbal response today after keeping DH on hold for 30 minutes reviewing all the information-- they did say DH’s Medicare B will begin September 1 – but his case is “too complicated” and a central office will have to process. It became “too complicated” because we had been improperly advised and kept having to submit additional requests etc - and that office has put in inputs as well the last couple of work days. Somehow they ‘found’ the July submission that we did electronically that was a key piece of information on the processing. We were told today we need to ‘wait’ to get the card in the mail. Since the supplement insurance is in place, we can relax. They are following the chart @bluebayou posted – we did sign in for DH’s Medicare B in July (he turned 65 in June).

So just a head’s up – that sometimes things do not work like they should, but you need to follow up until things get resolved.

They also said we would be receiving a Medicare Premium Bill (which I have received for my Medicare B which got set up before my SS was processed) - and that will ‘affirm’ the start date of his Medicare B.

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The beauty is, you can always start taking it if things change for you.

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Glad they found this!!

Is his Medicare starting Sept 1 (your above post)? Or October 1?

Glad it worked out and you can now go visit your grandson.

In following up, it really helps to know (with their sources), how things should have worked. Then, you can point them to their own documents!

They told us Sept 1.

That’s good. He will be covered when you need him to be covered.

In some ways you are in a better place than we were with my DH. Because his supplement is through the teachers retirement board in this state, he could not have any other coverage at all at the same time as Medicare. That took a lot of careful planning on our parts!

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@bluebayou - when talking with them (SSA) it is one sided for the most part. They are the ones that have the ‘say so’ - and I guess they can do things wrong and make the corrections. However the documentation trail on their system is telling – how many of their agents gave the wrong information, had us complete extra documents, etc. What seems straight forward (like the chart)…this last gal today was correct in saying it is by law (she knew the chart).

yes, it really is unfortunate that sometimes the SS rep is incorrect, and even guess. (Rep: “I have no idea why they made that decision, but my guess is this…” Me: But doesn’t the system show the rationale on why they denied my appeal? Rep: “Sorry, but nothing in the system, sometimes they just automatically decline an appeal.” Me: But the POMS says…)

In my experience, both on phone and in person, they have been wonderful and extremely nice and try to be helpful. But, I’d rather have 99% accuracy, without having to elevate to a senior manager.

I have read more than one post on Bogleheads where the Rep tells a person x, and the experts on BH say that is wrong and cite chapter and verse with a link to POMS showing the correct answer.

Again, glad it all worked out (after the gnashing of teeth). Enjoy your new grandson. It’s a special time.

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There is a mathematical advantage. Opensocialsecurity.com has an option to see the effect of reduction. In case of reduction, they recommend an earlier date to collect (after FRA in either case)

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Yes the math is obvious, because there’s no clawback (25% reduction) of the payments you’ve already received prior to 2035. So the discounted value of the increased future payments you’d gain by waiting is reduced relative to the pre-2035 payments. But that doesn’t mean the optimal solution is necessarily to take the money as early as possible.

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In your district that might be the case, but rest assured this is going on in many areas and has nothing to do with MAGA.

We live in a Democrat stronghold. Can’t tell you the last time a Republican held a political office. We are having many of the same issues, especially with the lower paid positions.

The school bus driver issue came up on a recent local program and a number of former drivers called in and said the kids have become so unmanageable and they are never given support or assistance with any issues. Being home because of the pandemic, they have managed, and just don’t think the extra income and time commitment is worth it anymore.

With anyone having issues with a government agency, I advise seeking information from other employees whenever possible.

Years back, my DH accidentally threw away our tax refund. :grimacing: I called the IRS at least half a dozen times, speaking with different agents. FINALLY, I spoke to a woman, explained the situation, she acknowledge the multiple notations in the system. I asked her why we weren’t getting the check.

Apparently all they did was make notations. It needed to be processed in a different department and none of the other agents had bothered to forward it. ??

DH is on vacation next week, and I already told him we need to sit down and work through our time table. I have done all the preliminary research, have a basic plan, but want him to see if he agrees. This site, with all the links have been terrific. Thanks to all those who provided them.

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I feel for you @laralei on the IRS refund and getting payment re-issued. DH leaves the mail out for me (if he walks it in from the mailbox) as he doesn’t want to deal with any correspondence, billing etc - once in a while he will look through if there is something specific for him, but usually he just waits for me to tell him anything and lay his mail on his ottoman.

Some of the school situations - student behavior - employees pushed to the limit. My coworker’s student school bus driver was the same person for two generations and he just recently retired - he knew the students and they didn’t horse around on his bus but also he had a warm relationship with the students.

One of my book club members is a teacher who retires next Oct - when her time is in for retirement. A main issue is with ‘lawnmower parents’ who email about a particular grade (like why did my student only got a 92) or email about a college recommendation - teacher requires the student to put in the request.

Did y’all see this? It would be my nightmare.

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