While Social Security can feel like a black box, it is actually a complex but repeatable algorithm. With a complete view of the Social Security Administration’s data, all of the possible benefits available to you can be calculated.
And in fact, this is what we do as a part of our our Social Security Planning bonus service.
We ask clients to provide us with the Full Earnings Record and Social Security Statement for each household member. Then, we use a Social Security analyzer to calculate all of the possible benefits available and work with the client to determine which filing strategy is the most likely to maximize the family’s lifetime benefits.
Step one to the Social Security Analysis is obtaining the necessary information. Your own Social Security statement and full earnings record can be obtained online by following the instructions in “How to Obtain Your Social Security Statement and Full Earnings Record.” However, your spouse or ex-spouse is the only one who can obtain their Social Security record online.
If you are entitled to some of their benefits though, a representative at your local Social Security office can give you estimates of those spousal or ex-spousal benefits you are entitled to.
The first step is to locate your local office. You can do so by searching for your zip code in the Social Security Office Locator. This will reveal the results of the closest office.
For example, the Charlottesville office is:
1470 PANTOPS MOUNTAIN PL,
DISTRICT OFFICE 1ST FLOOR
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA 22911-4600
Phone 1-866-613-3959
Monday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Wednesday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Friday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
After locating the right office, you can call them at their listed phone number to set up an appointment.
At the appointment, it is recommended that you bring your marriage certificate, divorce decree, spouse’s or ex-spouse’s Social Security number, and your own Social Security number. If you don’t know your former spouse’s Social Security number, you may be able to locate it on an old tax return or the representative can look it up using the date of birth, place of birth, and parents’ names.
If you are divorced, the marriage must have lasted 10 years for you to be eligible for spousal benefits. The representative will also use this as the criteria for giving you information.
To collect on a living former spouse’s earnings record, you also need to have not remarried, and, if your ex-spouse has not yet collected benefits, the divorce also needs to be at least two years old.
For those who are estranged, the Social Security representative will be able to tell you whether your ex-spouse is still alive.
Assuming that you meet the requirements, the representative will be able to estimate what benefits you are eligible for at various ages. If you are gathering information for our Social Security Planning bonus service, we ask that you record your ex-spouse’s PIA or primary insurance amount. This is the same as your ex-spouse’s benefit at full retirement age.
Just like married partners, you can either collect on your own earnings record or 50% of your spouse’s, but you cannot collect on both at the same time. Additionally, if you file early for spousal benefits, that early filing impoverishes all regular Social Security benefits you may collect in the future.
So, while you cannot easily access this information online, there is a process by which you can acquire the necessary information to make an informed Social Security decision.
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash. Image has been cropped.
