Social Safety quiz exams how a lot you understand about advantages

As inflation has pushed the price of dwelling greater, these eligible for Social Safety retirement advantages could also be tempted to assert advantages sooner than they had planned.

Social Safety beneficiaries stand to get a record 8.7% cost-of-living adjustment in 2023 that may assist them deal with greater prices.

However the COLA adjustment alone shouldn’t be purpose to assert. Your advantages will nonetheless be adjusted for that improve, whether or not you declare now or later, experts say.

However you need to take into account the quantity of advantages it’s possible you’ll obtain based mostly in your age. For most individuals approaching retirement now, age 67 is when they are going to obtain their full advantages based mostly on their earnings historical past. In the event that they delay as much as age 70, their month-to-month checks will probably be even greater.

Extra from Private Finance:
Treasury Department announces new Series I bond rate of 6.89%
What top advisors are telling near-retirees about inflation, longevity
How the next Fed interest rate hike could affect your money

There are different components to weigh based mostly in your private scenario, notably in case you have a partner or youngsters who can also profit out of your claiming determination.

But many people who find themselves at or close to the age after they face that alternative might must brush up on this system’s many guidelines earlier than they begin these month-to-month checks.

“There are particular guidelines, particular deadlines and particular dates that have to be met,” stated David Freitag, a monetary planning marketing consultant and Social Safety professional at MassMutual. “Or you possibly can uncover after the truth that that oversight was very pricey for those who’re not cautious.”

MassMutual lately gave a 13-question true/false quiz to 1,500 people ages 55 by means of 65.

The consequence was 65% of individuals both failed or obtained a D grade. In the meantime, 18% of respondents earned a C, whereas 12% obtained a B and 6% earned an A. Simply 1% of respondents obtained an ideal rating.

To take the quiz, reply whether or not every of the next statements is true or false. Then verify your responses in opposition to the important thing beneath.

For those who discover you could brush up on Social Safety’s guidelines, the agency’s website is a good place to begin, Freitag stated. MassMutual additionally has additional information that will help you type by means of your choices.

1. Normally, if I take advantages earlier than my full retirement age, they are going to be diminished for early submitting.
2. If I’m receiving advantages earlier than my full retirement age and proceed to work, my advantages may be diminished based mostly on how a lot I make.
3. If I’ve a partner, she or he can obtain advantages from my document even when she or he has no particular person earnings historical past.
4. If I’ve a partner and she or he passes away, I’ll obtain each my full profit and my deceased partner’s full profit.
5. Typically, if I’m in a same-sex marriage, there are totally different eligibility necessities in the case of Social Safety retirement advantages.
6. The cash that comes out of my paycheck for Social Safety goes into a particular account for me and stays there, incomes curiosity, till I start to obtain Social Safety advantages.
7. Below present legislation, Social Safety advantages may very well be diminished by 20% or extra for everybody by 2035.
8. If I file for retirement advantages and have dependent youngsters aged 18 or youthful, in addition they might qualify for Social Safety advantages.
9. If I get divorced, I’d have the ability to gather Social Safety advantages based mostly on my ex-spouse’s Social Safety earnings historical past.
10. Below present Social Safety legislation, full retirement age is 65 irrespective of while you had been born.
11. If I delay taking Social Safety advantages previous the age of 70, I’ll proceed to get delayed retirement credit score will increase every year I wait.
12. Social Safety retirement advantages are subject to income tax identical to withdrawals from a standard particular person retirement account.
13. I have to be a U.S. citizen to gather Social Safety retirement advantages.

1. True (89% of respondents answered this accurately)
2. True (82%)
3. True (72%)
4. False (68%)
5. False (65%)
6. False (62%)
7. True (60%)
8. True (58%)
9. True (57%)
10. False (56%)
11. False (49%)
12. False (42%)
13. False (24%)