There are millions, if not tens of millions, that actively rely on their social security check as their main source of income. When this is the case, they simply cannot afford to make a mistake and lose their benefits.
One of the common misconceptions about being divorced is that you cannot claim social security. This is not the case. If you were married to someone for over 10 years, and are now divorced, then you are entitled to claim spousal benefits as long as the ex-spouse is still alive. In the event that they pass, you will be able to claim survivor benefits later on.
But many people tend to get remarried after filing for divorce. If you do this while you are collecting your spousal benefits, you can have them revoked. You will need to file for social security benefits under your new spouses work history. However, this does not apply to survivor benefits. You can still collect these benefits even if you remarry. So if you plan on remarrying, discuss with your new spouse whether or not losing your social security is going to affect your future.
If you are a parent with a child who is disabled, you can collect social security benefits to help provide care for your child. For a child to be eligible for benefits from social security, they must be under 18, in high school, no older than 19 and disables at some point before their 22nd birthday.
However, once the child ages out, the benefits stop. If you are relying on this income to help pay for your child’s needs or to help you with your needs, you need to keep this in mind and plan ahead. Ideally, by the time the child reaches 16, the parents themselves will be close to the age of 62 and be a few years away from collecting their own social security benefits.
If you are collecting disability benefits under social security, these benefits can stop at any point if the Social Security Administration decides that you are no longer disabled. There are two ways that this can happen. The first way you will stop receiving your benefits is if you earn above the threshold. The threshold as of 2017 is $1,170 per month. As soon as you make over this amount, any benefits you were receiving will be stopped. if you are relying on your benefits as a part of your income, make sure that you are not going over the limit to disqualify you.
The second way to lose your disability benefits is if your medical condition improves. The Social Security Administration will do a medical review based on your disability and an estimated timeline on when your condition will approve.
If any of these situations apply to you and you are concerned about losing your benefits, you can always call a social security lawyer. They are the most knowledgeable when it comes to determining eligibility and filing appeals with the Social Security Administration. Do not be afraid of your financial security by making a mistake and losing your benefits.
