April 2023

Understanding Cost-of-Living Increases for Social Security Benefits, § 404.270

Leave a Comment / Cost-of-Living Increases / April 4, 2023

The Social Security Act includes provisions for cost-of-living increases to ensure that Social Security benefits keep up with inflation. Section 404.270 outlines the rules for cost-of-living increases for primary insurance amounts. Under § 404.270, your primary insurance amount may be automatically increased each December to account for rises in the cost of living. These automatic increases …

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§ 404.261 of the Social Security Act explains how to calculate a special minimum primary insurance amount if you qualify for it.

Leave a Comment / Amount Calculations / April 4, 2023

To find out if you qualify, the first step is to calculate the number of years you have paid Social Security taxes. This is the sum of your creditable social security earnings between 1937-1950 divided by $900 (without counting any fractions) plus the number of years after 1950 in which your social security earnings were …

§ 404.261 of the Social Security Act explains how to calculate a special minimum primary insurance amount if you qualify for it. Read More »

How to Compute Second-Entitlement Primary Insurance Amounts 12 Months or More after Entitlement to Disability Benefits Ended, § 404.252

Leave a Comment / Amount Calculations / April 4, 2023

If you’ve experienced a period of disability and have received disability insurance benefits, special computation rules apply to your primary insurance amount when you become eligible for old-age insurance benefits or disability insurance benefits after 1978 or if you become re-entitled to disability insurance benefits or die. If the second entitlement occurs more than 12 …

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How to Compute Second-Entitlement Primary Insurance Amounts Less than 12 Months after Entitlement to Disability Benefits Ended, § 404.251

Leave a Comment / Amount Calculations / April 4, 2023

If you’ve experienced a period of disability and have received disability insurance benefits, there are special computation rules that apply to your primary insurance amount when you become eligible for old-age insurance benefits or disability insurance benefits after 1978 or if you become re-entitled to disability insurance benefits or die. If the second entitlement occurs …

How to Compute Second-Entitlement Primary Insurance Amounts Less than 12 Months after Entitlement to Disability Benefits Ended, § 404.251 Read More »

Understanding Special Computation Rules for Individuals with a Period of Disability, § 404.250

Leave a Comment / Special Computation / April 3, 2023

Are you or someone you know disabled or has experienced a period of disability? If so, it is important to understand the special computation rules outlined in § 404.250 of the Social Security Act. These rules apply when calculating your primary insurance amount for old-age insurance benefits or disability insurance benefits, or in cases of death. …

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Navigating Noncovered Employment Pension Computations: Understanding § 404.243

Leave a Comment / Noncovered Employment Pension Computations / April 3, 2023

As an advocate for individuals navigating the complex world of Social Security benefits and pensions, it’s crucial to understand the details of § 404.243.   This section pertains to those who are eligible for a pension based on noncovered employment and the computation of their Social Security benefits. In this blog post, we’ll break down the …

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Understanding the Use of Old-Start Primary Insurance Amount as Guaranteed Alternative, § 404.242

Leave a Comment / Amount Calculations / April 3, 2023

Learn how the Old-Start Method can affect your Social Security Retirement Benefits. https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/404/404-0242.htm The Old-Start Method is a way to calculate Social Security Retirement Benefits for those who do not have enough work credits under the Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME) method. In this blog post, we will discuss how the Old-Start Method can affect …

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Understanding the Old-Start Computation Method for Social Security Benefits, § 404.241

Leave a Comment / Calculating Your Average Monthly Wage: / April 3, 2023

Social Security benefits can be confusing, and understanding the various methods for calculating benefits can be overwhelming. One method that you may come across is the old-start method, which was used to calculate benefits for individuals who reached age 62, became disabled, or died after 1977. In this blog post, we’ll break down the requirements …

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It’s important to understand the various methods used to compute a person’s primary insurance amount, § 404.230

Leave a Comment / Primary Insurance Amount / April 3, 2023

One of these methods is the guaranteed alternative, which applies to those who reached age 62 after 1978 but before 1984. https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/404/404-0230.htm In this post, we’ll explain what the guaranteed alternative method is and who qualifies for it. The guaranteed alternative is a modified average-monthly-wage method used to compute a person’s primary insurance amount. This …

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Understanding Your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) for Social Security Disability Benefits, § 404.201.

Leave a Comment / Primary Insurance Amount / April 3, 2023

It is important to understand how the Social Security Administration (SSA) calculates your primary insurance amount (PIA) and how it affects your monthly benefit amount. According to § 404.201 of the SSA guidelines, the PIA is the basic figure used to determine your monthly benefit amount. https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/cfr20/404/404-0201.htm In this article, we will explain what is …

Understanding Your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) for Social Security Disability Benefits, § 404.201. Read More »