Retirement

Social Security benefit records do not have the ability to name specific beneficiaries. The Social Security Act specifies which family members can receive benefits on your record when you retire, die or become disabled.
The social security administration cannot pay benefits to people who do not meet the requirements of the law, nor can they refuse to pay benefits to people who do meet those requirements.
This is true even if you ask the social security administration not to. Any payments made to your former spouse based on your record will not affect the amounts that can be paid to a subsequent spouse or your children.

The lump-sum death benefit of $255 is payable upon the death of a person who has worked long enough to be insured under Social Security. The one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 is payable to a surviving spouse if he or she was living with the deceased; or, if living apart, was receiving certain Social Security benefits on the deceased person's record; or If there is no surviving spouse, a child who is eligible for benefits on the deceased person's record in the month of death.
If no spouse or child meeting these requirements exists, the lump-sum death payment will not be paid.
The lump-sum death payment cannot be paid to funeral homes or estates for funeral expenses. To file for the benefit, call 1-800-772-1213.
You must file the application for the lump-sum death payment within the two-year period ending with the second anniversary of the insured person's death.

You can go to the SSA website at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/AdultListings.htm or get the SSA Publication.
Disability Evaluation Under Social Security (SSA Pub. No. 64-039) contains the medical criteria that Social Security uses to determine disability. It is intended primarily for physicians and other health professionals.
You can fax a request to the Social Security Administartion Fax Number, 410-965-0696. You can also write or call: Social Security Administration Public Information Distribution Center P.O. Box 17743 Baltimore, MD 21235-6401 Phone 410-965-0945.

If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, SSA deducts $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2013, that limit is $15,120. In the year you reach full retirement age, SSA deducts $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above a different limit, but we only count earnings before the month you reach your full retirement age. If you will reach full retirement age in 2013, the limit on your earnings for the months before full retirement age is $40,080. (If you were born in 1943 - 1954, your full retirement age is 66 years.).
If you were born in 1960 or later your full retirement age is 67.
Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, you can get your benefits with no limit on your earnings.

The IRS Social Security Benefits Planner is located at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/.
This planner provides detailed information about your Social Security retirement benefits under current law.
If you are Looking for information, you can find your retirement age, Estimate your life expectancy, Estimate Your Retirement Benefits and use our other benefit calculators to test different retirement ages or future earnings amounts, apply for retirement benefits.
If you are close to age 65, you can find out how to apply for just Medicare. You may need to sign up for Medicare close to your 65th birthday, even if you will not be retired by that time.

The Form first used to claim exemption from social security is filed on IRS Form 4361.
The exemption once granted is irrevocable unless requested within a 27 and a half initial period. Exempted Ordained Ministers, Priests, or Rabbi's may revoke the original election and re-elect social security coverage by filing out IRS Form 2031.
Once you revoke the exemption you can never elect exemption from social security coverage again.

The Form first used to claim exemption from social security is filed on IRS Form 4361. The exemption once granted is irrevocable unless requested within a 27 and a half initial period.
Exempted Ordained Ministers, Priests, or Rabbi's may revoke the original election and re-elect social security coverage by filing out IRS Form 2031.
Once you revoke the exemption you can never elect exemption from social security coverage again.

The Form first used to claim exemption from social security is filed on IRS Form 4361. The exemption once granted is irrevocable unless requested within a 27 and a half initial period.

For the current year, wages up to $113,700 are subject to Social Security tax and the maximum Social Security withholding would be $7,049.40.
Employers should withhold Social Security taxes (6.2 percent) from employee's wages up to $113,700 and withhold Medicare tax (1.45 percent) on all wages.
For 2014, wages up to $117,000 are subject to Social Security tax and the maximum Social Security withholding would be $7,254.