Can I Stop Social Security Payments and Restart at a Higher Rate?
Can I Stop Social Security Payments and Restart at a Higher Rate?
Why would you want to do that? Say you filed for Social Security as early as possible, at age 62, accepting a reduced benefit because you needed the money. Then suppose you got an unexpected windfall: an inheritance, perhaps, or a new, higher-paying job. You’re now in a position to wait until you are older and can collect a larger benefit. Timing is key. Social Security will let you withdraw your original application for retirement benefits only once, and it must be within 12 months of the date you first claimed your benefits. You start the process by filling out Social Security . Send the completed form to your . If you opt for a withdrawal, Social Security will treat it as if you never applied for benefits in the first place, and you will have to repay every dollar you’ve received. That includes: Your monthly retirement payments. Any family benefits collected by your or , who must consent in writing to the withdrawal. Any money withheld from your payments by Social Security — for example, to . If you’ve been getting retirement benefits for more than a year, the window for withdrawal has closed. However, once you reach full retirement age (66 and 4 months for those born in 1956 and gradually rising to 67 for those born in 1960 and later), there’s a second option: You can request a . During a suspension, you accrue , which will increase your monthly retirement benefit when you start collecting again. You can ask Social Security to reinstate your benefits at any time until you turn 70, at which point the agency will do it for you.
Can I stop Social Security benefits and restart them later to get a bigger payment
Yes, within limits. If you are in your first year of collecting retirement benefits, you can apply to Social Security for a “withdrawal of benefits.”Why would you want to do that? Say you filed for Social Security as early as possible, at age 62, accepting a reduced benefit because you needed the money. Then suppose you got an unexpected windfall: an inheritance, perhaps, or a new, higher-paying job. You’re now in a position to wait until you are older and can collect a larger benefit. Timing is key. Social Security will let you withdraw your original application for retirement benefits only once, and it must be within 12 months of the date you first claimed your benefits. You start the process by filling out Social Security . Send the completed form to your . If you opt for a withdrawal, Social Security will treat it as if you never applied for benefits in the first place, and you will have to repay every dollar you’ve received. That includes: Your monthly retirement payments. Any family benefits collected by your or , who must consent in writing to the withdrawal. Any money withheld from your payments by Social Security — for example, to . If you’ve been getting retirement benefits for more than a year, the window for withdrawal has closed. However, once you reach full retirement age (66 and 4 months for those born in 1956 and gradually rising to 67 for those born in 1960 and later), there’s a second option: You can request a . During a suspension, you accrue , which will increase your monthly retirement benefit when you start collecting again. You can ask Social Security to reinstate your benefits at any time until you turn 70, at which point the agency will do it for you.