13. When collecting retirement benefits, increases in Medicare Part B premiums are capped to the same rate of increase of the retirement benefits under a “hold harmless” provision. This is tied to actual receipts so while delaying past your FRA earns your client delayed credits, there is no cap on the Medicare increases. Worse, the uncapped increase is locked into every future premium. This hold harmless quirk is not relevant to high income taxpayers. Hold harmless does not apply to high income taxpayers paying income-related Medicare B premiums.
14. If you take your retirement early, it not only reduces your retirement benefits, benefits for your survivor are also based on that permanently reduced amount.
15. Because the income thresholds that determine how much of one’s Social Security is taxable are not indexed for inflation, over time more and more of the benefits can become taxable.
16. A person needs to have been married to an ex-spouse for at least ten years immediately before a divorce is final, in order to be eligible to receive a spousal benefit off a former spouse’s record.
17. If you marry again, you are no longer eligible for a spousal on your ex’s record and a new 10-year clock starts on the marriage to your new spouse. If you are over 60 when you get married again, you will still be able to claim survivor benefits on your ex.