Speaking about collecting Social Security. A little bit of information for those retireing from Federal Service. I started collecting full Social Security benefits when I turned 65. My 10 year old son (at the time) started collecting an amount equal to half of my benefits because he was under 18 and (get this) my ex-wife, because we were married for more than ten years, also began collecting benefits amounting to 50% of my benefit. My current wife doesn’t get anything which is a bone contention on occasion. When I retired at age 68, because I am under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) The Social Security Windfall Act applied to me as it does to all Federal employees under CSRS. As a result, just when we really need full Social Security benefits when we retire, they are cut, in some cases, by as much as 75-80%. The rationale being that we have been working all these years and paying into another retirement plan and not paying in to Social Security. I wonder if this also applies to people in private business and industry? It has taken the Social Security Administration a full year to catch up to me as I have been receiving full benefits during my first year of retirement and not eligible to do so. I lucked out in that they only cut me about 45% but I have to pay back what they overpaid me this past year. Not a problem since I knew this was going to happen and with each monthly payment dropped 50% into a savings account. In other words I had a nice loan for a year from Social Security. My son and ex-wife also have to pay back. Good luck on them getting money back from the ex. It’s no wonder that outfit is going broke.

Again, Allen, Happy Birthday.

Bob Lykins