Primary Insurance Amount (PIA)

Social Security Retirement Benefits

Social Security Eligibility Amount of the Social Security Benefit

Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) Windfall Benefits Elimination Provision (WEP)

Social Security Benefit Estimates Retirement Options Based on Age

Social Security Earnings Test

? 2006, J.P.McGehrin & Associates, Inc.. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the prior permission of J.P. McGehrin and Associates, Inc.

Social Security Eligibility

Required Credits (Quarters of Coverage) To qualify for Social Security retirement benefits you must be "fully insured," having earned at least the minimum number of credits based on your year of birth. If born before 1929, the number of credits required is equal to your year of birth plus 11. Anyone born 1929 or later must have 40 credits to qualify for retirement benefits.

Required Credits

Born before 1929: Credits required = YOB + 11 Born 1929 or later: Credits required = 40

Earning Credits of Coverage (previously Quarters of Coverage - QCs): Prior to 1978, one quarter of coverage was earned for each calendar quarter in which the employee earned $ 50 subject to Social Security. Beginning in 1978, employees earned one credit of coverage for every $ 250 earned subject to Social Security, regardless of the calendar quarters of the year. This dollar figure changes annually. For example, in 2006, one credit of coverage was earned for each $ 970 in covered annual earnings, up to a maximum of four credits in a calendar year. If an employee earned $ 3,880 in January of 2006 he or she earned four credits of coverage. The dollar amount used to determine credits of coverage earned is established yearly by Social Security.

Earning Credits

In 2006: 1 Credit is granted for each $ 970 earned up to a maximum

of 4 credits in that calendar year.

Before 1978: 1 Credit is granted for each calendar

quarter in which employee earned $50.

Social Security Retirement Benefits

Amount of the Social Security Benefit

Amount of the Social Security Benefit

The dollar amount of the Social Security Benefit (for Federal Employees) is based upon:

1. A.I.M.E. 2. The number of years of substantial earnings under Social Security 3. Age at retirement

Social Security Statement provides:

? Yearly earnings subject to Social Security ? Confirmation that you have the required number of credits to qualify for benefits ? Monthly benefit estimate

- OR ? Yearly earnings subject to Social Security ? Confirmation that you do not have the required number of credits to qualify for

benefits ? Current number of credits ? No monthly benefit estimate is provided

A.I.M.E.

Average I ndexed M onthly E arnings

Calculating the AIME - Average Indexed Monthly Earnings

The Social Security benefit is based upon lifetime earnings. The highest 35 years of earnings (subject to Social Security taxes) are indexed to inflation, totaled and then averaged over the 35 year period. This figure is then divided by 12 to produce the average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) over the entire career - 35 years. If there are fewer than 35 years of Social Security earnings, Social Security will add zero dollar ($0) earning years to reach the 35 years.

Social Security Retirement Benefits

Calculating the AIME: Past Social Security Earnings

(Worker attains age 62, dies, or becomes disabled in 2006 or later)

A

B

C

D

E

F

Year

Maximum Taxable Amount

Enter Taxable Earnings

Index Factor

= Indexed Earnings

Substantial Earnings (WEP)

Sub. Earnings

1952 1953

$ 3,600 $ 3,600

11.99 11.36

$ 900 $ 900

1954

$ 4,200

11.30

$ 900

1955

$ 4,200

10.80

$ 1,050

1956

$ 4,200

10.09

$ 1,050

1957

$ 4,200

9.79

$ 1,050

1958

$ 4,200

9.70

$ 1,050

1959

$ 4,800

9.25

$ 1,200

1960

$ 4,800

8.90

$ 1,200

1961

$ 4,800

8.72

$ 1,200

1962

$ 4,800

8.31

$ 1,200

1963

$ 4,800

8.11

$ 1,200

1964

$ 4,800

7.79

$ 1,200

1965

$ 4,800

7.65

$ 1,200

1966

$ 6,600

7.22

$ 1,650

1967

$ 6,600

6.84

$ 1,650

1968

$ 7,800

6.40

$ 1,950

1969

$ 7,800

6.05

$ 1,950

1970

$ 7,800

5.76

$ 1,950

1971

$ 7,800

5.49

$ 1,950

1972

$ 9,000

5.00

$ 2,250

1973

$ 10,800

4.70

$ 2,700

1974

$ 13,200

4.44

$ 3,300

1975

$ 14,100

4.13

$ 3,525

1976

$ 15,300

3.86

$ 3,825

1977

$ 16,500

3.65

$ 4,125

1978

$ 17,700

3.38

$ 4,425

1979

$ 22,900

3.11

$ 4,725

1980

$ 25,900

2.85

$ 5,100

1981

$ 29,700

2.59

$ 5,550

1982

$ 32,400

2.45

$ 6,075

1983

$ 35,700

2.34

$ 6,675

1984

$ 37,800

2.21

$ 7,050

1985

$ 39,600

2.12

$ 7,425

1986

$ 42,000

2.06

$ 7,875

1987

$ 43,800

1.93

$ 8,175

1988

$ 45,000

1.84

$ 8,400

1989

$ 48,000

1.77

$ 8,880

1990

$ 51,300

1.70

$ 9,525

1991

$ 53,400

1.63

$ 9,900

1992

$ 55,500

1.55

$ 10,350

1993

$ 57,600

1.54

$ 10,725

1994

$ 60,600

1.50

$ 11,250

1995

$ 61,200

1.44

$ 11,325

1996

$ 62,700

1.38

$ 11,625

1997

$ 65,400

1.30

$ 12,150

1998

$ 68,400

1.24

$ 12,675

1999

$72,600

1.17

$ 13,425

2000

$76,200

1.11

$ 14,175

2001

$80,400

1.08

$ 14,925

2002

$84,900

1.07

$ 15,750

2003

$87,000

1.05

$ 16,125

2004

$87,900

1.00

$ 16,275

2005

$90,000

1.00

$16,725

Total Indexed Earnings

$

# yrs.Sub.

Primary Insurance Amount

Primary Insurance Amount - PIA The Social Security benefit payable at Normal Retirement Age (65 - 67) is called the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). The Primary Insurance Amount is based on the AIME (Average Indexed Monthly Earnings).

Social Security Replacement Rates

AIME

$500 $2000 $4000

PIA % Replacement

$450 $1020 $1653

90% 51% 41%

Windfall Benefits Elimination Provision

Windfall Benefits Elimination Provision is a modified Social Security Formula that reduces the Social Security benefit if you are eligible for a retirement benefit from employment which was not covered by Social Security (such as CSRS) and you have less than 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security.

Note: The modified formula does not apply if you were age 62 before 1986 or you were eligible for Civil Service retirement before 1986. The modified formula is phased in if you became age 62 between 1986 and 1989.

Generally, those with a work history of less than 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security will appear to have a lower average earnings level (AIME). Social Security generally provides a higher proportion of benefits to lower income employees than it does for those who were higher paid. The reduction that results from the Windfall Elimination Provision is designed to, cancel out this effect, particularly for those who reach age 62 in 1990 or later. The modified formula is not used in computing survivor benefits payable by Social Security. It is used in computing Social Security retirement benefits, spousal benefits and disability benefits.

Employees who transferred from CSRS to FERS are not exempt from the Windfall Benefits Elimination Provision. Many transfer employees, however, lessen the negative impact of the WEP by earning more than 20 years of substantial earnings.

Social Security Retirement Benefits

 ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download