Clarification on Military Service and Increased Social Security Benefits

California Health Advocates > News > Medicare & Other Health Insurance > Clarification on Military Service and Increased Social Security Benefits

Posted by

Karen Fletcher

January 20, 2022

A misleading letter, from an unknown source, is circulating online that mentions a $1,200 special Social Security earnings credit for people who served in the military. We’re helping the Social Security Administration (SSA) make sure that veterans with active and inactive service have the appropriate information that they need and do not take unnecessary action.

Here are the details from SSA’s recent blog:

Under certain circumstances, special earnings can be credited to your military pay record for Social Security purposes. Since 1957, if you have earnings for active-duty military service or active-duty training, your military service earnings have been covered under Social Security. Since 1988, inactive duty service in the armed forces reserves (such as weekend drills) is also covered by Social Security. If you served in the military before 1957 and did not pay Social Security taxes, we have added special credit to your earnings record for some of your service. These extra earnings may help you qualify for Social Security benefits or increase the amount of your benefit.
These special earnings credits are added to your earnings record automatically when you apply for Social Security benefits. You do not need to contact Social Security.

For more information, read SSA’s fact sheet, Military Service and Social Security.

Karen Joy Fletcher

Our blogger Karen Joy Fletcher is CHA’s Communications Director. With a Masters in Public Health from UC Berkeley, she is the online “public face” of the organization, provides technical expertise, writing and research on Medicare and other health care issues. She is responsible for digital content creation, management of CHA’s editorial calendar, and managing all aspects of CHA’s social media presence. She loves being a “communicator” and enjoys networking and collaborating with the passionate people and agencies in the health advocacy field. See her current articles.

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