SS/Medicare contributions

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

Not sure if this is the right forum ? 
 

so - to get full coverage for social security and Medicare you need to contribute for 40 quarters (10 years), and spouse 1 gets the benefit if only spouse 2 works as well. So this is the question - are these quarters additive? Like if only spouse 1 works for 5 years, and then only spouse 2 works for the next 5 years, does this count as a total 10 years for the married couple, or is still only 5 because each has only worked 5 years?

bonus points if answers can link to an official website … thanks !!!

 

[TBoneTX 45,266]

Will look and hopefully report back.

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Edited to add:  If no one here has a definitive answer, you might e-mail these people, who have a good reputation for responsiveness:

https://tonisays.com

Edited May 28, 2022 by TBoneTX

[Villanelle 4,122]

5 hours ago, SusieQQQ said:

Not sure if this is the right forum ? 
 

so - to get full coverage for social security and Medicare you need to contribute for 40 quarters (10 years), and spouse 1 gets the benefit if only spouse 2 works as well. So this is the question - are these quarters additive? Like if only spouse 1 works for 5 years, and then only spouse 2 works for the next 5 years, does this count as a total 10 years for the married couple, or is still only 5 because each has only worked 5 years?

bonus points if answers can link to an official website … thanks !!!

 

You can count credits earned by your spouse during the marriage. You can even claim the credits if divorced as long as you don't remarry. 

The main issue is not combining credits for most but rather eligibility to enroll is based on age and that is non transferable meaning your spouse may qualify before you if they are older. You will have to wait until you turn of age or otherwise qualify. Sometimes this means the working spouse retires and loses employee health plan both spouses were under. Retired spouse can get medicare. Other spouse if too young to qualify will need to obtain another plan from an employer or marketplace. 

 

I would suggest using a broker https://www.ncoa.org/article/what-is-a-medicare-broker-and-why-should-you-consider-talking-to-one

 

Their services are free and they can help you compare and plan. Typically they will come to you. Personally I think a broker is more helpful than the 800 Medicare's phoneline as they can really sit and spend time with you. 

 

There are many factors to consider when one spouse is going to become eligible before the other so you really need someone to review your personal situation.  There are various penalties and benefits to waiting.  Also every state has different programs that will vary. You may qualify for extra help. You may want a plan that has extra perks or you might not.  If you don't know what the donut hole is find out before you enter it! 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

On 5/28/2022 at 4:10 AM, Villanelle said:

You can count credits earned by your spouse during the marriage. You can even claim the credits if divorced as long as you don't remarry. 

The main issue is not combining credits for most but rather eligibility to enroll is based on age and that is non transferable meaning your spouse may qualify before you if they are older. You will have to wait until you turn of age or otherwise qualify. Sometimes this means the working spouse retires and loses employee health plan both spouses were under. Retired spouse can get medicare. Other spouse if too young to qualify will need to obtain another plan from an employer or marketplace. 

 

I would suggest using a broker https://www.ncoa.org/article/what-is-a-medicare-broker-and-why-should-you-consider-talking-to-one

 

Their services are free and they can help you compare and plan. Typically they will come to you. Personally I think a broker is more helpful than the 800 Medicare's phoneline as they can really sit and spend time with you. 

 

There are many factors to consider when one spouse is going to become eligible before the other so you really need someone to review your personal situation.  There are various penalties and benefits to waiting.  Also every state has different programs that will vary. You may qualify for extra help. You may want a plan that has extra perks or you might not.  If you don't know what the donut hole is find out before you enter it! 

Thanks for the detailed explanation, we are aware of donut holes/gap insurance etc. And thanks for the heads up re factors in different eligibility ages, that is something we do need to look into. 
 

The main thing however we are interested in is whether we can accumulate the full 10 years required to access fullest Medicare benefits if neither of us ends up working for a full ten years, but as a couple we are in some way contributing for a full ten years. so I know we can count spouse credits, but say my spouse works for 7 years and I work for 5, with an overlap so that the total actual time in chronological years is 10 years, and the 10 years is complete before either of us reaches eligibility age - does that count as 10 years contributions? Having seen my father in incredibly ill health for the past few years with massive expenses - well into the hundreds of thousands of dollars - but all covered by Medicare + the gap insurance (not sure if that’s the technical term) - this is really what concerns us most.

[Villanelle 4,122]

https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/applying7.html

 

There is also a pdf I am having trouble linking but you should be able to find with Google. 

https://www.ssa.gov › pubsPDF

EN-05-10035 - Retirement Benefits - January 2022 - Social Security 

 

SSA also has various calculators and planners but most require you to be logged in to SSA account. 

 

Now while you can combine credits (examples of which are in the link above) the most important factor is qualifying (both age and total credits) One of you needs to be eligible -ON THEIR OWN- for the spouse to get spousal payments. 

 

So if Mr qualifies but Mrs doesn't,  Mrs can be paid based on Mr records.  If both Mr and Mrs qualify but Mr gets more- Mrs can use some of Mr records to supplement and get maximum amount. 

 

From my understanding you can't combine credits the way you explained where you have 7 and he has 5. One of you needs 10.

 

 

[SusieQQQ 11,586]

@Villanelle, thank you