Extra Social Security Benefits for Veterans

DD 214 - Social Security Benefit (Updated 3/27/10)

DD FORM 214 -- Extra SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT for those with active duty between January 1957 to December 31, 2001

See the web site & notes below to possibly increase your Social Security Benefits.

DD FORM 214 -- SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFIT Please share this with anyone who had active duty service between January 1957 to December 31, 2001 and planning for retirement. In a nutshell it boils down to this:

You qualify for a higher social security payment because of your Military service, for active duty any time from 1957 through 2001 (the program was done away with 1 January 2002). Up to $1200 per year of earnings credit credited at time of application - which can make a substantial difference in social security monthly payments upon your retirement. You must bring your DD-214 to the Social Security Office and you must ask for this benefit to receive it!

Soc Sec website: http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm

This is something to put in your files for when you apply for Social Security down the road.. It is NOT just for retirees, BUT anyone who has served on active duty between January 1957 to December 31, 2001.

FYI - this benefit is not automatic, you must ask for it! We've all been on active duty between 1957 and 2001 or know someone who has.

Passing on good information for all you military folks when you apply for social security. I know this may be too early for some of you to think about social security but, keep living and you will get there...

Regional Resource Coordinator
Maryland's Commitment to Veterans Project State of Maryland- Southern Region Human Services Partnership Building La Plata, Maryland 20646

You must bring your DD-214 to the Social Security Office.

You must ask for this benefit to receive it!

Soc Sec website:

http://www.ssa.gov/retire2/military.htm

This is something to put in your files for when you apply for Social
Security down the road. It is NOT just for retirees, BUT anyone who has
served on active duty prior to January 2002.

FYI - this benefit is not automatic, you must ask for it!

Applies toall been on active duty between 1940 and 2001!

The below information came from the link provided above........

Since 1957, if you had military service earnings for active duty (including active duty for training), you paid Social Security taxes on those earnings. Since 1988, inactive duty service in the Armed Forces reserves (such as weekend drills) has also been covered by Social Security.

Under certain circumstances, special extra earnings for your military service from 1957 through 2001 can be credited to your record for Social Security purposes. These extra earnings credits may help you qualify for Social Security or increase the amount of your Social Security benefit.

Special extra earnings credits are granted for periods of active duty or active duty for training. Special extra earnings credits are not granted for inactive duty training.

If your active military service occurred

· From 1957 through 1967, we will add the extra credits to your record when you apply for Social Security benefits.

· From 1968 through 2001, you do not need to do anything to receive these extra credits. The credits were automatically added to your record.

· After 2001, there are no special extra earnings credits for military service.

How You Get Credit For Special Extra Earnings

The information that follows applies only to active duty military service earnings from 1957 through 2001. Here's how the special extra earnings are credited on your record:

Service in 1957 Through 1977

You are credited with $300 in additional earnings for each calendar quarter in which you received active duty basic pay.

Service in 1978 through 2001

For every $300 in active duty basic pay, you are credited with an additional $100 in earnings up to a maximum of $1,200 a year. If you enlisted after September 7, 1980, and didn't complete at least 24 months of active duty or your full tour, you may not be able to receive the additional earnings. Check with Social Security for details.

  **** taken from the SSA website link provided above.

--------------------------------------

 Extra earnings

Your Social Security benefit depends on your earnings, averaged over your working lifetime. Generally, the higher your earnings, the higher your Social Security benefit. Under certain circumstances, special earnings can be credited to your military pay record for Social Security purposes. The extra earnings are for periods of active duty or active duty for training. These extra earnings may help you qualify for Social Security or increase the amount of your Social Security benefit.

If you served in the military after 1956, you paid Social Security taxes on those earnings. Since 1988, inactive duty service in the Armed Forces reserves (such as weekend drills) has also been covered by Social Security.

Under certain circumstances, special extra earnings for periods of active duty from 1957 through 2001 can also be credited to your Social Security earnings record for benefit purposes.

· From 1957 through 1967, we will add the extra credits to your record when you apply for Social Security benefits.

· From 1968 through 2001, you do not need to do anything to receive these extra credits. The credits were automatically added to your record.

· After 2001, there are no special extra earnings credits for military service.

The information that follows explains how you can get credit for special extra earnings and applies only to active duty military service earnings from 1957 through 2001.

· From 1957 through 1977, you are credited with $300 in additional earnings for each calendar quarter in which you received active duty basic pay.

· From 1978 through 2001, For every $300 in active duty basic pay, you are credited with an additional $100 in earnings up to a maximum of $1,200 a year. If you enlisted after September 7, 1980, and didn't complete at least 24 months of active duty or your full tour, you may not be able to receive the additional earnings. Check with Social Security for details.

If you served in the military from 1940 through 1956, including attendance at a service academy, you did not pay Social Security taxes. However, your Social Security record may be credited with $160 a month in earnings for military service from September 16, 1940, through December 31, 1956, under the following circumstances:

· You were honorably discharged after 90 or more days of service, or you were released because of a disability or injury received in the line of duty; or

· You are still on active duty; or

· You are applying for survivors benefits and the veteran died while on active duty.

You cannot receive credit for these special earnings if you are already receiving a federal benefit based on the same years of service. There is one exception: If you were on active duty after 1956, you can still get the special earnings for 1951 through 1956, even if you're receiving a military retirement based on service during that period.

These extra earnings credits are added to your earnings record when you apply for Social Security benefits.

NOTE: In all cases, the additional earnings are credited to the earnings that we average over your working lifetime, not directly to your monthly benefit amount.

The above material pertaining to the years 1940 thru 1956 came from this source.