NSSA NATIONAL SOCIAL SECURITY ADVISOR QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
What year did you have to be born before to be able to apply for a restricted application? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅1/1/1954
What year was Social Security created? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1935
Who received the first SS payment? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Ida May
What year was the COLA adjustment added? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1970
What year did SS become taxable? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1980
What CPI is used for COLA adjustments? How is it calculated? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅CPI-W, you look
at in inflation in the previous 3rd quarter vs current 3rd quarter. It's automatically adjusted. The largest
part is housing (30% of the index)
What CPI index might they move to in the future? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅CPI-E (elderly). It's still
experimental
How far back can you get backpay? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅6 months
How many credits can you earn a year? How much do you have to earn to earn 1 credit? Does it matter
what time of the year you earned the money? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅4 credits. $1510=1 credit
Doesn't mater when you earned the money, you just have to be alive at the start of the quarter to earn
the credit.
If you're born on the 2nd of the month you get a ___ month reduction - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅48
month
, If you're birthday starts any day but the 2nd, what day do your benefits start? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅On the first of the following month
Do you have to apply to SS or do you automatically start receiving it? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅You have
to apply
If you are born on the 1-10th of the month when are you paid? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅On the 2nd
Wed of the month
If you are born on the 11-20th of the month when are you paid? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅On the 3rd
Wed of the month
If you are born on the 20th-end of the month when are you paid? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅4th Wed
each year you delay taking SS past retirement age, your benefit goes up by ____. When do you see the
increase reflected? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅8%, it is reflected in the following year, unless you've
reached age 70 then the increase begins immediately.
What age is the breakeven point between early and waiting? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅78
Are survivor benefits affected by the worker delaying or selecting early withdrawals? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅yes
Hold Harmless Rule - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅protects your Social Security benefit payment from
decreasing due to an increase in the Medicare Part B premium.
What age must you be to begin taking spousal benefits - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅62, OR, any age and
caring for a child entitled to receive benefits on your spouse's record and who is younger than age 16 or
disabled.
How long must you be married to get spousal benefits? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅12months, and your
partner must be collecting benefits for you to receive the spousal benefit.
ANSWERS
What year did you have to be born before to be able to apply for a restricted application? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅1/1/1954
What year was Social Security created? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1935
Who received the first SS payment? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅Ida May
What year was the COLA adjustment added? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1970
What year did SS become taxable? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅1980
What CPI is used for COLA adjustments? How is it calculated? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅CPI-W, you look
at in inflation in the previous 3rd quarter vs current 3rd quarter. It's automatically adjusted. The largest
part is housing (30% of the index)
What CPI index might they move to in the future? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅CPI-E (elderly). It's still
experimental
How far back can you get backpay? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅6 months
How many credits can you earn a year? How much do you have to earn to earn 1 credit? Does it matter
what time of the year you earned the money? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅4 credits. $1510=1 credit
Doesn't mater when you earned the money, you just have to be alive at the start of the quarter to earn
the credit.
If you're born on the 2nd of the month you get a ___ month reduction - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅48
month
, If you're birthday starts any day but the 2nd, what day do your benefits start? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅On the first of the following month
Do you have to apply to SS or do you automatically start receiving it? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅You have
to apply
If you are born on the 1-10th of the month when are you paid? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅On the 2nd
Wed of the month
If you are born on the 11-20th of the month when are you paid? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅On the 3rd
Wed of the month
If you are born on the 20th-end of the month when are you paid? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅4th Wed
each year you delay taking SS past retirement age, your benefit goes up by ____. When do you see the
increase reflected? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅8%, it is reflected in the following year, unless you've
reached age 70 then the increase begins immediately.
What age is the breakeven point between early and waiting? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅78
Are survivor benefits affected by the worker delaying or selecting early withdrawals? - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅yes
Hold Harmless Rule - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅protects your Social Security benefit payment from
decreasing due to an increase in the Medicare Part B premium.
What age must you be to begin taking spousal benefits - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅62, OR, any age and
caring for a child entitled to receive benefits on your spouse's record and who is younger than age 16 or
disabled.
How long must you be married to get spousal benefits? - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅12months, and your
partner must be collecting benefits for you to receive the spousal benefit.
