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NSSA - National Social Security Advisor
Questions and Correct Answers
What year did you have to be born before to be able to apply for a
restricted application? Ans: — 1/1/1954
What year was Social Security created? Ans: — 1935
Who received the first SS payment? Ans: — Ida May
What year was the COLA adjustment added? Ans: — 1970
What year did SS become taxable? Ans: — 1980
What CPI is used for COLA adjustments? How is it calculated? Ans:
— 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? Ans: — CPI-E
(elderly). It's still experimental
How far back can you get backpay? Ans: — 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? Ans: — 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 Ans: — 48 month
If you're birthday starts any day but the 2nd, what day do your
benefits start? Ans: — On the first of the following month
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Do you have to apply to SS or do you automatically start receiving
it? Ans: — You have to apply
If you are born on the 1-10th of the month when are you paid?
Ans: — On the 2nd Wed of the month
If you are born on the 11-20th of the month when are you paid?
Ans: — On the 3rd Wed of the month
If you are born on the 20th-end of the month when are you paid?
Ans: — 4th Wed
each year you delay taking SS past retirement age, your benefit
goes up by ____. When do you see the increase reflected? Ans: —
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? Ans:
— 78
Are survivor benefits affected by the worker delaying or selecting
early withdrawals? Ans: — yes
Hold Harmless Rule Ans: — 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 Ans: — 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? Ans: —
12months, and your partner must be collecting benefits for you to
receive the spousal benefit.
How much is the spousal benefit? Ans: — one half of the PIA
What are 4 rules to collecting divorce benefits? Ans: — You must
still be single
© 2025 All rights reserved
NSSA - National Social Security Advisor
Questions and Correct Answers
What year did you have to be born before to be able to apply for a
restricted application? Ans: — 1/1/1954
What year was Social Security created? Ans: — 1935
Who received the first SS payment? Ans: — Ida May
What year was the COLA adjustment added? Ans: — 1970
What year did SS become taxable? Ans: — 1980
What CPI is used for COLA adjustments? How is it calculated? Ans:
— 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? Ans: — CPI-E
(elderly). It's still experimental
How far back can you get backpay? Ans: — 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? Ans: — 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 Ans: — 48 month
If you're birthday starts any day but the 2nd, what day do your
benefits start? Ans: — On the first of the following month
© 2025 All rights reserved
, 2 | Page
Do you have to apply to SS or do you automatically start receiving
it? Ans: — You have to apply
If you are born on the 1-10th of the month when are you paid?
Ans: — On the 2nd Wed of the month
If you are born on the 11-20th of the month when are you paid?
Ans: — On the 3rd Wed of the month
If you are born on the 20th-end of the month when are you paid?
Ans: — 4th Wed
each year you delay taking SS past retirement age, your benefit
goes up by ____. When do you see the increase reflected? Ans: —
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? Ans:
— 78
Are survivor benefits affected by the worker delaying or selecting
early withdrawals? Ans: — yes
Hold Harmless Rule Ans: — 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 Ans: — 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? Ans: —
12months, and your partner must be collecting benefits for you to
receive the spousal benefit.
How much is the spousal benefit? Ans: — one half of the PIA
What are 4 rules to collecting divorce benefits? Ans: — You must
still be single
© 2025 All rights reserved
