Listen to the Podcast
- 1:55 – Retirement benefits are least important part of social security
- 2:58 – Survivors benefits explained
- 3:23 – Disability benefits explained
- 5:28 – Chart of retirement age
- 16:08 – Spouses benefits explained
- 16:57 – Widows benefits explained
- 20:15 – Restricted application for spousal benefits only
- 24:35 – Questions
Tom worked 33 years for the Social Security Administration as a claims representative, operations supervisor, field representative and public affairs specialist. He retired in June, 2011 and is now a self-employed Social Security speaker and consultant. He made more than 6000 speeches and talks while working for Social Security-more than anyone in the history of the Social Security Administration. Twice, he was presented the Commissioners Citation, Social Security’s highest award. Tom received 4 Deputy Commissioner of Communications Citations for excellence in making the complexities of Social Security and Medicare easily understandable.
Many publications with a monthly readership of over 2 million persons published his columns about Social Security. Tom produced and appeared in over 200 TV shows about Social Security. He has been considered the expert in explaining how receiving a pension based on work not covered by Social Security (such as Teacher’s Retirement of Texas) can affect Social Security benefits. Many Social Security employees have told him they never understood the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset law until they heard his explanation.
