AMVETS News

Do I received more money from Social Security for serving our country?

In January 2002, Public Law 107-117, the Defense Appropriations Act, stopped the special extra earnings that have been credited to military service personnel. Your military service in calendar year 2002 and future years no longer qualifies for these special extra earnings. The information that follows applies only to your military service earnings from 1940 through 2001.

Under certain circumstances, special earnings for your military service from 1940 through 2001 can be credited to your record for Social Security purposes. These extra earnings may help you qualify for Social Security or increase the amount of your Social Security benefit. The extra earnings credits are granted for periods of active duty or active duty for training. (No additional earnings are granted for inactive duty training.) Social Security cannot add these extra earnings credits to your record until you file for Social Security benefits.

Here's how the additional earnings are granted:

Service 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.

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 1940 Through 1956:
If you were in the military during this period, 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 these special earnings credits if you're already receiving a federal benefit based on the same years of service. But there is one exception to this rule: 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.

You can get both Social Security benefits and military retirement: Generally, there is no offset of Social Security benefits because of your military retirement. You'll get your full Social Security benefit based on your earnings. Social Security survivor’s benefits may affect benefits payable under the optional Department of Defense Survivor Benefit Plan.

For more information, visit website at www.socialsecurity.gov or call toll-free 1-800-772-1213 (for the deaf or hard of hearing, call TTY number, 1-800-325-0778). Social Security can answer specific questions and provide information by automated phone service 24 hours a day.