# Can you refuse Social Security? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 1, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988 "2003-06-01T20:28:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Dodeca\_Aww\_Hell\_With\_It](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dodeca\_Aww\_Hell\_With\_It](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dodeca_Aww_Hell_With_It)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/1 "2003-06-01T20:28:58Z")
I don’t mean refuse to pay it, but refuse to accept it. For example, Warren Buffett will never need Social Security to live on, so is there any way that he could refuse to have his portion paid out to him? ---
**Author:** ![Kegg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Kegg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kegg)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/2 "2003-06-01T21:34:49Z")
You have to apply for social security/ If you don’t want it just don’t apply!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/3 "2003-06-01T21:46:59Z")
That you have to apply may not be the same in all places; a friend of mine once told me that she was investigated for fraud because she rejected family allowance (an UK subsidy supposedly aimed at contributing to the needs of a young child) - I’m not sure whether she was telling the truth, but getting into the system for family allowance is pretty much automatic in many cases, or at least you’d have to consciously decide not to apply, because the system keeps reminding you. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/4 "2003-06-01T22:10:36Z")
You can return it as a gift to the United States government: [http://www.ustreas.gov/education/faq/international/terror.html#q3](http://www.ustreas.gov/education/faq/international/terror.html#q3) > [@](#): > > The Department of the Treasury does not have an established account for donations designated for specific use for disaster relief and rebuilding efforts in New York City and Washington, DC. Citizens who wish to make a general donation to the United States Government may send contributions to a specific account called “Gifts to the United States.” > > This account was established in 1843 to accept gifts, such as bequests, from individuals wishing to express their patriotism to the United States. Money deposited into this account is for general use by the Federal Government and can be available for budget needs. These contributions are considered an unconditional gift to the Government. Financial gifts can be made by check or money order payable to the United States Treasury and mailed to: > > Gifts to the United States > U.S. Department of the Treasury > Credit Accounting Branch > 3700 East-West Highway, Room 6D37 > Hyattsville, MD 20782 > > We have also received numerous inquiries from individuals who wish to donate their tax relief checks back to the Government. In those cases, individuals should endorse the check and write “Pay to the Order of the United States Treasury” on the back of the check, and then mail it to the address shown above. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/5 "2003-06-01T23:09:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kegg \* > \*\*You have to apply for social security/ If you don’t want it just don’t apply!!! \*\* What my neighbor (hi) says is true. I saw on 60 Minutes, or some such program, that quyte a lot of the very rich never collect. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2003, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/6 "2003-06-01T23:14:20Z")
My father did not start collecting his SS benefits till he turned 70. He lost about $60,000 by waiting. BTW, Mr. Buffett probably would not qualify for SS benefits, his income and wealth are a little above the maximum standards. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/7 "2003-06-02T00:25:29Z")
You could just not deposit the checks. Although that might make life more difficult for the government’s accountants. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/8 "2003-06-02T00:42:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by racer72 \* > \*\* > BTW, Mr. Buffett probably would not qualify for SS benefits, his income and wealth are a little above the maximum standards. \*\* What maximum standards? As far as I know, there is no means testing for SS. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/9 "2003-06-02T00:54:58Z")
Once a person reaches full retirement age, which in Warren Buffet’s case would be 65 years, he can get his Social Security benefits with no limits on his earned or unearned (e.g., interset, dividends, capital gains) income. The only means testing comes if you retire before full retirement age, and then only your earned income is used to calculate your eligibility. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/10 "2003-06-02T00:58:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by racer72 \* > \*\*My father did not start collecting his SS benefits till he turned 70. He lost about $60,000 by waiting. > > BTW, Mr. Buffett probably would not qualify for SS benefits, his income and wealth are a little above the maximum standards. \*\* This is inaccurate on both counts. You don’t have to collect SS at age 65 (or early benefits at age 62), but can wait until you are 70. Your benefit amounts will increase for each month after 65 that you wait, until age 70. [http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10035.html#part1m](http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10035.html#part1m) > [@](#): > > Each additional year you work adds another year of earnings to your Social Security record. Higher lifetime earnings may result in higher benefits when you retire. > In addition, your benefit will be increased by a certain percentage if you choose to delay receiving retirement benefits. These increases will be added in automatically from the time you reach your full retirement age until you start taking your benefits, or you reach age 70. The percentage varies depending on your year of birth. See the chart below for the increase that will apply to you. Second, no matter how rich you are, you are entitled to those benefits, provided that you have 40 quarters of coverage (generally speaking). ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/11 "2003-06-02T01:03:26Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by racer72 \* > My father did not start collecting his SS benefits till he turned 70. He lost about $60,000 by waiting. How so? Did he continue working up until he tried to collect SS? If so, his monthly payment to him should have been more than if he started collrecting at 62, or at 65. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/12 "2003-06-02T01:14:26Z")
[http://frwebgate6.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=515642209550+3+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve](http://frwebgate6.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/waisgate.cgi?WAISdocID=515642209550+3+0+0&WAISaction=retrieve) [quote] Sec. 404.313 Using delayed retirement credit to increase old-age benefit amount. ``` (a) General. (1) If you do not receive old-age benefits for the ``` month you reach age 65 (retirement age) or for any later month before the month in which you reach age 70 (72 before 1984), you may earn delayed retirement credits which will increase your benefit amount when you retire. You earn delayed retirement credits for each of those months for which you are fully insured and are eligible for but do not receive old-age benefits, either because of your work or earnings, or because you have not applied for benefits. If you were entitled to old-age benefits before age 65 you may still earn delayed retirement credit for months beginning with age 65 in which your benefits were reduced to zero because of your work or earnings. (2) Retirement age is the age at which entitlement to full benefits may begin and is the age at which you may begin to earn delayed retirement credits. Age 65 is the retirement age for workers who reach that age before the year 2003. For workers who reach age 65 …(b) How we determine delayed retirement credits–(1) General. The amount of the delayed retirement credit depends on the year you reach retirement age, and the number of months you are eligible for and do not receive old-age benefits from retirement age to age 70 (72 before 1984). We total these months, which need not be consecutive, multiply the total by the applicable percent as provided in paragraphs (b)(2), (3), and (4) of this section, multiply your benefit amount by this product, and round to the next lowest multiple of $0.10 if the answer is not already a multiple of $0.10. The result is your delayed retirement credit which we add to your benefit amount. The supplementary medical insurance premium, if any, is then deducted and the result is rounded to the next lowest multiple of $1.00 if it is not already a multiple of $1.00. (2) Before 1982. If you reach age 65 before 1982, your delayed retirement credit equals one-twelfth of one percent of your benefit amount times the number of months after 1970 in which you are age 65 or older and for which you are eligible but do not receive old-age benefits. (3) After 1981 and before 1990. If you reach age 65 after 1981 and before 1990, your delayed retirement credit equals one-fourth of one percent of your monthly benefit amount times the number of months in which you are age 65 or older and for which you are eligible but do not receive old-age benefits. (4) Beginning with 1990. If you reach age 65 in 1990 or later, the rate of the delayed retirement credit (i.e., one-fourth of one percent as stated in paragraph (b)(3) of this section) is increased by one- twenty-fourth of one percent in each even year through 2008. Thus, depending on when you reach age 65, your delayed retirement credit percent will be as follows: * * * ``` Delayed retirement credit Year you reach age 65 percent ``` * * * 1990… \7/24\ of 1 percent. 1991… [etc.] ---
**Author:** ![suezeekay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@suezeekay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suezeekay)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/13 "2003-06-02T06:00:08Z")
Hardly anyone can collect full benefits at age 65 at this point. You have to have been born in 1937. My benefit at age 62 is about 600; at age 65 and 10 months, about 800; so if I wait until age 65 and 10 months I will have lost 9200; it will take me until age 69 and 8 months to recover that amount. So, basically I have to decide how long I think I will live and if I need the income at age 62 or can wait until 65+. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 7:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/14 "2003-06-02T07:55:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by suezeekay \* > **Hardly anyone can collect full benefits at age 65 at this point. You have to have been born in 1937.** If you were born _any year_ before 1938, your “full retirement age” is 65. ---
**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2003, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-refuse-social-security/178988/15 "2003-06-02T09:22:34Z")
Age To Receive Full Social Security Benefits Year of Birth Full Retirement Age 1937 or earlier 65 1938 65 and 2 months 1939 65 and 4 months 1940 65 and 6 months 1941 65 and 8 months 1942 65 and 10 months 1943–1954 66 1955 66 and 2 months 1956 66 and 4 months 1957 66 and 6 months 1958 66 and 8 months 1959 66 and 10 months 1960 and later 67