Easy Seniors Club
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertiser Disclosure
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Disclaimer
  • Home
  • Expert Advice
  • Saving and Spending
  • Taxes
  • Family Finance
  • Real Estate
  • Employment
  • Business
  • Banking
  • Health
  • Technology
Home›Taxes›6 Shocking Ways You Can LOSE Your Social Security Benefits

6 Shocking Ways You Can LOSE Your Social Security Benefits

By Our Editorial Team  |  Published April 18, 2023

Expert Verified

Our editorial team verifies all financial and lifestyle information for accuracy and relevance to senior living.

lose
Image By Mehaniq From Shutterstock

#6 Going to jail means losing your payments

It is unlikely that you will end up incarcerated, but it is also better to be in the know about these things than let them come over you as a surprise. And in any case, it can be useful to know about these things so that if you know someone who has ended up in a situation where they will end up incarcerated, you can either tell them what will happen or help calm their nerves if they are worried they will lose their Social Security benefits.

Generally speaking, the SSA will stop making any payments to any person who has been criminally convicted and is incarcerated for more than 30 days. Yet, this does not mean that you will lose your benefits forever! It will not happen immediately, but the SSA can resume sending the payments starting the following month after the person has been released from prison.

Even if a person is incarcerated and cannot receive any benefits, the dependents and spouse of the person are not subject to the rule, and they will continue to receive the benefits as long as they are still considered eligible to receive them.

When it comes to SSDIs, the rule remains the same as with traditional Social Security. If you are spending time in jail for more than 30 days, then the payments will be suspended, and they will resume the month after the person is released. However, if the person is set to spend more than 12 months behind bars, then the payments will be terminated, and after they are released, the person will have to reapply.

What’s more, if the person is released on parole, then the SSA will not consider them eligible for receiving disability benefits.

Now you know what can threaten your Social Security Benefits but do you know how you can maximize the amount you are going to receive? Read all about how you can increase your payments here!

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

10 responses to “6 Shocking Ways You Can LOSE Your Social Security Benefits”

  1. Sereda Knotts says:
    April 28, 2023 at 4:05 pm

    How do you find out how much a widows pension will be before you sign up?

    Reply
  2. Mark Weiner says:
    April 28, 2023 at 11:05 pm

    Another way to lose SS benefits (which I hope does not apply to any readers here): Move to a country that the USA does not have diplomatic relations with, such as North Korea, Iran (I think), and there are a few others.

    Reply
  3. Dominick Provenzano says:
    July 14, 2023 at 5:10 pm

    Did not know about ways we can lose Social Security. Please tell me what to look for or do.

    Reply
  4. Rebecca M Bender says:
    August 15, 2023 at 12:15 pm

    My husband and I have been married for 59 years this October. We inherited his family’s farm 30 years ago and paying taxes with very little income from it. My husband decided to sell it two years ago. I was relieved over our finances until we found out that our Social Security which would have been increased this year took a definite decrease after IRS informed Social Security about our income from the sale of the farm. With the proposed increase in SS benefits we would have been better off to have kept the farm and left it to our children. Now we are dependent on using money from the sale of the farm to live on. I know “life” isn’t fair, but it seems things never get better. just worse.

    Reply
  5. Jane Doe says:
    August 17, 2023 at 2:29 pm

    I think if anyone is caught selling or stealing other peoples medicine or on benefits getting caught doing those things should lose benefits.

    Reply
  6. Xavier Mireles says:
    August 19, 2023 at 12:47 pm

    Getting convicted of a felony.

    Reply
  7. Thomas Graham says:
    October 13, 2023 at 3:02 pm

    I have no idea that o could ever loss my SS

    Reply
  8. Lesego Lippe says:
    April 12, 2024 at 5:46 pm

    Thanks for giving me this information. As a matter of fact, I’m among those who have lost part of their Social
    Security earnings as of January 1, 2024. My monthly benefits shrunk from $1,015.70 to $579.60 without courtesy of a heads-up to expect the drastic change. I’m still waiting for the “why” to this unexpected act.

    Reply
  9. Shannon Smith says:
    May 16, 2026 at 7:42 pm

    i hope so

    Reply
  10. Margaret L. Jones says:
    July 7, 2026 at 11:14 pm

    Let me know about the new changes please.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Search

Most Popular

  • Aldi Store
    15 Aldi Shopping Tips From Super Savers That You Have to Try January 22, 2021
  • florida
    Planning to Retire in Florida? Here Are 10 Places to Avoid! March 3, 2023
  • trump, Social Security in 2025, Trump's inauguration
    Social Security in 2026: 6 Major Shifts That Could Affect Your Benefits November 19, 2024

Top Picks

  • An older man stands at a retail counter with an open cardboard box, receipts, and a shopping bag.
    9 Store Return Policies That Differ Wildly by Location September 25, 2026
  • Senior woman resting her chin on her hand beside a handwritten monthly budget notebook and coffee mug by a sunny window.
    9 Signs a Family Loan Could Hurt Your Own Retirement September 25, 2026
  • Older couple relaxing on a sunny stone terrace overlooking a Mediterranean coastal town and sea.
    11 Small Countries Where a US Pension Covers Healthcare Entirely September 25, 2026

Quick Links

  • Expert Advice
  • Saving and Spending
  • Real Estate
  • Taxes
  • Family Finance

Newsletter

Get the latest posts delivered to your inbox.

Related Articles

tax refund

Why You Might Get a Bigger Tax Refund in 2025

A smiling woman uses her laptop at a sunlit table to discover how to maximize…

Read More →
highest taxes average

10 Tax-Friendly States for People With An Average Income

A happy couple walks through a welcoming, tree-lined neighborhood with shopping bags as friendly neighbors…

Read More →
Senior couple reviewing tax forms and retirement portfolio statements at a dining table with a calculator and budget notebook.

11 Things That Change About Your Taxes the Year You Retire

Discover 11 critical tax changes that happen the year you retire, from Medicare IRMAA surcharges…

Read More →
8 Signs Your Combined Income Puts You Above a Social Security Taxation Threshold

8 Signs Your Combined Income Puts You Above a Social Security Taxation Threshold

Discover the 8 signs your combined income triggers federal taxes on Social Security benefits and…

Read More →
social security, retirement deduction

9 States That Tax Social Security Benefits

#6 Missouri Missouri residents are some of the fortunate ones that can write off their…

Read More →
inflation

2023 Taxes and Inflation: 5 Things To Know

5. How to prepare for taxes in 2023 Who doesn’t want to be prepared and…

Read More →
Social Security

3 New Tax Traps Every Retiree Should Know

How to reduce state tax surprises 1. Review state tax withholding: Working retirees should confirm…

Read More →
taxes deduction, money in 2025

Top 7 Often-Overlooked Tax Deductions for Retirees

6. Avoid the Pension Payout Trap There’s a menacing exception to the rule that it…

Read More →
A senior man sitting at a wooden table reviewing financial documents beside an open notebook and coffee mug.

9 Things Almost Every Retiree Gets Wrong With Their Retirement Accounts

Avoid these 9 costly retirement account mistakes to protect your savings from surprise taxes, missed…

Read More →

Stay Informed & Empowered

Get our weekly digest of financial tips, retirement updates, and expert advice for seniors delivered directly to your inbox.

Easy Seniors Club

At Easy Seniors Club, life starts at retirement!

Inedit Agency S.R.L.
Bucharest, Romania

contact@easyseniorsclub.com

Explore

  • Contact
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertiser Disclosure
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe
  • Unsubscribe
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Disclaimer
  • Do not sell my personal information
  • Request to Know
  • Request to Delete
  • CA Private Policy

Categories

  • Banking
  • Business
  • Employment
  • Expert Advice
  • Family Finance
  • Health
  • Real Estate
  • Saving and Spending
  • Taxes
  • Technology

© 2026 Easy Seniors Club. All rights reserved.