QUESTION: I just got back from an overseas military deployment and I want to plan ahead. How will my military retirement affect my Social Security benefits?ANSWER: Your military retirement won’t affect your Social Security benefits at all. You can get both. Generally, there is no offset of Social Security benefits because of your military retirement. You will get full Social Security benefits based on your earnings.The only way your Social Security benefit might be reduced is if you also receive a government pension based on a job in which you did not pay Social Security taxes. You can find more information in the publication Military Service and Social Security at www.socialsecurity. gov/pubs/10017.html

QUESTION: I’m retiring early, at age 62, and I receive investment income from a rental property I own. Does investment

income count as earnings?ANSWER: No. We count only the wages you earn from a job or your net profit if you’re self-employed.Non-work income such as annuities, investment income, interest, capital gains and other government benefits are not counted and will not affect your Social Security benefits.Most pensions will not affect your benefits. However, your benefit may be affected by government pensions earned through work on which you did not pay Social Security tax.You can retire online at www.socialsecurity.gov. For more information, call toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778)This column was prepared by the Social Security Administration.