How to sign up for Medicare

Richard Howard55, hmm, I haven't received a message from them yet either... Have you tried giving their support line a call? They would likely be your quickest way to get this sorted out...

I’ll call tomorrow; honestly, today was just way too much. 🙂

I just updated someone's status at Medicare: they went from contract to permanent.
Do I need to report anything to Medicare about this? I'm looking at the T1 right now and honestly can't find where to log this change 🤔

I’ve been checking the codes on the T1 for everyone else, and they all show 101/001 regardless of whether they're temp or full-time. Help me out, I am totally stuck today 😁

Medicare only handles the basic enrollment and de-enrollment paperwork from the pension fund. You'll still need to submit all your other updates and changes directly to them yourself.

I get that, but I'm honestly stuck on where exactly in the T1 form I should log the switch from a fixed-term contract to a permanent one?

When I spoke with Medicare, they mentioned that this change doesn't actually affect them, so there isn't anything I need to worry about on their end...

Awesome, thanks so much!!!

So, I’ve got an employee getting hitched next week, which means her last name and address are about to change. Quick question: what’s the actual deadline for updating everything with Social Security and Medicare? If the wedding is this Saturday, do I need to jump on those changes by Friday, or am I waiting until she actually gets all her official paperwork sorted out first?

You really ought to get this sorted out right away, as soon as possible.
I had an employee get married this past Saturday and change her last name, but when payday rolled around on Monday, my filing with the Department of Labor was flagged as incorrect because the surname didn't match up.

I initially posted this question on a different thread, but I feel this might be a more appropriate venue for it...

I’ve been registered at my current job for about two hours now, and I am set to start a new position this coming Monday. My current employer needs to process my termination from the system first. The new firm is requesting that my deregistration take effect by Wednesday so they have enough lead time to finalize all the paperwork. However, my current boss insists on keeping me on the books until Friday. Is it actually possible to file a deregistration with the Social Security Administration on a Wednesday but backdate the effective date to Friday? Would that arrangement be acceptable for the new company starting on Monday? (Also, just to clarify: what should the official end date be if I want zero gap between jobs, considering there is a weekend between Friday and Monday?)

The company I’m currently working for—just ten hours a week—only has one other employee and doesn't use an online payroll portal. The director will likely just tell me to handle the deregistration myself... so, do I simply fill out the standard form from the government website and call it a day? Will I need to provide my employment contract to prove the term has expired, or is there some other documentation required?

Alex Foster6 said:I initially posted this question on a different thread, but I feel this might be a more appropriate venue for it...

I’ve been registered at my current job for about two hours now, and I am set to start a new position this coming Monday. My current employer needs to process my termination from the system first. The new firm is requesting that my deregistration take effect by Wednesday so they have enough lead time to finalize all the paperwork. However, my current boss insists on keeping me on the books until Friday. Is it actually possible to file a deregistration with the Social Security Administration on a Wednesday but backdate the effective date to Friday? Would that arrangement be acceptable for the new company starting on Monday? (Also, just to clarify: what should the official end date be if I want zero gap between jobs, considering there is a weekend between Friday and Monday?)

The company I’m currently working for—just ten hours a week—only has one other employee and doesn't use an online payroll portal. The director will likely just tell me to handle the deregistration myself... so, do I simply fill out the standard form from the government website and call it a day? Will I need to provide my employment contract to prove the term has expired, or is there some other documentation required?

Have them offboard you on the 21st, and you're officially on the new job on the 22nd.

The new crew where you start Monday should ideally file your new paperwork before you even walk through the door—meaning by Friday the 19th—but using your actual start date.

Jack Young said:Have them offboard you on the 21st, and you're officially on the new job on the 22nd.

The new crew where you start Monday should ideally file your new paperwork before you even walk through the door—meaning by Friday the 19th—but using your actual start date.

Well, that is incredibly helpful, Alex Foster6. Much appreciated.🙂

Does one need to present the actual contract at Medicare to prove the expiration date? Furthermore, would it be permissible to visit the Medicare office as early as tomorrow or Thursday to set the termination date for January 21st?

Alex Foster6 said:Well, that is incredibly helpful, Alex Foster6. Much appreciated.🙂

Does one need to present the actual contract at Medicare to prove the expiration date? Furthermore, would it be permissible to visit the Medicare office as early as tomorrow or Thursday to set the termination date for January 21st?

No need to bring the contract, you can just head in tomorrow with that termination notice... 🙂

Thanks for the heads-up—I actually needed this info for my husband too. He’s planning to wrap things up at his current job on the 26th, with an official end date of the 28th, just so he can hit the ground running at the new gig on the 29th. So, we're assuming that works out fine? We were mostly just stressing about the weekend gap—he really doesn't want any breaks in his service history.

Does the health insurance part just kick in automatically?

Chloe, the automation should handle things just fine on its own, but you might want to double-check everything anyway because we all know how easily these systems can glitch out...

So, I made a trip to the Social Security office today, only to be told by the clerk behind the counter that she couldn't accept my termination notice this far in advance. 😳

She informed me that I should return this Friday, as that’s the earliest date she is legally permitted to process that specific form.

I suppose I'll leave this here, just in case anyone else finds themselves facing a similar bureaucratic roadblock.

I’m looking for some help, advice, or maybe just someone who’s been through this...

We’ve operated as a family business for over 40 years—it’s always been the same grind, just with different sets of regulations thrown at us. My parents eventually consolidated everything into one entity; at various points, they were owners, then partners, while I was an employee, before finally becoming a partner myself as everyone else phased into retirement. Now, I’m the last one standing.

I just received two separate notices—one for each of them depending on when they held ownership—demanding payroll records, salary summaries, and specific tax forms for every single employee. They aren't asking for much, apparently... except for a full 12-year stretch from 2003 all the way to 2015.

Since that was ages ago, I assumed those records should have been properly archived—and that the IRS would have tracked it all back then. We used to hire an accounting firm because we were registered for sales tax, but now that I’m operating under a simplified tax status, I handle the books myself.

...so, I’m wondering if there’s any way to push back against this requirement. Why on earth are they digging through the distant past when everything was paid in full?

Is it "normal" for them to demand this? What am I supposed to do?

To be honest, I don't even fully grasp what these specific documents are, and I don't exactly have the storage space to go hunting through twelve different filing cabinets. We’re talking hundreds of pages—144 pages of payroll alone. I'm honestly a bit shell-shocked...

As far as I can tell, there isn't really any way to opt out of this obligation, since it’s a permanent requirement... Perhaps they're asking for parental details just to verify pension amounts? Or is it actually for every single employee? I can't quite recall exactly which year they transitioned to filing those forms electronically—back in the day, you'd just hand over the paper copies to the IRS, so they really should have all that data on file already. Who exactly sent those notices to you?

Morgan Sullivan said:I’m looking for some help, advice, or maybe just someone who’s been through this...

We’ve operated as a family business for over 40 years—it’s always been the same grind, just with different sets of regulations thrown at us. My parents eventually consolidated everything into one entity; at various points, they were owners, then partners, while I was an employee, before finally becoming a partner myself as everyone else phased into retirement. Now, I’m the last one standing.

I just received two separate notices—one for each of them depending on when they held ownership—demanding payroll records, salary summaries, and specific tax forms for every single employee. They aren't asking for much, apparently... except for a full 12-year stretch from 2003 all the way to 2015.

Since that was ages ago, I assumed those records should have been properly archived—and that the IRS would have tracked it all back then. We used to hire an accounting firm because we were registered for sales tax, but now that I’m operating under a simplified tax status, I handle the books myself.

...so, I’m wondering if there’s any way to push back against this requirement. Why on earth are they digging through the distant past when everything was paid in full?

Is it "normal" for them to demand this? What am I supposed to do?

To be honest, I don't even fully grasp what these specific documents are, and I don't exactly have the storage space to go hunting through twelve different filing cabinets. We’re talking hundreds of pages—144 pages of payroll alone. I'm honestly a bit shell-shocked...

It’s probably just some of the folks who were on the clock during that stretch finally hitting retirement age. They're likely just trying to get all their paperwork squared away before they head out.

Morgan Sullivan said:I’m looking for some help, advice, or maybe just someone who’s been through this...

We’ve operated as a family business for over 40 years—it’s always been the same grind, just with different sets of regulations thrown at us. My parents eventually consolidated everything into one entity; at various points, they were owners, then partners, while I was an employee, before finally becoming a partner myself as everyone else phased into retirement. Now, I’m the last one standing.

I just received two separate notices—one for each of them depending on when they held ownership—demanding payroll records, salary summaries, and specific tax forms for every single employee. They aren't asking for much, apparently... except for a full 12-year stretch from 2003 all the way to 2015.

Since that was ages ago, I assumed those records should have been properly archived—and that the IRS would have tracked it all back then. We used to hire an accounting firm because we were registered for sales tax, but now that I’m operating under a simplified tax status, I handle the books myself.

...so, I’m wondering if there’s any way to push back against this requirement. Why on earth are they digging through the distant past when everything was paid in full?

Is it "normal" for them to demand this? What am I supposed to do?

To be honest, I don't even fully grasp what these specific documents are, and I don't exactly have the storage space to go hunting through twelve different filing cabinets. We’re talking hundreds of pages—144 pages of payroll alone. I'm honestly a bit shell-shocked...

Hmm, looks like they don't have them... It’s probably just a case of accounting failing to submit the right paperwork. Back then, we used to file everything using the ID Quote.

Morgan Sullivan said:I’m looking for some help, advice, or maybe just someone who’s been through this...

We’ve operated as a family business for over 40 years—it’s always been the same grind, just with different sets of regulations thrown at us. My parents eventually consolidated everything into one entity; at various points, they were owners, then partners, while I was an employee, before finally becoming a partner myself as everyone else phased into retirement. Now, I’m the last one standing.

I just received two separate notices—one for each of them depending on when they held ownership—demanding payroll records, salary summaries, and specific tax forms for every single employee. They aren't asking for much, apparently... except for a full 12-year stretch from 2003 all the way to 2015.

Since that was ages ago, I assumed those records should have been properly archived—and that the IRS would have tracked it all back then. We used to hire an accounting firm because we were registered for sales tax, but now that I’m operating under a simplified tax status, I handle the books myself.

...so, I’m wondering if there’s any way to push back against this requirement. Why on earth are they digging through the distant past when everything was paid in full?

Is it "normal" for them to demand this? What am I supposed to do?

To be honest, I don't even fully grasp what these specific documents are, and I don't exactly have the storage space to go hunting through twelve different filing cabinets. We’re talking hundreds of pages—144 pages of payroll alone. I'm honestly a bit shell-shocked...

You can defend yourself by showing that you turned in all your paperwork on time and kept everything organized. You can't just throw money at a problem and expect it to go away. It’s not about whether you paid; it's about making sure the right forms were filed so those payments actually count toward what you owe. Everything has to be documented correctly.

Morgan Sullivan said:I’m looking for some help, advice, or maybe just someone who’s been through this...

We’ve operated as a family business for over 40 years—it’s always been the same grind, just with different sets of regulations thrown at us. My parents eventually consolidated everything into one entity; at various points, they were owners, then partners, while I was an employee, before finally becoming a partner myself as everyone else phased into retirement. Now, I’m the last one standing.

I just received two separate notices—one for each of them depending on when they held ownership—demanding payroll records, salary summaries, and specific tax forms for every single employee. They aren't asking for much, apparently... except for a full 12-year stretch from 2003 all the way to 2015.

Since that was ages ago, I assumed those records should have been properly archived—and that the IRS would have tracked it all back then. We used to hire an accounting firm because we were registered for sales tax, but now that I’m operating under a simplified tax status, I handle the books myself.

...so, I’m wondering if there’s any way to push back against this requirement. Why on earth are they digging through the distant past when everything was paid in full?

Is it "normal" for them to demand this? What am I supposed to do?

To be honest, I don't even fully grasp what these specific documents are, and I don't exactly have the storage space to go hunting through twelve different filing cabinets. We’re talking hundreds of pages—144 pages of payroll alone. I'm honestly a bit shell-shocked...

If you want my two cents, just reach out to the accounting department directly. Ask them to walk you through it. They’ll know exactly what they filed, what they missed, and why the numbers aren't squaring up. It’s like when a receipt doesn't match your bank statement—sometimes you just have to talk to the person behind the desk to clear up the confusion.

Morgan Sullivan said:I’m looking for some help, advice, or maybe just someone who’s been through this...

We’ve operated as a family business for over 40 years—it’s always been the same grind, just with different sets of regulations thrown at us. My parents eventually consolidated everything into one entity; at various points, they were owners, then partners, while I was an employee, before finally becoming a partner myself as everyone else phased into retirement. Now, I’m the last one standing.

I just received two separate notices—one for each of them depending on when they held ownership—demanding payroll records, salary summaries, and specific tax forms for every single employee. They aren't asking for much, apparently... except for a full 12-year stretch from 2003 all the way to 2015.

Since that was ages ago, I assumed those records should have been properly archived—and that the IRS would have tracked it all back then. We used to hire an accounting firm because we were registered for sales tax, but now that I’m operating under a simplified tax status, I handle the books myself.

...so, I’m wondering if there’s any way to push back against this requirement. Why on earth are they digging through the distant past when everything was paid in full?

Is it "normal" for them to demand this? What am I supposed to do?

To be honest, I don't even fully grasp what these specific documents are, and I don't exactly have the storage space to go hunting through twelve different filing cabinets. We’re talking hundreds of pages—144 pages of payroll alone. I'm honestly a bit shell-shocked...

Basically, those are the numbers showing everyone's wages so they can calculate their Social Security benefits

Thanks to you both for the input!

The only "employees" involved were us—my parents and me—depending on who was acting as the owner of the small business at any given time.
They’ve both been retired for over a year and a half now, collecting their full benefits, and all the tax liabilities on their records have been settled. As for me, I’m not retiring, nor am I closing the business.

I could wrap my head around them asking for a year of audits, but demanding twelve years of records now? We spent a fortune paying accountants just to manage those meager monthly statements... everything was paid, and we filed every annual report right on schedule per federal law... it feels like there's no end to this.

Even in retirement, my folks can't catch a break; I suspect they'll still be digging up paperwork even after they pass away. Apparently, the law requires these documents to be kept "permanently." I actually received a notice from Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding this.

But "permanently" doesn't exist in the physical universe—how can anyone draft a law that defies the laws of physics?

Thanks again for the help. I'm curious if anyone else has ever had to justify twelve years of history. I was talking to a client from Germany today, and he mentioned they audited ten years of his business; they had to prep all the files, and an official actually came to his house for three straight days to review everything in person. Has anyone else dealt with something like that?