Does having a Federal CSRS retirement pension and being subject to WEP affect my eligibility to file a restricted application for spousal benefits?

Hi,

No, but any spousal benefits for which you otherwise qualify would likely be offset by 2/3rds of the gross amount of your Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) pension. That type of offset is caused by the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision. For more information about GPO and it's exceptions, refer to the following Social Security publication: https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf.

You and your spouse may want to consider using our software to determine your best strategy for claiming your Social Security benefits. The software is fully programmed to handle both the WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) and GPO provisions.

Best, Jerry