My wife has a pension from a municipality from which she retired at age 56. It is a 'defined contribution' 401a and a 457. She did not contribute to SS during her employment period there. When she retired she chose the 10 year option for payment of the funds. The funds in the 457 will be exhausted when she is 60, and the 401a funds will be exhausted before she reaches age 63. Because she will not have a pension remaining when she applies for a spousal benefit at age 65, I'm thinking that the Government Pension Offset (GPO) will not apply to her spousal benefits.

Hi,

I am receiving a pension from PERS from my ex-husband's employment. He is now retired. I receive
a monthly disbursement. Will my social security payment be altered because of this PERS pension?
Thank you.

Hi,

No. Since your PERS pension is based on your ex-husband's work and not your own, it wouldn't affect your Social Security benefits.

Best, Jerry

I am currently reading your book, "Get What's Yours, Social Security", and have a question regarding SS benefits for myself. I retired from teaching in Ca. 4 years ago with a pension. I am 67 years old. However, before teaching, I paid into SS for several years. I receive a yearly statement from SS stating that I need 3 more credits to apply for benefits. I am considering working to earn my 3 credits, but am not sure that I will receive any benefits, due to my teacher's retirement.

I will have two foreign pensions when I retire and I have a basic understanding of the WEP rules, what is unclear is whether i would get hit by WEP twice (once for each pension) or just the one time. I would appreciate any information on this I have searched extensively and cannot find that level of detail. Thank you.

Hi,

My ex-wife and I are almost exactly the same age, turning 65 in about 6 months. At 65, I will claim and receive a pension based on non-covered employment. My ex will file for spousal benefits when we turn FRA at 66. What effect will WEP have on her divorced spousal benefits on my record? Also, if I file for divorced spousal benefits on her record will WEP be a factor? Stumped in SinCity ;-)

Hi,

I worked in Canada before becoming a US citizen. My CPP benefits will result in a WEP deduction to my Social Security benefits. However, I also have a small pension for work I did for the British Columbia government while in Canada. The BC Public Service Pension Plan is a defined benefit pension plan to which both my employer and I contributed ...and both my employer and I also contributed to CPP during this period. Will both my BC pension AND my CPP pension benefits be used in the WEP calculation? (WEP publication only refers to CPP/QPP). Thank you.

Hi,

Hi Larry,

My husband and I will both be affected by the WEP reduction. I have less than 20 years of substantial contributions, and he has closer to 30. Will my spousal benefit be less than 50 % of his reduced benefit because I have less years of substantial contribution?

I've looked and looked for an answer to the question and have been unable to find it. Thank you for your help.

Hi,

I worked in the US for 10 years on a green card and, for the last 20 years in France (having given up my green card) - paying in to the AGIRC/ARRCO private pension program. Being 66, I have returned to live in the US on a new green card and applied for my US pension highlighting that I receive a French private pension. My former "estimate" of $1,480 for my US pension has been reduced to $1,100. I believe that AGIRC/ARRCO, being personal paid programs (like, I believe, IRA/401K) are should NOT be treated like a formal "state" pension from France (which I do not receive).