I am a retired teacher with a Social Security Report that states I could get $621 in benefits. Yes, I am aware of WEP/GPO and what it will do. I went to Soc Sec to apply for spousal support, and the customer rep told me I should apply for my own also. I told her I thought that meant I would only get the greater of the two benefits, but she said that in my case it would not benefit me to wait until 70. (I am 66 in Dec). She said my $621 would be $276 after the 40% reduction and that is all I would be eligible for.

Larry......I will be 70 in December 2017. I worked in the UK until June 1991. I was transferred in July 1991 by my company to the US....... I continued to pay Reduced NI contributions( to get a full pension) until 1995 when I then
became a U.S.employee on a U.S. package. I also became a US citizen.
National Insurance granted me a full pension and commenced paying me monthly when I was 66.
Social Security have insisted I apply for Soc Sec Pension at 70(I received enough credits to get a full US pension).

Hi Larry, I worked 9.5 years in the US and about 20 years in Canada. I have 37 credits for SS. I qualify for the Canada Pension Plan. I am trying to figure out if it is better for me to use "Totalisation without WEP" -- or -- to return to work in the US (difficult since a specific Visa would be reqd) to gain 3 more credits (WEP reduction would then apply, I think). The WEP calculation is easy to find on SS website. I have not been able to find the totalisation calculation/formula to make the scenario comparison.

Hello Jerry,

I am asking this for a couple friend of mine.

The husband is 71 years old, retired military, retired government service (FERS), and is receiving social security retirement. His wife is 69 years old, still working as a government service (CSRS).

My two questions: Can the wife file a restricted application for a spousal benefit on her retired husband without any penalties (GPO or WEP)? If the husband dies after the wife retires from CSRS, will she get any survivor benefits from her husband's record?

Hi Larry,

My question is concerning the ‘Windfall Elimination Provision’ (WEP), the law that takes away part of your Social Security benefits if you had income (in the US) for which you did not pay into SS at the time.
As I only immigrated to this country in the middle of my life, I have worked in my original home country (Switzerland) for the first part of my life. Therefore I receive a small pension (or Swiss social security payment) which I earned before I ever was obligated to pay into Social security as this was before I ever set foot into the USA.

I retired from municipal law enforcement after 25 years back in 2010 and began collecting my pension then. In this job I also contributed to social security. In 2013 I took a job with the State of Maine and began contributing to the state retirement plan. In approximately 6 months I become vested and quality for a benefit if I don't withdraw my contributions. I have read that the wep only applies to the primary pension. How would the wep apply if I stayed in the state pension system.

Greetings!

My husband is 72 and has been drawing SS since he was 62. I am a teacher and will retire next year at 66. If he passes away will I be able to draw any of his SS as survivor's benefit or widow benefit?

Hi,

Jerry, you were kind enough to answer my question a couple months ago, a query wondering if my social security benefits would be affected because I receive a pension as a widow based on my husband's work. As I get ready to apply, reading of the GOP and WEP has me extremely nervous. Can you shed light on this confusing topic?

Hi,