Non-Covered Pension - WEP / GPO

I am 59 years old, and I plan to retire from teaching when I am 65 years old. I will be subject to the WEP for my social security benefits for the non-teaching wages earned. If I claim SS benefits at any time from from now until to my full retirement age, will those benefits be increased (applying spousal benefits additions) when my wife reaches her full retirement age (she is 8 years younger than I am, and 1/2 of her SS benefits at that time will be larger than my benefits with the WEP applied.

Thank you.

Hi,

From 1966 - 1976 I worked and lived in U.K. where I was born as U.K. citizen. I paid into social security in England. In 1979 I came to USA and worked here almost 40 years and am now a US citizen. Since 1979 I have paid into social security here. Can WEP be applied to my UK pension which I only paid into while I lived in UK and wasn't a US citizen ?

Hi,

Hi- I retired from the Federal Gov't in August 2017 at the age of 63 under CSRS Offset. OPM is taking almost $300 out of my annuity that they claim Social Security directed them to deduct due to the Offset. I had 15 years with the gov't and about 15 years working as a 1099 contractor. Nine of the 15 years was after I returned to the government as CSRS Offset status, paying into SS. So there were only 6 years of me not paying SS. I was also told that I will be further penalized when I do start collecting social security.

My wife is receiving a teacher pension and worked her last day with a district which paid SS in 2004. We are over 67 and applied for benefits in Feb. Can she be eligible for spousal benefits from my work record as well as receive her TRS pension. SSA says the GPO does not apply to her, but WEP reduces the benefit from her SS work record so she will receive a small SS benefit. We want her spousal benefits, not her personal work record benefits. What do we do? Thank you!!

Hi,

I worked for a United Nations Organization outside the USA for a few years. I was neither subject to SSA withholding nor subject to that country's social security withholding but I will receive an annuity based on contribution I made to a plan similar to a 401K plan. Will that be an exception to the Windfall Elimination Provision?
I have read the topic carefully but can't wrap my head around it...Thank you in advance and regards,
Leila

Hi Leila,

hi Larry..when calculating how WEP will reduce Social Security and looking at their table of yearly Substantial Earnings, is it based on actual earnings for each year or indexed for inflation earnings? Thank you,
Robin

Hi Robin,

The annual amount defined as 'substantial earnings' for purposes of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) is based on a person's actual earnings, not their indexed earnings.

Best, Jerry

My wife, (59now),has enough credits to qualify for soc. Sec. & is now eligible to draw retirement benefits from teacher retirement. She will definitely draw the teacher retirement benefits. I’m 62 now & have not filed for soc. Sec. benefits, which will be my only retirement benefit. My soc. Sec. full retirement benefit is more that twice what my wife’s is. Her teacher retirement benefit is more than twice my soc. Sec. benefit. What are the calculations &/or social securety tables to estimate her benefits when allowing for WEP,while claiming Soc. Sec.

Dear Larry,

Thanks in advance for your help! My concern is not listed in the topics to the left.

I am 70 years old and I collect Social Security retirement benefits. I taught for 24 years as an adjunct professor, during which time my university paid into the State Teacher's Retirement System of Ohio (STRS) instead of Social Security. Because my academic employment was often only part time, I worked other jobs that paid into Social Security.

I have 17 years of soc sec substantial earnings. I turn 64 in April. I retired and am drawing a public pension subject to windfall elimination. I have farmland with CRP payments of $2600 a year. Can I use the CRP payments and use the farm option method for reporting self employment income to obtain several more years of “substantial earnings” to decrease my windfall penalty percentage. I know it does not start to decrease until I have a least 3 more years of substantial earnings. Is this something I should explore? What if I start drawing soc. Sec. in 2 years.

My husband retired at 62, received 1 SS check and died the next month. I retired at 62, had enough work in the SS system to collect SS. I also had 10 years in the state school retirement system. I thought I would be able to pick up his SS after his death but I’m told all I get is the $255 death benefit. Is all this true or is there something I ca do about this?

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.