I have not bought your software yet but am thinking I may have questions or need a consultation after I run the numbers. Do you offer consultation, what is the cost, and if I just have one or two questions to ask in this fashion, is there a cost?

My biggest question is about WEP. I worked at a hospital for 20 years and I paid into National Security, not Social Security. I don't get a pension from it, but I do have it in an IRA-type account. Will I be subject to the WEP reduction of SS payments and is there a way of getting around it, such as filing spousal support?

I am a US citizen born in Brazil and living in the US for the past 27 years. Three years ago, when I turned 65, having accumulated enough credits during my prior working life in Brazil (before becoming a US taxpayer), I applied for “old-age” retirement benefits in that country, which pays the national minimum wage (approximately US$ 2,600 a year, at the current exchange rate). In a couple of years, I will turn 70 and will apply for SS benefits in the US.

Hello Larry,
My wife and I both turn 62 next year, I retired from public service at 57 and she also stopped working. We currently live on my pension and 457 plan. I am currently short of my 40 quarters, I have 38 since I did not pay into SS during my public service .
Will I be able to get any SS as a spouse since my wife will get SS?, if yes will it be reduced because of the pension clause?
Should I go work to get my 40 quarters and then take the reduction because of my pension?

Hi Larry, my wife worked in the school system and had been contributing to a pension. She retired before her pension vested, so she took a distribution of her contributions, plus interest, and rolled it over into an IRA. The school system did not match or make any contributions

Would she be subject to WEP/GPO?

Thank you

Hi Larry,

I am a retired Federal worker with a pension. My spouse died at 69 years and was drawing social security 1800 monthly. I was denied spousal benefits based on my pension. Additionally, I was denied social security based on my own record. They said I couldn’t double dip. How is this legal?

Hi. I'm sorry for your loss. Back in the 1980s, Congress added the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision into the Social Security law. It's legal because Congress has the authority to amend the Social Security law.

I worked in law enforcement and have a public pension. My wife worked in a hospital and paid into social security. Does the Windfall Elimination Provision affect my wife’s social security ?

Hi. No. The only way that the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) could affect your wife's Social Security retirement benefits is if she receives a pension based on her own earnings that were exempt from Social Security taxes.

Best, Jerry

Larry,

What can be done to repeal WEP?

Hi. Congress amended the Social Security law to add the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) in 1985, and only Congress has the power to amend or repeal the provision. The only action I could suggest is to contact your congressional representative and U.S. senators to express your support for removing the provision from the Social Security law.

Best, Jerry

I retired from a non profit organization ( created in 1983 as a political subdivision of the State of Texas) that was exempted from Social Security coverage prior to 1984, thus contributed to a qualified governmental pension plan. I also receive social security benefits from prior employments with 23 YOC.
Will I subject to the WEP or am I exempted?

I was an adjunct professor at a community college for 7 years while concurrently working part time as an apartment manager for low income families (for 15 years). Both jobs were low paying, and I needed both to make ends meet and pay rent in Los Angeles. I am still in my early 40s and unemployed due to the pandemic. I am reassessing my career and thinking about changing. How can I avoid or at least minimize the wep deduction to my retirement.