I'm 63 and still working. I receive widows social security 5 months a year. I also have worked under PERS for the last 20 years making around $10,000 a year. Will I still get social security when I reach 66?

Hi,

That depends. If you have 40 quarters of Social Security coverage, then you could apply for retirement benefits on your own record. However, you could only receive the higher of your own benefit rate or your widow's rate, not both.

However, if you become entitled to a government pension based on your earnings that were exempt from Social Security taxes, your widow's benefits could be offset at a rate of 2/3rds of the amount of your government pension due to the GPO provision (https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf). And, such a pension would also likely result in a lower retirement benefit rate being payable on your own record due to the WEP provision (https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf).

Our maximization software can handle all of the variables involved in your case and help you determine your best course of action.

Best, Jerry