If I draw a Social Security pension from Belgium and at 66 years and 4 months will draw Divorced Spouse SS from the USA - will the USA SS be exempt from both WEP and GPO and not reduced because of my foreign SS pension? Thanks Larry!

Hi. Yes. The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) doesn't apply to auxiliary (e.g. spousal, divorced spousal) or survivor benefits, so WEP won't be an issue with regard to your divorced spousal benefits from the U.S.

The Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision does apply to auxiliary and survivor benefits, but foreign pensions are excluded from the GPO definition of a 'government pension'. Only pensions from governmental agencies in the U.S. can cause a person's auxiliary or survivor benefits to be offset. Therefore, your Belgian pension won't have any adverse effect on your ability to be paid divorced spousal benefits from the U.S. Social Security program.

Best, Jerry