Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions! Between the SSA glossary page, the Statistical Supplement, and the other resources mentioned, I've been able to figure out most of the acronyms I was struggling with. Still can't believe there's no single comprehensive resource though. I'm going to try Claimyr to get through to someone about scheduling an in-person appointment - I really need to sort out these survivor benefit details. I'll also request those specific POMS sections as suggested. Really appreciate all the help!

Glad we could help! One last tip - when you do speak with someone at SSA, ask them to note in your file exactly which POMS sections they're referencing when they explain things to you. That way, if you need to follow up later, you can refer to specific sections rather than starting over. It helps with consistency, especially since different reps sometimes interpret rules differently.

My friend didn't tell SS about her pension and they found out 3 years later and made her pay back over $30k!!!! She almost lost her house! DEFINITELY tell them upfront!!!

To answer your follow-up question about when to contact them - you don't need to notify Social Security about your non-covered pension until you actually apply for SS benefits. Just make sure you're prepared with the right documentation when that time comes. Regarding your question about payment plans for overpayments - yes, SSA will generally work with you on a payment plan if you can't repay an overpayment all at once. They can withhold a percentage of your ongoing benefits until it's repaid, or you can set up monthly payments. But the real takeaway here is to be proactive and transparent from the beginning so you never face an overpayment situation. With proper planning, you can accurately estimate your WEP-adjusted benefit and avoid unpleasant surprises. One final note about WEP that many people don't realize: if your non-covered pension is relatively small, there's a provision that limits the WEP reduction to no more than 50% of your monthly pension amount. This doesn't apply to most teacher pensions (which tend to be substantial), but it's worth knowing in case your Florida pension ends up being on the smaller side.

dont forget about the one-time death payment from ss too. its only $255 but better than nothing

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses. I'm going to gather all my documents (death certificate, marriage certificate, pension statements, etc.) and apply for survivor benefits right away. It sounds like even with the GPO reduction, I should still receive a significant portion of my husband's benefit. I'll definitely check out that Claimyr service if I have trouble getting through to Social Security. It's such a relief to know I won't have to rely solely on my small pension.

I think everyone here is right about being able to take survivor benefits now and switch to your own later. Good luck!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses. This clarifies a lot for our retirement planning. I'll definitely look into speaking with SSA directly about our specific situation, but it's good to know I have options if the unfortunate happens. The strategy of taking survivor benefits while letting my own continue to grow until 70 makes a lot of sense financially.

Just to add my personal experience - my mom retired from teaching after 24 years, but had worked retail for about 12 years before that. Her Social Security benefit was reduced from about $1100 to around $650 per month because of WEP. She was devastated because she'd been counting on having both income streams. The current system really punishes people who switch careers.

Something important that hasn't been mentioned yet: The WEP reduction has a maximum cap. For 2025, the maximum WEP reduction is $578 per month (up from $558 in 2024). Additionally, the reduction cannot be more than half of the pension from non-covered employment. Also, if your brother-in-law had years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security, the WEP reduction is gradually lessened. With 21+ years of substantial earnings, the reduction starts decreasing, and at 30+ years of substantial earnings, WEP doesn't apply at all. Regarding recent legislative proposals, some would phase out WEP entirely while others would replace it with a proportional formula that more fairly represents a person's actual earnings history. The most recent serious movement was in the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act, which would provide relief payments to current retirees affected by WEP and establish a new formula for future retirees.