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i think yur overthinking this. just take ur own ss at 70 and forget about the spouse thing. my uncle got a teachers pension and his own ss and hes fine.
This is not accurate advice. Whether the GPO and WEP apply depends on when the government service occurred and whether Social Security taxes were paid during that employment. Your uncle's situation might be different - perhaps he worked 30+ years under Social Security or his teaching position was in a state that participates in Social Security. The poster should definitely understand how GPO/WEP will affect her specific situation.
Thank you all for the helpful responses! I had no idea about that restricted application strategy being eliminated - I guess I was reading outdated information. I'll definitely need to look more carefully at the GPO calculator. My state pension will be around $4,200/month, so it sounds like that would completely wipe out any spousal benefits. I guess my best strategy might be to just wait and collect my own Social Security at 70, even with the WEP reduction. I'll try to get specific calculations from SSA using that Claimyr service someone mentioned. This is all so much more complicated than I expected!
That's a good plan. With a $4,200 monthly pension, the GPO would reduce any spousal benefits by $2,800 (2/3 of $4,200). Since half of your husband's benefit would be well below that amount, you likely wouldn't receive any spousal benefits. Regarding WEP, the maximum reduction for 2025 is $615.50 per month, but with 14 years of substantial earnings, your reduction would be less than that. Waiting until 70 to maximize your own benefit is often the best strategy when dealing with WEP.
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To clarify the confusion in this thread: @profile5 - I suspect there's some misunderstanding about your situation. It's possible that: 1. You were born before January 1, 1954 (making you eligible for the restricted application) 2. You may have filed for your own benefit, then your spouse filed later, making you eligible for the higher spousal amount 3. You might be receiving a spousal benefit because it's higher than your own benefit The rule is very clear in SSA's Program Operations Manual System (POMS): individuals born after January 1, 1954 cannot file restricted applications for just spousal benefits while their own retirement benefit grows. @OP - If you're experiencing difficulty getting consistent information, I recommend: 1. Get an appointment with an SSA claims specialist (not just a service representative) 2. Ask specifically about "deemed filing rules for people born after January 1, 1954" 3. Request a written explanation of your filing options
Thank you so much for the detailed explanations. I'll definitely request an appointment with a claims specialist and ask about the deemed filing rules specifically. It sounds like waiting until 70 might be my best option if my own benefit would be larger than spousal at that point. I appreciate everyone's help!
Something no one has mentioned yet - even though you're approaching FRA, working part-time earning $25K won't affect your benefits because you'll be past your FRA when you file. Also, don't forget to consider how these benefits would be taxed when making your decision. Up to 85% of your Social Security can be taxable depending on your combined income. Since you're working part-time, you might want to calculate how the additional SS income would impact your tax situation.
That's an excellent point about taxes I hadn't fully considered. I'll definitely look into the tax implications before making my final decision.
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When my mom died my dad got that $255 payment automatically I think. But that was like 15 years ago so maybe the rules changed? It showed up in his bank account but he was already getting her SS check as a survivor benefit so maybe that's why it was automatic. The whole SS system is so confusing!!
The $255 death benefit is never paid automatically - someone must apply for it. What likely happened was that your dad applied for survivor benefits, and they processed the death benefit at the same time. It might have seemed automatic because it was all handled in one appointment or phone call. You're right that the system can be very confusing though!
Thank you everyone for the helpful information. I've made an appointment at my local SSA office for next week. I'll bring both our marriage certificate and his death certificate. I'm also going to ask about the survivor benefit options since it sounds like I might be leaving money on the table if I don't understand all the choices. I really appreciate the support during this difficult time.
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not related to WEP but my SS application took 4 months to process so just be patient. they're really backed up right now
Wow, 4 months is a long time. I was hoping it would be processed more quickly since I applied online. I guess I'll need to be patient.
One more thing to add - make sure to create and monitor your my Social Security account online. You'll be able to see when your claim is processed and check that the benefit amount seems correct based on your earnings history. The WEP formula used to reduce benefits by up to 50% of your non-covered pension amount (with a maximum reduction of $534 in 2025), so you can roughly calculate what your benefit should be without that reduction. If the numbers don't add up when your claim is processed, you'll have documentation to support your request for correction.
Great suggestion. I have a my Social Security account and have been checking it regularly. The estimated benefit amount shown there doesn't reflect any WEP reduction, so I'll use that as a reference point.
Tyler Murphy
i was a teacher for 31 years and let me tell u, that GPO is a KILLER!! married my hubby for 22 years and cant get A PENNY of his social security now that hes gone. all because of my teacher pension. if I knew then what I know now, I would have chosen a different career!!! be very careful with your planning
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Issac Nightingale
•im so sorry for your loss! that seems so unfair after you worked so hard teaching our kids :
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Serene Snow
To answer your follow-up question: Yes, the GPO only affects benefits he might receive as a spouse or survivor, not his own earned Social Security. He will always be eligible for his own $1,050 regardless of your marital status. If you marry and you predecease him, he would receive whichever is higher between: 1. His own benefit ($1,050) 2. The GPO-reduced survivor benefit ($3,100 - $1,800 = $1,300) So in this case, marriage would provide an additional $250/month in income if you pass away first. Whether that's worth it depends on your overall financial situation, estate planning goals, health considerations, and how long you expect the survivor situation might last. Also worth noting - if you continue working past your FRA, your benefit amount will continue increasing, which could increase the potential survivor benefit as well.
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Asher Levin
•Thank you for this clear explanation. It sounds like from a pure Social Security perspective, marriage would provide a modest financial benefit, but only in the survivor scenario. We'll need to weigh this against other financial and personal considerations. I do plan to work at least another 2-3 years, so my benefit will likely increase somewhat. Really appreciate everyone's insights on this complicated topic!
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