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Will new WEP/GPO reform let my CSRS husband get survivor benefits from me or his ex?
So confused about this possible WEP/GPO reform waiting for the President's signature! My situation is complicated and I need some clarity. My husband retired from federal service under CSRS, which currently means he wouldn't be eligible for any survivor benefits if I pass away before him due to the Government Pension Offset. I think the new legislation would change this and allow him to receive survivor benefits based on my work record, but I'm not 100% sure. There's also another wrinkle - he was previously married for over 10 years before our marriage, and he married me after he turned 60. If his ex-wife dies before me, would he be eligible to collect benefits on her record despite his CSRS pension? Would the new legislation affect this scenario differently? I've tried figuring this out on the SSA website but keep going in circles. Anyone familiar with how the proposed WEP/GPO changes might impact these scenarios?
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Social Security survivor benefits for adopted grandchildren - need help switching to higher retirement benefit
My wife and I have been raising our grandsons since our son died in a work accident last October. The boys (ages 10 and 13) have been receiving survivor benefits since December. We just finalized their adoption last week after months of paperwork and court hearings. My wife and I both started collecting our retirement benefits about 8 months ago - I get around $2,800/month and she receives about $1,950/month. Now that we've legally adopted them, should we try to get the boys switched to receiving benefits based on my record instead of their father's? Would that even be possible or beneficial? Their current payments are around $1,650 each. Do we need to notify SSA about the adoption regardless? The whole process has been overwhelming and I'm not sure what our next steps should be with Social Security.
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so sorry about ur son thats really tough. when we adopted our grandkids they told us we HAD to switch them to our benefits and we lost like $400 a month for each kid. later found out that wasnt true at all!! make sure u tell them specifically u just need to report the adoption but want to keep the kids on survivor benefits!!!!!
This is unfortunately a common misunderstanding, even among some SSA employees. The adoption doesn't require a benefit type change. If you have documentation showing they were receiving higher benefits before, you might want to request a reconsideration of that determination - you may be entitled to back payments for the difference.
Just wondering - how old are you and your wife? If either of you are under Full Retirement Age and earn income, it could affect family benefits on your record (another reason to keep them on survivor benefits).
I'm 68 and my wife is 67, so we're both past FRA. I still do some consulting work but it doesn't affect our benefits anymore. That's a good point though.
Surviving spouse's Social Security survivor benefits - possible elder financial abuse situation
I'm very concerned about my sister-in-law who recently lost her husband (3 weeks ago) in Arizona. My sister-in-law is 71 with serious health issues, and her husband was receiving about $2,500 in Social Security benefits monthly. She currently gets only $1,350 in her own benefits. Her biological daughter seems to be manipulating the situation in a concerning way. The daughter is telling my sister-in-law that switching to survivor benefits will only increase her monthly payment by "a few dollars" and is insisting on handling all the paperwork herself. I'm pretty sure survivor benefits would give my sister-in-law several hundred dollars more per month. I suspect the daughter plans to somehow access this money for herself. My questions: 1. Does my sister-in-law need the original death certificate to apply for survivor benefits, or will SSA accept a copy? 2. Can a family member just "take" someone to SSA and apply on their behalf without proper authorization? 3. Given my concerns about financial exploitation, is there an appropriate agency I should contact? My nephew (her husband's son from previous marriage) will receive the death certificates soon but is hesitant to provide one to the daughter given concerns about her intentions. Any advice would be greatly appreciated - this situation is breaking my heart.
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Another resource - many Area Agencies on Aging have benefit counselors who can help navigate this process and provide guidance on elder financial abuse. They often have specialists who understand both SSA benefits and elder protection. Here's a link to find the Arizona offices: https://des.az.gov/services/older-adults/area-agency-aging
Thank you all for the helpful advice! I've contacted Adult Protective Services and will be flying out next week to help my sister-in-law. My nephew is going to try to get her a phone appointment with SSA before I arrive. I'm relieved to know she should be getting the full survivor benefit amount. I'll update once we get this resolved.
Good luck! And remember to get all bank accounts secured too - that's often where financial abuse happens even after benefits are properly set up.
Can my ex-spouse get Medicare or Social Security benefits through my record if he was a civil servant? Divorced 25 years ago
My ex and I divorced about 25 years ago after being married for 18 years. He worked his entire career as a civil servant in a job that didn't pay into Social Security (some kind of government pension system instead). Out of the blue yesterday, he texted asking where I was born. It seemed strange, and now I'm wondering if he's trying to claim Medicare or SS benefits through my work record? I just filed for my own Social Security benefits last month. I'm 65 and he's 67. Is he even eligible for anything based on my work history after all this time? We haven't communicated much at all in the last two decades, so this request feels odd. Does anyone know what the rules are in this situation with the government pension thing?
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To summarize what everyone has said: 1. Yes, an ex-spouse married 10+ years can file for benefits on your record (equals up to 50% of your FRA benefit amount) 2. The Government Pension Offset would reduce any spousal/ex-spousal benefit by 2/3 of his pension amount 3. He doesn't need your birthplace to apply - SSA has that information 4. There could be Medicare premium advantages even if his Social Security benefit is reduced to $0 by the GPO If you're uncomfortable, don't provide the information. He can work directly with SSA for any legitimate benefit application.
Thank you so much for this clear summary! I've decided not to provide the birthplace information and instead suggested he work directly with SSA. Everyone's insights have been incredibly helpful.
my husband had government pension (firefighter) and we went thru this whole mess last year. the GPO wiped out EVERYTHING he might have gotten from my record. total waste of time!!!! 😡
Yes, this is extremely common with the GPO. Most people with substantial government pensions end up with $0 in Social Security spousal benefits after the reduction. The system seems punitive to those who worked in public service.
Do I have to pay for a Social Security Summary Matrix after wrong DOB in system?
I've been trying to get my birth date corrected in the Social Security system for months now! Finally got an appointment at my local office and the rep told me I would need to pay for something called a "summary matrix" to verify my information. This is now the THIRD time I've requested this summary matrix document and still haven't received one. Does anyone know what exactly this document is? Is it just a copy of my information that they're charging me for? How much does it cost? I'm so frustrated with this whole process and feel like I'm getting the runaround.
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Quick update on what a "summary matrix" might be - after checking with a colleague who worked at SSA, they believe the representative might have been referring to a "Detailed Earnings Query" (DEQY) or "Summary Earnings Query" (SEQY), which are internal SSA documents that do sometimes carry a fee for copies (around $82 for a certified copy). However, these are earnings documents and completely unrelated to birth date corrections. For a simple DOB correction, you only need your birth certificate and ID. The representative was either confused or misinformed you.
Thank you so much for checking on this! I think you're right - they must have been confused. I managed to get through on the phone this morning (after several attempts), and the new representative I spoke with confirmed I only need my birth certificate and ID. I have another appointment scheduled for next week.
Glad to hear you got better information! DOB corrections are actually pretty routine for SSA. Make sure to bring the original birth certificate (or certified copy with the raised seal) to your appointment. Once corrected, I recommend printing a copy of your Social Security Statement afterward to verify the change was properly made in the system.
Evelyn Rivera
Wait I'm confused - I thought the new WEP/GPO bill didn't pass?? Did I miss something? Last I heard they were still debating it??
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Jackson Carter
The WEP/GPO reform was included in the recent tax package legislation that passed Congress and is now awaiting the President's signature - that's what the original poster is referring to. It hasn't been signed into law yet, but it has passed both the House and Senate as part of the larger bill. The provisions would gradually phase out the penalties rather than eliminate them immediately.
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Lilah Brooks
Thank you all for the helpful information! This community has explained things better than hours of reading confusing government websites. I'm cautiously optimistic about the legislation but will wait to see the final details before getting too excited. I'll gather our records as suggested and be prepared to speak with SSA once the changes are official. And I'll definitely check out Claimyr when it's time to call - sounds much better than spending days on hold!
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