CHECK HIS WORK CREDITS!!! my cousins husband got denied because he didn't have enough recent work credits even tho he worked for like 15 years but then took time off to be a stay at home dad for 3 years. you need to have worked 5 of the last 10 years i think

Thanks everyone for all this helpful info! I'm going to sit down with him this weekend to create a plan. We'll double-check his work credits, make sure his neurologist documents everything thoroughly with specific mention of the Compassionate Allowance List, and prepare for that 5-month waiting period. His MS symptoms have gotten really severe (mobility issues, extreme fatigue, cognitive problems), so hopefully that will help with getting approved faster. I'm also going to have him set up an appointment with SSA using that Claimyr service to get specific estimates for his situation. Really appreciate all the insights - this is such a stressful time for their family and having some idea of what to expect financially makes a huge difference.

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.

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!!!! 😡

WHY is everything with Social Security so COMPLICATED?! I swear they make these questions confusing on purpose. My sister answered this wrong and her application was delayed by TWO MONTHS while they sorted it out!!

If you're unsure about this or any other question on your application, it's always best to include an explanation in the remarks section. Something like: "My mother received survivor benefits on my behalf from 1975-1981 after my father passed away." This additional clarity can help prevent processing delays.

Thank you all so much for these detailed responses. I'm going to keep my phone appointment and come prepared with questions about both benefit types. I'll also write down my earnings record and what I know about my late husband's benefits so I can compare the numbers during the call. Since it sounds like my born-in-1956 status still allows me to choose between survivor OR retirement (just not both at once), I'll need to understand the long-term impacts of each option. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge!

my aunt tried to get retroactive and they denied her even tho they totally gave wrong info. said she couldnt prove it. good luck

BTW they change these rules all the time! My dad was a teacher and thought he was fine, then Congress changed the formula for WEP calculation the year before he retired and it cost him like $400/month in benefits. Keep an eye on legislation too.

To directly answer your original question: If you're currently teaching in a position where you pay into Social Security, and will have 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security by retirement, you will NOT be subject to WEP regardless of your pension. Since you mentioned you've been teaching for 12 years with Social Security coverage and will have around 30 years total by retirement, you appear to be on track for complete WEP exemption. Just make sure you've met the substantial earnings threshold (which increases slightly each year) for each of those 30 years.