Can I collect Social Security, teacher pension and Railroad spousal benefits all at once without reduction?

I'm in a similar boat with teacher retirement (30 years in Colorado) and SS from other jobs. I was told by SSA that my teacher pension would trigger the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and reduce my own SS benefit significantly. I don't know about the railroad part though, but I'd assume there's some offset there too. The rules are SO confusing!

You're dealing with a complex situation involving three potential benefits, so let me break this down: 1. Teacher Pension (IPERS): You'll definitely receive this based on your 31 years of service. 2. Your own Social Security: Since you didn't pay Social Security taxes on your teacher earnings, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) will likely reduce your own Social Security benefit. The reduction depends on your years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security (generally 20+ years of substantial earnings can reduce the WEP impact). 3. Railroad Retirement spousal benefit: This is where it gets complicated. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) typically reduces spousal benefits (including Railroad spousal benefits) by 2/3 of your government pension. However, Railroad Retirement has some special rules. You should contact the Railroad Retirement Board directly as they handle both Tier 1 (equivalent to Social Security) and Tier 2 benefits. The RRB will have the most accurate information about how your teacher pension affects potential railroad spousal benefits. I recommend scheduling appointments with both SSA and RRB for personalized calculations.

my brother inlaw retired from BSNF and his wife got teacher pension in Texas. they told her she could get RR spouse benefit but it was reduced alot because of her pension. something like 2/3 reduction i think? she wasnt happy but at least got something. good luck!

The entire system is DESIGNED to confuse us and deny benefits we've earned! I paid into SS for 15 years before teaching and will lose THOUSANDS because of WEP/GPO. It's legalized THEFT of our earned benefits!!! My neighbor worked for the railroad and his wife gets a reduced spousal benefit because of some complicated formula. The government just wants to keep OUR MONEY. It's disgusting how they treat teachers and public servants!!!

I just want to add - make sure you look into the substantial earnings test for WEP. If you have enough years of substantial SS earnings, the WEP reduction gets smaller. Worth checking!

You need to contact the Railroad Retirement Board specifically about your situation. Unlike regular Social Security, railroad retirement has two components - Tier 1 (similar to Social Security) and Tier 2 (like a private pension). The GPO rules affect them differently. From my experience helping clients with similar situations, you can generally receive: 1. Your full teacher pension 2. A reduced Social Security benefit (reduced by WEP) 3. A Railroad spousal benefit that's reduced by GPO (2/3 of your government pension) However, there are exceptions and special calculations, especially with the Railroad benefits. The timing of when you claim each benefit can also make a difference in the total amount you receive. I strongly recommend getting exact benefit estimates from both agencies before making any decisions. The calculations are extremely complex when multiple benefits are involved.

I had the same problem trying to reach SSA for months! I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a live agent in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. I was able to schedule an in-person appointment to go over my WEP calculations. Might be worth trying since your situation is so complicated with the railroad benefits too.

I know someone who gets both a teacher pension and railroad spouse benefits, but she doesn't get Social Security on her own. The railroad spouse benefit was reduced but not eliminated. She said the railroad pension folks were actually helpful when she called them - much better than Social Security! Good luck figuring it all out!

wait so are teacher pensions considered "government pensions" for the GPO? i thought only federal workers had that problem

Has anyone actually managed to get their correct WEP calculation? When I finally got through to SSA, the person I talked to gave me three different answers in the same conversation! I'm supposed to retire next year and still have no idea what my actual benefit will be...