Can I collect both Social Security and RRB benefits after WEP elimination in 2025?

My understanding is that Railroad Retirement and Social Security are completely separate systems. If she qualified for both, she should be able to collect both! My cousin's wife gets both without any problems. Tell her to apply right away!

My mother had the same situation!!! The RRB people told her she couldn't get both full amounts - something about "dual benefit restrictions" that are different from WEP. Don't get your hopes up too much.

This is a complex situation that depends on several factors. The elimination of WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) primarily affects people who earned pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security while also earning SS benefits through other work. However, what likely applies to your aunt is the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which is different from WEP. GPO affects spousal/survivor benefits when someone also receives a pension from non-SS-covered work. The current legislation being discussed focuses on WEP reform, not necessarily GPO changes. Here's what your aunt should do: 1. Contact the Railroad Retirement Board for a benefits analysis 2. Ask specifically about how her RRB survivor annuity affects her own SS retirement benefits 3. Request a calculation showing what she might receive if she applied for her own SS benefits Keep in mind that RRB benefits often have components that are equivalent to Social Security benefits, especially for career railroad workers, which creates special coordination rules.

wait 42 credits isnt enough to get ss benefits is it? doesnt she need a full 40 quarters which is 40 credits? maybe im confused about how credits work

I had a similar situation with my father who received a pension from the state of Ohio. When the WEP elimination happens in 2025, it will mainly help people who earned their OWN non-covered pension AND have SS benefits from other work. The GPO (Government Pension Offset) is what usually affects survivor benefits when combined with other government pensions, and that's not being eliminated as far as I know. Your aunt's situation is even more complicated because Railroad Retirement has its own special rules that are different from regular government pensions. Some RRB benefits are treated as equivalent to Social Security. I spent WEEKS trying to get clear answers from the SSA about my dad's situation. Every person I talked to gave different information!

The whole system is SO UNFAIR!!! My mom worked for 30 years as a teacher in Texas and lost most of her Social Security from her second job because of this WEP nonsense. If they're finally fixing it, they should fix ALL the unfair provisions!

To directly answer your question: The WEP elimination being discussed would likely NOT change your aunt's situation because: 1. WEP primarily affects people who earned their own non-covered pension AND have SS benefits 2. Your aunt is receiving a survivor benefit from RRB, not her own RRB pension 3. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) is what typically affects survivor benefits in these situations 4. The current legislation targets WEP, not GPO That said, railroad retirement has special rules and tier distinctions that make these calculations very specific to each person's situation. Your aunt should: 1. Contact the RRB directly 2. Provide them with her complete work history 3. Ask for a formal benefit calculation Even with potential offsets, it might still be worthwhile for her to claim her own Social Security if she qualifies.

my neighbor gets both railroad and social security checks every month so it must be possible somehow

Thank you all for the informative responses! I now understand this is more complicated than I initially thought. I'll help my aunt contact the Railroad Retirement Board to get specific information about her case. It sounds like even if she can't get her full Social Security retirement benefit, she might still be eligible for some portion of it, which would help with her monthly expenses. I appreciate everyone taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences!

Just wanted to add that timing might be important here too. Since your aunt is already 74, she's well past her full retirement age, so there wouldn't be any early retirement penalties if she applies for her own Social Security benefits. However, there also won't be any delayed retirement credits accumulating at this point either. One thing to keep in mind is that even if the WEP elimination does go through in 2025, it typically takes time for these changes to be implemented and for benefits to be recalculated. So don't wait for that if she needs the income now - it's better to apply and get whatever benefit she's entitled to under current rules rather than hoping for potential future changes. Also, make sure she has all her work records organized before contacting RRB. Having her Social Security statement and any W-2s or 1099s from her working years will help them give her a more accurate calculation.

I work as a benefits counselor and see these RRB/SSA coordination cases frequently. One important point that hasn't been mentioned yet is that your aunt should also check if she's eligible for any spousal Social Security benefits based on her own marriage record, in addition to her own work record benefits. Sometimes people focus only on their own earnings record but forget they might be entitled to spousal benefits that could be higher than their own worker benefit. At 74, she would be eligible for the full spousal benefit amount if it's larger than her own benefit. The RRB will need to coordinate with SSA to determine the best claiming strategy, but it's worth having them run calculations for both scenarios - her own worker benefit and any potential spousal benefit - to see which gives her the maximum total monthly income after any applicable offsets. Also, since she's been receiving RRB survivor benefits, make sure she understands that applying for her own SS benefits won't affect her railroad survivor annuity - those are calculated separately.

This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone new to navigating these government benefit systems, I'm amazed at how complex the interactions between Railroad Retirement and Social Security can be. One thing I'm curious about - for someone in the aunt's situation who is 74 and potentially entitled to both benefits, is there any advantage to applying for Social Security retirement benefits even if they'll be reduced due to GPO? I'm thinking that even a partial benefit might compound over time and provide valuable financial security. Also, does anyone know if there are any advocacy organizations or resources specifically for people dealing with RRB/SSA coordination issues? It sounds like these cases require specialized knowledge that regular SSA representatives might not have. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences and expertise here - this is exactly the kind of practical advice that makes a real difference for families trying to navigate these systems!

As someone who recently helped my grandmother navigate a similar situation with state teacher retirement and Social Security, I can't emphasize enough how important it is to get the official calculations from the source. What I learned is that these benefit coordination rules are incredibly nuanced - what works for one person might not apply to another even in seemingly similar situations. The Railroad Retirement Board has specialized representatives who understand these intersections much better than general SSA staff. One practical tip: when your aunt calls RRB, ask them to send her a written summary of the benefit calculation and explanation of any offsets. Having it in writing helped us tremendously when we had follow-up questions later. Also, don't be discouraged if the first person she talks to can't give her a complete answer - these cases sometimes require escalation to more specialized staff. The key is persistence and making sure she gets a thorough analysis of all her options. Even if the benefit ends up being smaller than hoped due to various offsets, that extra monthly income could still make a real difference in her financial security. Good luck to your aunt!