Can I collect full Social Security benefits with 40 credits while also receiving TRS pension after WEP repeal?

Yes, that's correct! With the recent WEP repeal that was signed into law, you'll be eligible to receive your full Social Security retirement benefit based on your earnings record WITHOUT any reduction due to your TRS pension. This is a major change for people like you who worked in both covered (paying into SS) and non-covered (state pension) employment. The law gradually phases out WEP reductions over 9 years starting in 2025, with a complete elimination by 2033. You'll still need to wait until your Full Retirement Age (FRA) for your full SS benefit, but the WEP penalty won't apply anymore. However, be aware that the Government Pension Offset (GPO) that affects Social Security spousal/survivor benefits is still in place - that's a different provision.

wait i thought the wep repeal was still being debated??? did i miss something?? my husband has a similar situation with 25 years state police and 15 years at a factory. we've been planning for the WEP reduction forever

I'm in a nearly identical situation - 42 SS credits and 20 years with TRS in Texas. I actually called the SSA about this last week because I couldn't believe it either. Spent THREE HOURS on hold only to be told that they "don't have official guidance yet" on implementing the new law. The agent couldn't even tell me when they'd have clear instructions! They just said to "check back later this year." So frustrating! Have you had any luck getting through to anyone who actually knows what they're talking about?

My cousin works for SSA and she told me they're still figuring out how to implement all of this. The systems need to be updated and they need to train all the agents. Plus theres gonna be THOUSANDS of people calling about this so expect delays! Just be patient

I work as a benefits counselor specialized in teacher retirement systems, and I want to clarify some important details about the WEP repeal that might help you: 1. The repeal is genuine - the Social Security Fairness Act eliminates the WEP penalty gradually over 9 years. 2. For 2025, you'll see approximately a 10% restoration of your previously reduced benefit, with additional restoration each year until 2033. 3. During the transition period, SSA will calculate your benefit two ways - the pre-repeal method with WEP reduction and the post-repeal method without WEP. Then they'll apply the phase-in percentage to determine your actual benefit. 4. You DO qualify based on your 40 SS credits (the minimum needed is 40). 5. Your TRS pension will be paid completely separately and won't affect your SS amount once WEP is fully repealed. 6. IMPORTANT: While WEP is being repealed, the Government Pension Offset (GPO) remains in effect. GPO affects spousal/survivor benefits, not your own retirement benefit. I recommend documenting your earnings history from both systems now, as there may be confusion during implementation. SSA will need to recalculate benefits for millions of retirees affected by this change.

For someone turning FRA in July 2025 like you, I would recommend waiting until at least August or September 2025 to file. This gives SSA time to implement the first phase of the WEP reduction and update their systems. Filing right when the changes begin could put you in a situation where your initial calculation is incorrect and you'll need to request a recalculation later. Also, each month you delay beyond FRA increases your benefit by 2/3 of 1% (8% per year), so waiting even 3-4 months gives you a slight permanent increase anyway. However, I wouldn't recommend waiting beyond early 2026 since you'd be missing out on payments during a period when the WEP reduction has already begun to phase out.

For current beneficiaries already receiving reduced benefits due to WEP, the SSA will automatically recalculate and adjust your monthly payment. You won't need to reapply or file any special forms. However, given the complexity of implementing this massive change affecting millions of beneficiaries, it would be prudent to monitor your benefit amounts starting in early 2025 to ensure the increases are correctly applied. If you don't see an increase by March or April 2025, I'd recommend contacting SSA for clarification.

YOU PEOPLE ARE ALL DREAMING if you think the government is actually going to give us our RIGHTFULLY EARNED money without a fight!!! I've been dealing with the WEP nightmare for 12 YEARS now after teaching for 22 years and working construction for 15. They've been STEALING our money with this unfair penalty and now they'll find some OTHER way to keep it from us. MARK MY WORDS - there will be some "technical issue" or "implementation delay" that pushes this off forever. I'll believe it when I see the money in my account!!!

my sister-in-law got hit by both WEP and GPO. shes a retired teacher but also widowed. they reduced her SS retirement from her own work AND cut her widow benefits by 2/3 because of her teacher pension. the GPO is still staying even with this new law so she only gets help with the WEP part. seems unfair they didn't fix both!

Thanks everyone for all this information! Just to clarify my situation a bit more - I'll be turning 66 and 8 months (my FRA) in July 2025, which happens to be right when the WEP repeal starts phasing in. Based on the advice here, I think I'll plan to delay filing for SS until September or October 2025 to give SSA time to implement the changes and to get that little boost for delaying. I won't delay too long though since the WEP will only be partially phased out initially. My TRS pension will start earlier since I've already met the Rule of 80. I really appreciate everyone's insights!

As someone who's been navigating federal benefits for years, I wanted to add that it's really important to keep detailed records during this transition period. I'd recommend creating a folder with: 1) Your most recent SS statement showing your projected benefits, 2) Documentation of your TRS service years and pension calculation, 3) Any correspondence you receive from SSA about WEP changes. Also, consider setting up a my Social Security account online if you haven't already - they'll likely post updates there first. The timing advice about waiting until fall 2025 to file sounds very smart given the implementation challenges they're facing. This is such a huge win for educators and public servants who've been unfairly penalized for decades!

Welcome to the community, William! It's great to see new members joining as we navigate these important changes together. Your timing is perfect - having people like Jade and Dylan sharing their expertise makes all the difference when trying to understand complex benefit calculations. I'd also suggest signing up for email alerts from SSA if they offer them, so you get notified as soon as they publish official guidance on WEP implementation. The documentation folder idea really is smart - I wish I had started keeping better records years ago when I first started planning for retirement. Don't hesitate to ask questions here - this community has been incredibly helpful for people in our situation!

I've been following this thread closely and wanted to share some additional resources that might be helpful for everyone navigating the WEP repeal. The National Association of Counties has published a really comprehensive guide explaining the phase-out timeline, and the Government Accountability Office released a report last month with implementation projections. For those of you who are also part of state teacher retirement systems, your state TRS office might have more specific guidance about how this interacts with your particular pension system - I know Texas TRS sent out an informational bulletin to members in January. Also, if you're planning to file for benefits during the transition period, consider scheduling an in-person appointment at your local SSA office rather than trying to handle it over the phone. The agents there tend to have access to more detailed guidance and can walk through the calculations with you directly. This really is a historic change for public servants - after decades of advocacy, it's amazing to see it finally happening!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed information shared here! I'm in a very similar situation - 22 years with the California Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS) and 43 quarters of Social Security credits from working summers and before teaching. Reading through everyone's experiences and advice has been so enlightening. I had no idea about the 9-year phase-out timeline or the importance of timing when to file. The suggestion to create a documentation folder is something I'm going to start immediately. It's also reassuring to hear from benefits professionals like Dylan who can explain the technical details. I've been dreading the WEP reduction for years, so this repeal feels like a huge weight lifted. Thank you to everyone for creating such a supportive and informative community - I'm looking forward to learning more as we all navigate these changes together!