Can I get Social Security survivor benefits with a FERS pension? WEP/GPO confusion

My uncle went through this exact situation!!! The GPO (Government Pension Offset) is what youre asking about, not WEP. GPO can reduce survivors benefits by 2/3 of her FERS pension amount. WEP only affects your OWN social security benefits when you have a pension from non-covered employment. Since FERS is covered employment, WEP probably doesn't apply to her, but GPO definitely does for survivor benefits. She should apply ASAP though - there's a time limit on backpay for survivors!!

not an expert but i think she can still get SOMETHING even with GPO. my mom was a teacher with a pension and still got a small survivors benefit from my dad. it really depends on how much her pension is and how much her ex's SS benefit was. she should just apply and see what happens.

As others have mentioned, the GPO (Government Pension Offset) is what applies to survivor benefits when someone receives a government pension from work not covered by Social Security. However, since your sister worked under FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System), which IS covered by Social Security, the GPO might not apply the same way it would for someone under CSRS (Civil Service Retirement System). I'd recommend she do two things: 1. Contact her local SSA office to verify her specific situation with her FERS pension 2. Calculate whether it makes sense to claim survivor benefits now and her own benefit later, or vice versa The rules for survivor benefits with ex-spouses are: - Marriage lasted at least 10 years (she qualifies with 22 years) - She is at least 60 years old (she is at 63) - She is not entitled to a higher benefit on her own record The 2/3 GPO reduction would apply if her USPS service wasn't covered by Social Security, but most FERS employees paid into both systems.

WAIT! This is important! When did your sister retire from the postal service? This makes a HUGE difference! If she was hired before 1984 and was under CSRS, then switched to FERS during the transition, the rules can be really complicated. Some FERS employees are still subject to full GPO depending on their service dates and whether they had a period of service where they didn't pay Social Security taxes. I learned this the hard way when my wife retired from federal service. We thought we had it all figured out and then got surprised by a partial GPO reduction we weren't expecting. Also, the fact that this is an ex-spouse survivor benefit doesn't change the GPO calculation, but it does affect other eligibility factors.

I had almost this exact situation and had so much trouble getting anyone on the phone at Social Security to explain it to me. I spent HOURS on hold only to get disconnected. So frustrating!! When I finally got through, the person couldn't even answer my questions about the GPO calculation.

One more important point: If your sister is eligible for both her own Social Security retirement benefit AND a survivor benefit from her ex-husband, she has options for WHEN to claim each benefit. Unlike spousal benefits, survivor benefits can still be claimed separately from your own retirement benefit. This means she could: 1. Take the reduced survivor benefit now at 63 and let her own benefit grow until 70 2. Take her own reduced retirement benefit now and switch to the survivor benefit at her Full Retirement Age The best strategy depends on which benefit will ultimately be larger and her personal financial needs. This is where speaking with an SSA representative who understands these complex situations is crucial.

Something else to consider - has your sister checked her own Social Security record lately??? My friend thought her benefit would be really small because of her government job, but when she actually checked her SS statement online, it was higher than she expected because of all the years she paid in. Your sister should create a my Social Security account on ssa.gov if she hasn't already!!! That way she'll know her own benefit amount before even talking to anyone.

i think everyones overthinking this lol. just have her apply and see what they say. my aunt got dinged with gpo and still got like $400 a month from my uncles record. anything is better than nothing right?