Can I receive Social Security and teacher's pension (STRS) simultaneously at 66 with WEP reduction?

Yes, you can receive both STRS and Social Security at the same time, but your SS benefit will likely be reduced because of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). WEP affects people who earned a pension from work not covered by Social Security (like your teaching job) but also qualify for SS benefits from other employment. The reduction depends on your years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security, but WEP cannot reduce your SS benefit by more than 50% of your pension amount. Since you have 12 years of SS-covered work, your reduction won't be as severe as someone with fewer years. You should definitely still apply for both benefits.

MY HUSBAND went through this EXACT thing!!! He was a teacher for 30yrs in Illinois and had SS from summer jobs. They took almost ALL his social security away because of that stupid WEP thing. Its not fair because he EARNED that SS money fair and square!!!! The government is stealing from teachers!!!

Just to clarify some information here: WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) and GPO (Government Pension Offset) are two different provisions that can affect your benefits. WEP reduces your own Social Security retirement benefit, while GPO affects any spousal or survivor benefits you might be eligible for. With 12 years of Social Security covered employment, your WEP reduction won't be as severe. The maximum WEP reduction in 2025 is $637 per month, but with 12 years of substantial earnings under Social Security, your reduction would be less. At 20+ years of substantial earnings, WEP no longer applies. You should definitely apply for both benefits. You'll need to report your STRS pension to Social Security when you apply. They don't automatically know about it.

i was in similar boat but with PERS not STRS. got hit with wep but still get about $450 from ss instead of the $1100 i would have gotten. better than nothing! make sure u bring proof of your ss-covered earnings years when u apply, they messed mine up first time around and tried to give me even less

I had the same issue with my CalPERS pension and Social Security. The WEP reduction was frustrating, but I still received about 60% of my expected Social Security benefit. One thing I learned the hard way - if you're going to call Social Security to discuss this, be prepared for extremely long wait times. I spent over 3 hours on hold once and got disconnected. I finally tried a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It was totally worth it because WEP calculations are complicated, and I needed to speak with someone who understood my specific situation.

Regarding your question about timing - there's no perfect answer, but most financial advisors recommend starting your STRS pension as planned and then making a separate decision about when to claim Social Security. Since your STRS benefit is significantly larger, maximizing that should be priority one. For Social Security, you could consider waiting until 70 to claim if you don't need the income immediately, as the delayed retirement credits still apply even with WEP reduction. This would increase your monthly SS benefit by about 32% compared to claiming at 66. Also, if you haven't already, request a WEP-adjusted benefit estimate directly from SSA. The regular estimates on your statement don't account for WEP.

dont forget about taxes! bothu r strs and SS aer taxable income but sometimes SS is only 85% taxable depends on ur other income. also ohio doesnt tax SS but does tax ur pension i think? u need to talk to a tax person too

The whole WEP thing is SO RIDICULOUS!!! We work hard all those years both as teachers AND at other jobs and they PUNISH us for it!! If I was u I would call ur congressman about this unfair rule!!!

When I applied for my benefits, I found it helpful to create a spreadsheet comparing my income scenarios at different claiming ages. Even with the WEP reduction, delaying SS to 70 increased my lifetime expected benefits (assuming average longevity). One more tip - when you apply, make sure they have all your earnings correctly recorded. I discovered two years where my earnings weren't properly recorded, and correcting this increased my benefit.

Final advice - make an appointment with SSA specifically to discuss WEP and your situation. While the online tools are good, the WEP calculation is complex, and you want someone who understands the nuances. Bring documentation of your STRS pension amount and any information about your work history, especially evidence of your years with substantial earnings under Social Security. SSA uses a modified formula to calculate your benefit under WEP, and having an agent walk through that with you can help you understand exactly what you'll receive. Despite the reduction, receiving something from Social Security in addition to your STRS pension will definitely enhance your retirement security.