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.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - consider using the Social Security Administration's online WEP calculator at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/anyPiaWepjs04.html. It's more accurate than the general retirement estimators because it specifically accounts for the WEP reduction. You'll need your complete earnings history, but it can give you a better idea of what to expect before you meet with an agent. Also, if you're married, make sure to ask about how WEP might affect any spousal benefits - that's a whole other consideration that can impact your overall retirement planning strategy.

As someone who just went through this process last year, I wanted to share a few additional tips that really helped me. First, when you call SSA or visit in person, ask them to run a "WEP screening" - this will show you exactly how many years of substantial earnings you have under Social Security, which directly affects your WEP reduction amount. Second, if you have any years where you worked both teaching AND a SS-covered job in the same year, make sure those SS earnings are properly credited - sometimes they get overlooked. Finally, consider the timing carefully - while you can start STRS at any time, your SS claiming decision has lasting impact. I ended up starting my teacher pension immediately at 66 but delaying SS until 67 to get a bit more monthly income. The key is getting accurate numbers first, then making an informed decision based on your specific financial situation.

I've been following this conversation as someone who went through a similar situation with my CalSTRS pension in California. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also verify that your STRS pension is actually subject to WEP - most teacher pensions are, but there can be exceptions depending on when you started teaching and whether your state had any special agreements with Social Security. Also, when you do apply for benefits, I'd recommend applying for your STRS pension first and getting that processed completely before applying for Social Security. This way you'll have the exact pension amount to report to SSA, which helps ensure your WEP calculation is accurate from the start. I made the mistake of applying for both simultaneously and had to go back and correct my SS application when my actual pension amount was slightly different than estimated. It delayed my first SS payment by about 6 weeks.

I want to echo what several others have mentioned about getting your exact STRS pension amount first before dealing with Social Security - this is crucial for accurate WEP calculations. As a fellow educator who navigated this recently, I'd also suggest asking STRS directly about their coordination with Social Security. They often have specialists who understand WEP and can provide guidance specific to Ohio teachers. One thing that surprised me was learning that if you ever return to teaching part-time or substitute teaching after retirement, it could potentially affect both your STRS pension and your Social Security benefits, so make sure to ask about those rules too. The good news is that with 12 years of SS-covered employment, you're in a much better position than teachers who only have a few years of coverage. You'll definitely receive something meaningful from Social Security even with the WEP reduction. Also, don't let the complexity discourage you from claiming what you've earned - both benefits are rightfully yours, and the combination will provide much better retirement security than either one alone.

I'm a retired federal employee who went through something very similar with my CSRS pension and Social Security. Like you, I had about 15 years of SS-covered employment before my federal career. The WEP reduction was definitely frustrating, but I still ended up with about 65% of my original estimated SS benefit, which was absolutely worth claiming. One piece of advice I'd add to all the excellent information here - when you do meet with the SSA representative, ask them to show you the specific WEP calculation they're using. They should be able to break down exactly how your "substantial earnings" years factor into the reduction formula. In my case, the first calculation they showed me was wrong because they had miscounted my years of substantial earnings. Having them walk through it step-by-step helped catch that error and increased my benefit by about $120/month. Also, keep in mind that the WEP reduction can never eliminate your Social Security benefit entirely - there's always a minimum you'll receive. With your 12 years of coverage and that estimated $950 benefit, you should expect to receive at least $400-500 monthly even after WEP, which over the course of your retirement will add up to a significant amount of additional income on top of your STRS pension.

I just want to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! As someone who's been lurking in this community for a while but never posted, reading through everyone's real experiences with WEP and teacher pensions has been eye-opening. The level of detailed, practical advice here is amazing - from specific tips like using the SSA WEP calculator and asking for a "WEP screening" to strategic advice about timing applications and verifying earnings records. What really stands out to me is how many of you have emphasized that despite the WEP reduction being frustrating, it's still absolutely worth applying for Social Security benefits. Hearing actual numbers from people who've been through this (like getting 60-65% of the original estimate) is so much more helpful than trying to figure this out from confusing government websites. For anyone else reading this who might be in a similar situation with a public pension and Social Security, this thread is basically a masterclass in how to navigate the system. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences - you're making a real difference for people trying to figure out their retirement benefits!

I wanted to add one more resource that might be helpful as you prepare for your retirement planning. The National Education Association (NEA) has a specific guide for educators dealing with WEP called "Social Security and Public Pensions" that breaks down the WEP calculation in teacher-friendly language. You can find it on their website under retirement resources. Also, since you mentioned you're in Ohio, the Ohio Retirement Study Council publishes an annual report that includes data on how WEP affects Ohio STRS retirees. It might give you some additional context about what other teachers in your situation typically experience. One last thing - if you decide to work with a financial advisor to help plan your retirement income strategy, make sure they have specific experience with public pension/Social Security coordination. Many general financial advisors don't fully understand WEP calculations, and you want someone who can help you optimize the timing of your benefits based on your actual reduced Social Security amount, not the pre-WEP estimate.

I'm also approaching retirement with a similar situation - teacher's pension from another state plus Social Security from previous work - and this entire discussion has been incredibly valuable. One thing I'd like to add that hasn't been mentioned yet is to check whether Ohio has any state-specific resources for STRS members dealing with Social Security coordination. Many states have retirement counseling services that can help walk you through both systems simultaneously. Also, I learned from my state's retirement system that they actually track common questions about WEP and maintain updated examples of how it affects their retirees. It might be worth asking STRS Ohio if they have similar resources or can connect you with other retirees who've navigated this successfully. Sometimes hearing directly from someone who went through the exact same STRS/Social Security combination can provide the most relevant insights for your specific situation. The detailed experiences everyone has shared here really highlight how important it is to get personalized calculations rather than relying on estimates. Wishing you the best as you work through this process!

I'm in a very similar situation and have been researching this extensively! One thing that really helped me was contacting my local Social Security office to schedule an in-person appointment specifically to discuss WEP. When I called, I made sure to mention that I had a public pension and wanted to understand how WEP would affect my benefits - this seemed to help them route me to someone more knowledgeable. During my appointment, they were able to pull up my complete earnings record and walk through the WEP calculation step by step. What I discovered was that two of my part-time jobs from years ago hadn't been properly credited as "substantial earnings" years, which actually reduced my WEP penalty. The representative also showed me how my benefit would grow if I delayed claiming until age 70 - even with WEP, the delayed retirement credits still apply and can make a meaningful difference over your lifetime. One practical tip: bring copies of your tax returns or W-2s for any years where you think your earnings might have been underreported or miscategorized. The SSA rep told me this happens more often than people realize, especially for educators who worked summer jobs or had multiple employers in a single year. Getting your earnings record corrected before finalizing your WEP calculation could potentially increase your monthly benefit by $50-100 or more.

As someone who recently navigated this exact situation with a state teacher's pension and Social Security, I wanted to share a few additional considerations that might help with your planning. First, when you do get your WEP-adjusted Social Security estimate, don't forget to factor in potential future cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for both benefits - they're calculated differently and can affect your long-term income projections. Also, since you mentioned you're turning 66 next month, you might want to check if your STRS has any "window" periods or incentives for retiring at certain times. Some state systems offer temporary supplements or enhanced benefits for retiring during specific months, which could influence your timing decision. One thing I wish I had known earlier was to create a simple month-by-month cash flow projection for your first year of retirement, including the timing of when each benefit actually starts paying out. There can be processing delays, and knowing exactly when money will hit your account helps avoid any financial stress during the transition. Even with WEP reducing your Social Security, the combination of both benefits will provide much better retirement security than either one alone. Best of luck with your applications!

I'm a retired HR benefits specialist who worked with many teachers over the years, and I wanted to add a few points that might help. First, regarding your 12 years of Social Security coverage - that's actually quite good for WEP purposes. The reduction formula becomes less severe as you accumulate more years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security. With 12 years, your WEP reduction will be significantly less than someone with only 5-10 years of coverage. One thing I haven't seen mentioned is the importance of understanding your "substantial earnings" threshold for each year. For 2024, substantial earnings is $31,275, but this amount was much lower in previous years. When SSA reviews your record, they'll look at whether your annual earnings met the threshold for each specific year you worked. This is why bringing documentation of all your non-teaching employment is so crucial. Also, regarding timing - many people don't realize that you can actually apply for Social Security up to 4 months before you want benefits to begin. This gives SSA time to process your application and calculate your WEP-adjusted benefit without any payment delays. Given the complexity of WEP calculations, I'd strongly recommend applying for SS about 3 months after you start receiving your STRS pension, so you have the exact pension amount to report and avoid any recalculations later.