Can I receive spousal Social Security benefits with WEP reduction as a former teacher?

Yes, you likely qualify for spousal benefits, but the Government Pension Offset (GPO) will reduce them significantly. GPO typically reduces spousal benefits by 2/3 of your government pension amount. So with your $3,275 pension, that's about $2,183 that would be deducted from any spousal benefits.Normally, a spousal benefit at your age would be 50% of your husband's benefit, which would be about $1,225. After the GPO reduction, you'd get nothing since the deduction ($2,183) exceeds the potential benefit ($1,225).I was in a similar situation with my wife's teacher pension. We tried calling SSA multiple times but kept getting disconnected. We finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent - they got us connected in about 20 minutes when we'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puUThe SSA agent confirmed the GPO calculation and helped us understand our options. Worth checking with SSA directly to verify your specific situation.

yep this is right. my mom was a teacher for 31 years and got hit with both WEP and GPO. SSA doesn't make it easy to understand these rules!! she got basically nothing from dad's record because of GPO. stinks but thats how it works

Are you sure your own SS benefit is affected by WEP and not GPO? They're different rules. WEP reduces your OWN benefit if you have a pension from non-covered employment, while GPO reduces SPOUSAL/SURVIVOR benefits. Either way though, with a pension that large, you probably won't get spousal benefits because of the GPO reduction.You should check if you might qualify for any exceptions - sometimes if you have 30+ years of substantial SS-covered earnings alongside your teaching career, the WEP reduction can be eliminated or reduced.

Thank you for clarifying! Yes, it's WEP that reduced my own small SS benefit (I worked some covered jobs before teaching). I was hoping there might be some loophole since we've been married so long, but it sounds like GPO will eliminate any spousal benefits. I only have about 15 years of SS-covered work, so not enough for the exception.

WEP AND GPO ARE TOTALLY UNFAIR!!! I worked 25 years as a firefighter and MY WIFE can't get anything from MY record because of this GPO garbage. We paid into the system just like everyone else but get PUNISHED for having government jobs that served our communities!!! Congress needs to repeal these ANTI-TEACHER, ANTI-PUBLIC SERVANT rules!!!! There are bills to repeal them EVERY YEAR but they never pass!!!

While I understand your frustration, it's worth noting that teachers in non-covered states didn't actually pay into Social Security for those teaching years - they paid into a separate pension system instead. The rules are designed (though not perfectly) to prevent

Have you tried making an appointment at your local SSA office? Sometimes the online calculators and general advice don't account for every situation. My sister-in-law was in a similar position (teacher in Texas) and thought she'd get nothing, but when she actually met with someone, they found some quarters of coverage she didn't realize counted. Worth checking!

That's a good idea. I'll try to make an appointment. The local office is always so busy though, and last time I called the 800 number I waited over an hour and got disconnected.

good luck getting through! took me 6 tries last month lol

have u checked if ur eligible for the public service loan forgiveness program too? my wifes a teacher and we just found out she qualifies after 10 yrs of payments. not related to SS but might help ur finances

I paid off my loans years ago, but thank you for the suggestion! At this point I'm just trying to maximize our retirement income since we're both fully retired now.

I forgot to mention in my earlier comment - you should definitely verify if your husband has filed for his maximum benefit. Since he's 70, he should be receiving his maximum possible benefit with delayed retirement credits. If he claimed earlier, there might be options to consider, though they're limited once you've both filed.

Yes, he waited until 70 to maximize his benefit. We did that planning part correctly at least! Just frustrated that my teaching career means I can't access spousal benefits like other married people can.

Since your husband is already collecting his benefits, here's what you should know about your options:1. The GPO reduction is calculated as 2/3 of your non-covered pension amount ($3,275 × 2/3 = $2,183)2. The maximum spousal benefit you could receive would be 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), not necessarily 50% of what he's currently receiving after delayed retirement credits3. Your own benefit of $476 would be compared to the potential spousal benefit minus the GPO reductionIf you haven't already, request a calculation from SSA specifically addressing your GPO situation. Sometimes there are exceptions or special calculations that might apply based on when you began teaching or if you had any covered employment during those years.

This is really helpful information. I didn't realize it was based on the PIA rather than the actual benefit amount with delayed credits. The system is so complicated!

my neighbor said sometimes u can get a divorced spouse benefit even with GPO if that applies? were either of u married before?

No, this is the first and only marriage for both of us. We've been together 26 years.

To clarify, divorced spouse benefits are still subject to GPO, but sometimes the benefit amount might be different depending on the ex-spouse's earnings record compared to the current spouse. But since this doesn't apply to your situation, it's not relevant here.

Call your congressional representative!!! Seriously!! These WEP/GPO laws are UNFAIR and they need to hear from more affected people. My husband and I both lost thousands because of these penalties and it's THEFT of benefits we should receive!!

While contacting your representative is always an option, it's important to understand that WEP and GPO have been controversial but established parts of Social Security policy since the 1980s. Several repeal bills have been introduced over the years, but they face significant hurdles due to the potential cost to the Social Security Trust Fund. In the meantime, it's best to work within the current rules to maximize benefits under the existing system.

I'm sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation, Carmen. Based on what you've shared, the math unfortunately works against you. With your $3,275 monthly pension, the GPO reduction would be about $2,183 (2/3 of your pension). Even if you were entitled to the maximum spousal benefit of around $1,225 (50% of your husband's benefit), the GPO reduction would completely eliminate it. One thing worth double-checking though - make sure SSA has all your earnings records correct, especially those 15 years of covered employment. Sometimes there are missing quarters or miscalculated amounts that could potentially affect your WEP reduction or create other opportunities. Also, while the current rules are what they are, it might be worth keeping an eye on any legislative changes. There have been recent discussions in Congress about WEP/GPO reform, though as others mentioned, these efforts have historically faced challenges. The suggestion about scheduling an in-person appointment at your local SSA office is solid advice - they can run the exact calculations for your specific situation and make sure nothing is overlooked.

I'm really sorry you're going through this Carmen. The combination of WEP and GPO can be devastating for educators and other public servants. Just to add to what others have said - when you do get that appointment at SSA, make sure to bring all your documentation: your teacher's pension award letter, your complete work history, and any W-2s or 1099s from your covered employment years. One small thing that might help - if you have any years where you worked both teaching and a covered job simultaneously, those earnings might count differently in the WEP calculation. Also, some teachers worked summer jobs or substitute taught in districts that DID pay into Social Security, which could add to your covered quarters. The system really is unfair to people who dedicated their careers to public service. I hope the appointment gives you at least some clarity, even if the outcome isn't what you're hoping for. Hang in there!

Carmen, I feel your frustration - the WEP/GPO rules are incredibly complex and can be devastating for educators. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given: when you visit the SSA office, ask them to show you exactly how they calculated your WEP reduction on your own benefit. Sometimes there are errors in how they apply the formula, especially if you have a mix of covered and non-covered years. Also, since you mentioned working some covered jobs before teaching, make sure they're using the correct "substantial earnings" years in the WEP calculation. The threshold changes annually, and jobs from decades ago might qualify as "substantial" even if they seemed small at the time. I know it's a long shot given your pension amount, but sometimes there are nuances in the GPO calculation that aren't immediately obvious. The 2/3 reduction isn't always straightforward, especially if there were any periods where you paid into Social Security while teaching. Keep advocating for yourself - you paid into the system during those 15 covered years and deserve to have every detail reviewed carefully. Good luck with your appointment!