Can my retired teacher friend claim SS survivor benefits 20 years after husband's death despite GPO?

This is a really important question. The GPO rules haven't fundamentally changed yet, but there is proposed legislation (the Social Security Fairness Act) that would eliminate the GPO completely. It hasn't passed yet though. The GPO typically reduces survivor benefits by 2/3 of the government pension amount. If your neighbor's teacher pension is substantial, it could still eliminate any potential survivor benefit. However, it's always worth checking because: 1. Her husband's earnings record might be higher than originally calculated 2. There may have been errors in the original calculation 3. Cost-of-living adjustments over 20 years might have changed the math SSA will absolutely NOT automatically notify her. She needs to contact them and request a review of potential survivor benefits. And yes, there is a possibility of some backpay, but likely not for the entire 20 years.

My mom went thru the SAME THING!! She taught for 32 years in Florida and when my dad died SSA told her NO BENEFITS cuz of GPO. We found out later they were WRONG and she was entitled to a small amount. SSA doesn't always get it right the first time!!

The GPO is THEFT of earned benefits! My sister lost $1100 a month when her husband died because she taught for 30 years. The fact that your friend has gone 20 YEARS without benefits she might have been entitled to is exactly why this unfair offset needs to be repealed completely. Everyone affected should be calling their representatives about the Social Security Fairness Act DAILY until they pass it. Teachers and public servants deserve better than this!

has she checked recently about her own SS record? sometimes people have more credits than they think. my aunt thought she only had like 35 credits but when she checked she actually had 39 and only needed 40 for benefits. she worked at a store for a while before teaching.

I was in a similar situation with my WEP/GPO calculation last year, and I spent WEEKS trying to get through to SSA on the phone to resolve it. It was absolutely maddening - constant busy signals, disconnections after waiting on hold for 2+ hours, and offices with limited appointment availability. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual SSA agent within about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. After that call, I discovered I was eligible for an additional $267/month that I hadn't been receiving for almost a year. Given your friend's age and mobility issues, having someone help her make this call might be the fastest way to get answers about her potential eligibility.

Here's what your friend needs to do: 1. Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment (be prepared for long wait times) 2. Bring her husband's death certificate, their marriage certificate, and proof of her pension 3. Ask specifically for a recalculation of potential survivor benefits with current GPO rules applied 4. Request a written explanation if denied again The GPO formula is: Survivor benefit amount minus (2/3 of government pension). If her husband's SS benefit was significantly higher than 150% of her teacher's pension, she might get something. Also, since she's 89, she might qualify for help through the Medicare Savings Program or Extra Help for prescription drugs if her income is limited. The SSA rep should check those programs too.

Sorry but I think your understanding of GPO changes is incorrect. Nothing has officially changed yet. The Social Security Fairness Act was introduced to Congress but hasn't passed. It's been introduced multiple times over the years without success. That said, it's ALWAYS worth checking benefit eligibility again because: 1) The calculation might have been done incorrectly in 2005 2) Her husband's benefit amount with COLAs might now exceed the GPO reduction Also, at 89, she should see if she qualifies for SSI which isn't affected by GPO.

I've been fighting this battle for my retired teacher sister for years. Even with the current awful GPO rules, make sure they calculate everything correctly. Get your friend to request a Benefit Verification Letter that shows exactly how they calculated everything. Sometimes they don't apply the correct COLA increases to the deceased spouse's benefit before applying the offset. Also, make sure they're using her GROSS pension amount, not her net take-home after health insurance and tax deductions. I've seen them make this mistake too!