Can retired teacher collect deceased husband's full Social Security benefits with WEP?

sorry for your friedns loss. my cousin was a teacher too with pension and she got hit with GPO not WEP when her husband passed. I think it reduces her SS by like 2/3 of her pension? I remember she was shocked how little she got.

Your friend is actually dealing with the Government Pension Offset (GPO), not the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). They're often confused, but affect different benefits: - WEP reduces your OWN Social Security benefits if you have a pension from non-covered employment - GPO reduces SPOUSAL or SURVIVOR benefits if you have a government pension As a teacher with a pension from work not covered by Social Security, her survivor benefits will likely be reduced by 2/3 of her teacher's pension amount. For example, if her monthly teacher pension is $3,000, then $2,000 (2/3 of that) would be deducted from her survivor benefit. So if her husband's Social Security benefit was $2,800, she would only receive $800 after the GPO reduction ($2,800 - $2,000 = $800). She should contact SSA directly to get an accurate calculation based on her specific situation.

Thank you for explaining the difference between WEP and GPO. I've been mixing them up. Her teacher's pension is about $2,700/month, and her husband was getting around $3,200 in Social Security. So if I understand correctly, they'll subtract $1,800 (2/3 of $2,700) from the $3,200, leaving her with $1,400 in survivor benefits? That's a lot less than she was hoping for. She was counting on having his full benefit.

Just wanted to say your friend should apply for survivor benefits ASAP! Even with the GPO reduction, she shouldn't leave any money on the table. Also, did her husband have any life insurance? That's separate from Social Security and wouldn't be affected by her pension.

The GPO is so horribly unfair to teachers and public servants! It's basically stealing money that their spouses earned. I don't understand why Congress doesn't fix this! They've been trying to repeal it for years but never get anywhere. It's shameful how they treat the people who educate our kids. Your friend should write to her representatives and join the fight to end the GPO penalty!

when my brother died my sister in law had to go to the SS office in person with his death certificate to apply for survivor benefits, they wouldn't let her do it online. and the earliest appointment was 6 weeks out! i think they're still backed up from covid.

Oh and tell your friend to be sure to bring ALL her documents to the SS appointment - death certificate, marriage certificate, her ID, his social security number, her social secutity card, and proof of her pension too. they need everything and if u forget something they make u come back again ask me how i know lol

A few important clarifications about the GPO that might help your friend: 1. The GPO only applies to government pensions from employment NOT covered by Social Security. If her teaching position was in a state where teachers pay into Social Security, the GPO wouldn't apply. 2. There's an exception to GPO if she paid into Social Security for the last 60 months of government employment before retirement. 3. Some states (like Texas) offer ways to legally reduce GPO impact by working your last 5 years in a position covered by both the pension system and Social Security. 4. Your friend should request a formal calculation from SSA - don't rely on generalized calculations for something this important. 5. The GPO calculation is based on her gross pension amount before any deductions for health insurance, taxes, etc.

just wanted to say ur a good friend for helping her through this. when my husband died i couldn't think straight for months and would have missed out on benefits if my daughter hadn't helped me figure it all out

I'm so sorry for your friend's loss. Losing a spouse is devastating, and dealing with all these benefit questions during grief is incredibly difficult. You're being such a wonderful friend by helping her navigate this. From what everyone has shared, it sounds like the GPO will indeed reduce her survivor benefits significantly. One thing I'd add is that she should also check if there are any survivor benefits available through her husband's employer - some companies provide temporary continuation of health insurance or small survivor pensions that are separate from Social Security. Also, while the GPO reduction is substantial, receiving $1,400 in survivor benefits plus her $2,700 teacher pension still provides meaningful financial support. I know it's not what she was hoping for, but every bit helps during this transition. Make sure she knows that survivor benefits can be retroactive to the month after her husband's death, so even if there's a delay in processing, she won't lose those months of benefits. The sooner she applies, the better.

I'm so sorry for your friend's loss. This is such a difficult time to have to navigate complex benefit rules. Just wanted to add one more thing that might help - if your friend is still working or considering working, she should know that earning income won't affect her survivor benefits since she's already past full retirement age (67). Sometimes widows think they need to avoid working to protect their benefits, but that's not the case for survivor benefits after full retirement age. Also, she might want to consider whether it makes sense to take the survivor benefit now or delay it. Since she's already 67, she's at full retirement age for survivor benefits, so there's no advantage to waiting longer - survivor benefits don't increase with delayed retirement credits like regular Social Security benefits do. You're being such a caring friend helping her through this maze of regulations during her grief. The practical support you're providing is invaluable right now.

I'm so sorry for your friend's loss. Losing a spouse is heartbreaking, and having to navigate these complex benefit rules while grieving makes it even harder. Everyone here has given excellent advice about the GPO reduction. I just wanted to add that your friend should also ask SSA about any potential lump sum death benefit when she applies. It's a one-time payment of $255 that surviving spouses can receive, and while it's not much, every little bit helps during this difficult transition. Also, since she's dealing with both her teacher's pension and Social Security survivor benefits, she might want to contact her state teacher retirement system too. Sometimes they have counselors who can help explain how the two benefits interact and answer questions specific to her situation. You're such a wonderful friend for helping her through all of this. Having someone to help research and organize all these details is incredibly valuable when you're trying to process grief at the same time.

I'm so sorry for your friend's loss. Losing a spouse is devastating, and you're being such a caring friend by helping her navigate these complex benefit rules during her grief. Everyone here has provided excellent information about the GPO reduction. I wanted to add one more practical tip - when your friend applies for survivor benefits, she should ask about filing a "protective filing" if there are any delays in gathering all the required documents. This establishes her filing date and can help ensure she doesn't lose any retroactive benefits while she's collecting paperwork like the marriage certificate you mentioned. Also, since she's dealing with both Illinois teacher retirement and Social Security, she might find it helpful to contact the Illinois Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) directly. They often have counselors who specialize in explaining how TRS pensions interact with Social Security survivor benefits and can walk through the GPO calculation using her specific pension amount. The combined income of around $4,100 monthly ($2,700 pension + $1,400 estimated survivor benefits) will provide her with important financial stability during this difficult transition, even though it's less than she initially hoped for. Take care of yourself too while you're supporting her through this challenging time.

I'm so deeply sorry for your friend's loss. What a heartbreaking situation, and you're truly an amazing friend for helping her navigate all these complex rules while she's grieving. Reading through all the responses here, it sounds like everyone has given you excellent guidance about the GPO reduction. One small thing I'd add that might help - when she does get her appointment with SSA, she should bring a notepad or ask if she can record the conversation (with permission). When you're dealing with grief, it's so hard to retain all the technical details they'll discuss, and having notes to refer back to later can be really helpful. Also, since she's 67 and eligible for Medicare, she should double-check how losing her husband might affect her Medicare coverage or costs. Sometimes there are changes to Medicare premiums or coverage when household income changes due to survivor benefits. The financial picture with her teacher's pension plus the reduced survivor benefits will still provide stability, even though it's not what she was hoping for. Please give her my condolences - losing a spouse after 19 years together is such a profound loss. You're doing such an important thing by helping her with these practical matters during this incredibly difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your friend's loss. Losing a spouse is incredibly difficult, and you're being such a wonderful friend helping her through all these benefit complexities during her grief. Everyone here has provided excellent information about how the GPO will affect her survivor benefits. One additional thing I'd suggest - if your friend is comfortable with it, she might want to consider reaching out to a local senior center or AARP chapter. Many have volunteer counselors who specialize in Social Security and retirement benefits and can provide free one-on-one help. They often have experience specifically with teacher pension/Social Security situations and can walk through the paperwork with her. Also, when she does apply, she should ask SSA about any state-specific programs that might help supplement her income. Some states have additional assistance programs for widows or retirees that work alongside federal benefits. The most important thing right now is getting the application process started, even with the GPO reduction. That $1,400 in survivor benefits combined with her pension will provide important financial stability. And remember, she has up to 2 years to provide any missing documentation without losing retroactive benefits, so don't stress too much about having every single document perfect before applying. You're truly a blessing during this difficult time for her.

I'm so sorry for your friend's loss. Losing a spouse after 19 years is devastating, and you're being an incredible friend by helping her navigate all this during such a difficult time. Everyone has given excellent advice about the GPO reduction, and it sounds like you now have a clear understanding that she'll likely receive around $1,400 in survivor benefits after the reduction. One thing I'd add that might be helpful - when she contacts SSA to apply, she should ask specifically about the timing of when the GPO reduction takes effect. Sometimes there can be a brief period where she receives the full survivor benefit before the GPO reduction is applied, which could provide a little extra financial cushion during this transition. Also, since she's dealing with the loss of her husband's income entirely, she might want to review her overall budget and see if there are any expenses that can be reduced or eliminated now that she's living alone. Things like cable packages, phone plans, or insurance policies that were set up for a two-person household might be able to be adjusted. The most important thing is that she knows she has people who care about her and are helping her through this process. Grief affects everything, including your ability to handle financial matters, so having your support is invaluable right now.

I'm so sorry for your friend's loss. Losing a spouse is heartbreaking, and you're truly an amazing friend for supporting her through this difficult time while she's grieving. Everyone here has provided excellent information about the GPO reduction and how it will affect her survivor benefits. One thing I'd add that might help during this transition - she should also check if her husband had any retirement accounts (401k, IRA, etc.) where she might be listed as a beneficiary. These accounts are separate from Social Security and won't be affected by the GPO, but there may be required minimum distributions or rollover decisions she'll need to make. Also, if she's not already doing so, she might want to consider speaking with a grief counselor or joining a widow support group. Many communities have free support groups specifically for people who have lost spouses, and they often share practical advice about navigating all these financial and administrative tasks during the grieving process. The combined income from her teacher's pension and the reduced survivor benefits will still provide her with financial stability, even though it's less than she was hoping for. Please let her know that there are people thinking of her during this incredibly difficult time. You're providing such valuable support by helping her understand and navigate all of these complex benefit rules when she's not able to process everything clearly herself.