Can't see my WEP reduction on Social Security benefit statement - where is it listed?

The SSA doesn't show the WEP reduction as a line item on your benefit statement. To see the WEP impact, you need to request a detailed benefit calculation from SSA. Call them and specifically ask for your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) calculation that shows the WEP reduction. They should be able to mail you a detailed statement showing the modified formula they used. The regular benefit statements just show the final amount after all calculations.

had the same issue!!!! my husband worked for the state for 22 yrs and SS takes a chunk but doesnt show it anywhere. so frustrating!!

The WEP calculation is actually quite complex. Your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) is calculated using a modified formula when WEP applies. Instead of getting 90% of your first tier of AIME (Average Indexed Monthly Earnings), you get a reduced percentage based on your years of substantial earnings under Social Security. For 2025, with 18 years of substantial earnings, you'd get 75% instead of 90% for the first tier. This reduction is capped at 50% of your non-SS pension amount. You need to request a PEBES (Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement) with WEP calculation included. This isn't available online - you must call SSA directly and specifically request this detailed calculation.

I've been through this exact situation. Trying to get through to someone at Social Security who can explain the WEP calculation was a nightmare. I spent weeks getting disconnected or waiting on hold for hours. I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual SSA agent in about 15 minutes. I explained I needed my detailed WEP calculation and they mailed me the full breakdown showing exactly how much was reduced. There's a short video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I got through to the right person, they were able to explain everything and even found that they had incorrectly calculated my years of substantial earnings (they were missing 2 years).

Wait I thought WEP and GPO are different things??? I get a pension from teaching and they reduce my husband's benefits because of GPO not WEP. Now I'm confused about which one applies to who.

The Social Security statements are practically useless for anyone with WEP or GPO. They don't show the reduction AT ALL! I called last year and the rep told me "just subtract your actual payment from what the statement shows you should get" - which is ridiculous because my statement already shows the reduced amount! The whole system is designed to confuse us.

Just adding one important point - depending on the number of "substantial earnings" years you have under Social Security, your WEP reduction might not be as severe. With 18 years, you're getting a partial reduction. At 20 years, the WEP impact starts decreasing, and at 30 years of substantial earnings under Social Security, WEP doesn't apply at all. For 2025, "substantial earnings" means you needed to earn at least $31,725 in those years. Might be worth double-checking your earnings record to make sure all your qualifying years are properly counted.

My mom just went through this last month! After three calls to SSA, she found out they were using the wrong number of substantial earnings years in her WEP calculation. They fixed it and her benefit went up by $175/month! Definitely worth checking.

This is such a common frustration! I work as a benefits counselor and see this all the time. The SSA's regular benefit statements are really misleading for WEP cases because they show your final benefit amount without any breakdown of how they got there. Here's what I tell my clients: when you call SSA, ask specifically for a "WEP calculation worksheet" or "detailed PIA computation with WEP adjustment." Don't just ask for your benefit calculation - be very specific about WEP. Also, before you call, log into your my Social Security account and print out your complete earnings history. Cross-reference it with the substantial earnings thresholds for each year (these change annually). I've seen cases where SSA missed qualifying years, especially for people who had earnings right at the threshold. One more tip: if the first rep you talk to doesn't seem familiar with WEP calculations, politely ask to speak with someone who specializes in WEP/GPO cases. Not all reps are equally trained on these provisions, and you'll save yourself time and frustration.

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! I've been getting my SS benefits for about 6 months and like you, I can tell my amount is lower than expected due to WEP (I have 15 years of substantial earnings and 20 years with a state pension), but my statement just shows the final number with no breakdown. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like calling and asking for the "WEP calculation worksheet" or "detailed PIA computation with WEP adjustment" is the way to go. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service that Keisha mentioned - spending hours on hold with SSA is not something I'm looking forward to. Has anyone here successfully gotten their WEP calculation corrected after reviewing the detailed worksheet? I'm wondering how common it is for SSA to make errors in counting substantial earnings years.

I'm dealing with this exact issue too! Just started receiving benefits 3 months ago and my statement shows zero breakdown of the WEP reduction. After reading all these responses, I'm convinced SSA deliberately makes this information hard to find. Based on what everyone's shared here, I'm going to call and specifically ask for a "WEP calculation worksheet" showing my substantial earnings years. I worked 25 years in manufacturing with SS coverage and 15 years as a federal employee, so I should have substantial earnings for most of those manufacturing years. The fact that both Keisha and Yara's mom found calculation errors is really concerning but also gives me hope that if there's a mistake in mine, it can be fixed. I'll definitely check my earnings history online first like Zoe suggested before making the call. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences - this thread should be required reading for anyone dealing with WEP! It's ridiculous that we have to become experts in Social Security calculations just to verify they're doing their job correctly.

I'm a newcomer to this community but have been lurking and reading through all these posts about WEP issues. This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm 63 and planning to file for Social Security next year, and I know I'll be subject to WEP since I have about 16 years of substantial earnings under SS and 22 years with a teacher's pension that didn't pay into Social Security. Reading everyone's experiences here, it's clear that SSA doesn't make this information easily accessible on their standard benefit statements. The advice about calling and specifically requesting a "WEP calculation worksheet" or "detailed PIA computation with WEP adjustment" seems to be the consensus from multiple people who've successfully gotten this information. What really concerns me is how many of you found errors in SSA's calculations - Keisha's missing 2 years, Yara's mom getting a $175/month increase after correction, and others mentioning similar issues. It makes me want to be extra careful when I file to make sure they count all my substantial earnings years correctly from the start. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and specific advice on terminology to use when calling SSA. This thread should definitely be pinned or saved somewhere for other people dealing with WEP confusion!

I'm a newcomer here but this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm currently dealing with the same WEP confusion - been receiving benefits for about 4 months and my statement shows no breakdown whatsoever of the reduction. I have 17 years of substantial earnings under SS and 20 years with a state government pension. After reading all these responses, I'm shocked at how many people found calculation errors when they finally got their detailed worksheets. The fact that Keisha found 2 missing years and Yara's mom got a $175/month increase really motivates me to dig deeper into my own calculation. I'm going to follow the advice here and call SSA specifically asking for a "WEP calculation worksheet" showing my substantial earnings years. The tip about asking to speak with someone who specializes in WEP/GPO cases is brilliant - I had no idea that was even possible! One question for those who've successfully gotten their detailed calculations: Did you have to make multiple calls, or were you able to get the worksheet on your first try? I'm trying to mentally prepare for what might be a frustrating process, but all the success stories here give me hope that it's worth the effort. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is a lifesaver for navigating these complex Social Security issues!

As someone who just started navigating the WEP maze myself, I want to echo what everyone has said about SSA's lack of transparency being absolutely maddening! I'm 6 months into receiving benefits and like so many others here, my statement shows zero breakdown of the WEP reduction. What really strikes me from reading through all these responses is how many people discovered calculation errors - that's both encouraging and terrifying. It gives me hope that corrections are possible, but it's scary to think how many people might be accepting incorrect (lower) benefit amounts simply because they don't know to ask for the detailed breakdown. I'm definitely going to follow the excellent advice shared here: call SSA and specifically request a "WEP calculation worksheet" or "detailed PIA computation with WEP adjustment," ask for someone who specializes in WEP/GPO if the first rep seems unfamiliar, and verify my earnings history online first. The tip about checking substantial earnings thresholds for each year is crucial too. For anyone else feeling overwhelmed by this process - this thread proves we're not alone and that persistence pays off. The fact that Yara's mom got a $175/month increase and Keisha found 2 missing years shows it's absolutely worth the effort to verify SSA got it right. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed, actionable advice!