Confused about WEP adjustment - Will Social Security automatically reduce my benefits after working in non-SS state systems?

SSA does not automatically know about your non-covered pension from Florida unless you tell them. You absolutely need to inform them when you apply for Social Security benefits. On the retirement application, there's a specific question about receiving pensions from work not covered by Social Security. If you don't report it and they find out later (which they eventually will through data matching with states), you'll face an overpayment situation and have to pay back the excess benefits you received. This can amount to thousands of dollars. Also, since you mentioned 18 years of substantial SS-covered employment, make sure you check if you qualify for one of the WEP exceptions. If you have 30+ years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security, WEP doesn't apply at all. With 20-29 years, the WEP reduction is lessened.

They DO know!!! My husband didn't tell SS about his CA teacher pension and they still reduced his benefits when he applied!! The government agencies all talk to each other now so don't think you can hide anything. But ya definitely tell them upfront to avoid problems!!

You definitely need to tell Social Security about your non-covered pension when you apply for benefits. I dealt with this exact situation after teaching in Illinois (non-SS state) for 19 years. Here's what happens if you don't tell them: 1) You'll initially get your full SS benefit amount 2) Somewhere down the line (could be months or years), they'll discover the pension 3) They'll recalculate your benefit with WEP reduction 4) You'll get a notice demanding repayment of all "excess" benefits 5) Your ongoing benefit will be reduced AND they'll take additional money to recoup the overpayment When I applied, I brought my pension award letter showing the monthly amount. Keep in mind that you're only subject to WEP when you actually start receiving your non-covered pension, not just because you're eligible for it. Also worth noting - if your combined Florida and Colorado teaching gives you 30+ years of substantial earnings under Social Security, you could be exempt from WEP entirely. Each year of substantial earnings in Colorado helps reduce the WEP penalty.

That's correct - WEP only applies when you're actually receiving your non-covered pension, not just when you're eligible. If you're eligible for a non-covered pension but haven't started receiving it yet, your Social Security benefits won't be reduced by WEP until you start the pension. Regarding documentation, you'll need to provide: 1. Pension award letter showing monthly amount 2. Documentation showing the pension is based on non-covered employment I recommend keeping a detailed earnings record from Social Security (get it from your my.ssa.gov account) that shows which years were covered by Social Security and which weren't. This helps in case there are any disputes about which years should count toward potentially reducing your WEP impact. Also, since you mentioned having 18 years of SS-covered employment, you're likely in the phase where each additional year of substantial earnings under Social Security (in your Colorado position) reduces the WEP penalty. For 2025, "substantial earnings" means earning at least $31,725 in SS-covered employment.

I went through this nightmare after retiring from Nevada public schools. When I applied for SS, I told them about my pension but the claims rep didn't input it correctly. Two years later, got hit with a $23,000 overpayment notice!!! Took months of appeals to get it resolved. I've found that many SSA reps don't fully understand WEP. When you call, keep asking until you get someone who really knows the provision. Ask specifically for someone who specializes in WEP/GPO cases. Best advice: after you apply, get a copy of your benefit calculation and verify they applied WEP. If your monthly amount seems too high compared to your own estimates, that's a red flag they missed applying WEP. Seriously, document EVERYTHING. Every call, every person you speak with, every piece of paper you submit. The system is a mess when it comes to these government pension offsets.

so do they take the whole pension amount when they figure the wep or just part of it? i'm so confused lol

My friend didn't tell SS about her pension and they found out 3 years later and made her pay back over $30k!!!! She almost lost her house! DEFINITELY tell them upfront!!!

To answer your follow-up question about when to contact them - you don't need to notify Social Security about your non-covered pension until you actually apply for SS benefits. Just make sure you're prepared with the right documentation when that time comes. Regarding your question about payment plans for overpayments - yes, SSA will generally work with you on a payment plan if you can't repay an overpayment all at once. They can withhold a percentage of your ongoing benefits until it's repaid, or you can set up monthly payments. But the real takeaway here is to be proactive and transparent from the beginning so you never face an overpayment situation. With proper planning, you can accurately estimate your WEP-adjusted benefit and avoid unpleasant surprises. One final note about WEP that many people don't realize: if your non-covered pension is relatively small, there's a provision that limits the WEP reduction to no more than 50% of your monthly pension amount. This doesn't apply to most teacher pensions (which tend to be substantial), but it's worth knowing in case your Florida pension ends up being on the smaller side.