Confused about survivor benefits after WEP/GPO repeal - can I get 100% before FRA?
I'm really puzzled about my survivor benefits calculation after the WEP/GPO repeal. I'm 62 and retired from state government after 28 years (thank goodness that nasty GPO is gone!). My husband passed away when I was 47, and I finally have a phone appointment with SSA next month on March 15th to discuss my options. I found my late husband's Social Security earnings statement and plugged everything into that downloadable SSA detailed calculator program. When looking at the results, the Re-indexed Widow Amount section shows I'd receive what looks like the full PIA if I had started collecting in January 2025 when he would have been 65 years and 8 months old (I'm currently 62 years and 3 months). This doesn't make sense to me - I thought survivor benefits were reduced unless you wait until your own FRA to claim them? I'm nowhere near my FRA yet. The calculator shows about $2,675 monthly - is that really what I'll get? I feel like I must be misinterpreting something in these calculation results. Has anyone else dealt with survivor benefits calculations since the WEP/GPO repeal went through? I'm worried about making a claiming mistake that could cost me thousands.
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The Boss
You might be misreading the calculator results. The Re-indexed Widow Amount is a technical calculation that's part of how SSA determines your benefit, but it doesn't necessarily mean that's what you'll receive right now. At 62, you would typically receive approximately 71.5% of your late husband's PIA if you claim survivor benefits before your FRA. The WEP/GPO repeal is great news for people with government pensions, but it doesn't change the age-based reduction factors for early claiming. If you wait until your FRA (which is probably around 67), you'd get 100% of his PIA. The detailed calculator is showing you different potential amounts at different claiming ages. Look for the section that specifically shows the benefit amount at YOUR current age, not the calculation components.
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Mia Roberts
•Thank you for explaining! I was definitely confused by all those technical terms. Where exactly in the calculator results should I be looking to see my reduced amount at my current age? There are so many different numbers and I can't figure out which one applies to me right now at 62.
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Evan Kalinowski
I went through this EXACT same thing last year!!! The SSA calculators are RIDICULOUSLY confusing and I ended up making a mistake that cost me money. Be really careful because the phone reps don't always understand the calculators either. In my case, they calculated my survivor benefit at 71.5% of my husband's PIA because I was only 62 and 4 months when I applied. But then they messed up because of my teacher's pension and I had to fight with them for 5 MONTHS to get it fixed after the WEP/GPO repeal!!! I'd be very suspicious of that $2,675 number - it's probably showing what you WOULD get at your full retirement age, not what you'll get if you apply now.
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Victoria Charity
•You're absolutely right about the reduction factors. Here's what's happening with the calculator: The Re-indexed Widow Amount is just one factor in determining the benefit. At 62, the OP would receive approximately 71.5% of the higher of: 1) her late husband's actual benefit, 2) his PIA, or 3) the RIB-LIM amount. Without seeing the actual calculator results, I'd guess the $2,675 is showing what she'd get at her FRA, not her current age. When she has her appointment, she should specifically ask what her survivor benefit would be if claimed NOW versus at her FRA. The difference is substantial - probably close to $700-800 per month.
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Jasmine Quinn
why does this have to be so confusing? im in almost the same situation and cant figure out if i should take benefits now or wait. does anyone know if they can tell you the exact amount on the phone?
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Oscar Murphy
•Yes, when you have your phone appointment, they should be able to tell you the exact amount you'd receive at different claiming ages. You might want to try reaching them through Claimyr (claimyr.com) if you don't want to wait for your scheduled appointment. I used their service last month after trying for weeks to get through the regular SSA phone lines. They connected me to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of the hours I was spending on hold before. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke to was able to give me precise benefit amounts for claiming now versus waiting until various ages. Having those exact numbers helped me make a better decision than just guessing based on calculator results.
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Nora Bennett
congrats on that wep gpo repeal! my aunt got an extra $400 a month from it!
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Mia Roberts
•That's wonderful for your aunt! I'm hoping I'll see a significant increase too. From what I understand, the GPO was reducing government workers' Social Security benefits by 2/3 of their pension amount, which could be devastating. I'm just struggling to understand how much I'll actually get now that it's been repealed.
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Ryan Andre
I think you're mixing up two different things here. The WEP/GPO repeal affects how your government pension impacts your Social Security benefits. But the age reduction factors for claiming early are a completely separate issue. I claimed survivor benefits at 60 and only got like 71% of my husband's benefit. Still waiting on my GPO adjustment but thats a different calculation.
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The Boss
•This is correct. The age-based reduction for survivor benefits works like this: - At FRA: 100% of deceased spouse's benefit - At age 60: 71.5% of deceased spouse's benefit - Between 60 and FRA: Scaled proportionally So at 62, you'd be getting approximately 81-82% of the full survivor benefit. The WEP/GPO repeal means your government pension won't reduce this amount further, but the age reduction still applies.
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Victoria Charity
Looking at what you described, I think you're misinterpreting the calculator results. The Re-indexed Widow Amount (RIW) is part of a complex calculation called the RIB-LIM rule that SSA uses for survivor benefits. It's not the final amount you'll receive. Since you're only 62, your survivor benefit will be reduced because you're claiming before your FRA. The reduction is approximately 0.396% per month before your FRA. The $2,675 figure might represent the full PIA amount, but your actual benefit would be reduced for early claiming. I'd estimate you'd receive closer to $2,175-$2,225 if you claim now versus waiting until your FRA for the full amount. When you have your phone appointment, ask specifically about the difference between claiming now versus waiting, and make sure they're accounting for the WEP/GPO repeal in their calculations.
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Mia Roberts
•Thank you so much for explaining! That makes much more sense. I've been looking at the RIW amount thinking it was my actual benefit. I'll definitely ask about the difference between claiming now versus at my FRA during my appointment. Is there anything specific I should mention about the WEP/GPO repeal to make sure they're calculating it correctly? I've heard some people say the SSA reps are still figuring out how to implement the changes.
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Oscar Murphy
I had the same issue when calculating my survivor benefits last year! The SSA detailed calculator is NOT user-friendly at all. When I finally got through to SSA (after calling for 3 straight days), the representative explained that I was looking at the wrong section. For survivor benefits before FRA, they apply a reduction factor based on how many months early you're claiming. In my case, claiming at 63 resulted in about a 13% reduction from what I would have received at my FRA. If you're having trouble getting through to SSA, I'd recommend using Claimyr.com - it saved me hours of frustration. They connect you directly to an SSA agent, usually within 10-30 minutes instead of waiting on hold all day. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The SSA agent can calculate your exact benefit amount with the reduction factors applied correctly.
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Mia Roberts
•That service sounds helpful! My appointment isn't for another month, and I'm anxious to know the numbers sooner. Did the SSA agent you talked to seem knowledgeable about all the WEP/GPO changes? I'm worried they might not calculate it correctly since the repeal is still relatively new.
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