Just discovered GPO elimination - Can I now claim spousal SS benefits with my teacher's pension?

You're right that with the GPO elimination, you'll now be eligible for spousal benefits even while receiving your teacher's pension. Your spousal benefit would be based on 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is what he would have received at his FRA, not what he's actually receiving after reduction for early claiming. And yes, that amount will include all COLAs that have been applied since he became eligible. When you apply, make sure to have your marriage certificate and be prepared to provide information about your pension. The phase-out is happening gradually though, so you won't immediately get the full amount - check the implementation timeline to see what percentage you're eligible for this year.

my wife was a teacher for 35 yrs and we just went thru this same thing last month!! the ssa rep told us she gets 1/2 of MY benefit at MY fra even tho i took benefits at 63. the colas are all included automatically. but watch out they are only phasing out gpo slowly so you only get like 1/3 of the benefit this year and then more next year

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but are you SURE the GPO is being eliminated??? I've been hearing rumors about this for YEARS but nothing ever happens!!! My sister-in-law is in the same boat (teacher pension) and we've been disappointed so many times with false hope. Can someone please share a link to OFFICIAL information about this change?? I don't want her getting her hopes up again for nothing.

I've been through this exact process recently. Let me clarify a few things: 1. Your spousal benefit will be 50% of your husband's PIA (what he would've received at FRA) 2. This DOES include all COLAs since his eligibility 3. Remember the phase-out schedule: 40% of your benefit is available in 2025, 70% in 2026, and 100% in 2027 4. You'll need to provide your pension information when applying One thing that tripped me up: if you have any SS benefits from your own work history, they'll apply that first before adding additional spousal benefits. Make sure to ask the SSA rep to explain your specific calculation.

I've been trying to reach SSA for weeks about this exact situation! Their phone lines are ridiculous - either busy signals or 3+ hour waits that often disconnect. I finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Worth it just to get actual answers from SSA directly about my GPO situation instead of guessing. The agent confirmed everything about the phase-out timeline and my benefit calculation.

my sister got really confused when she applied because the ssa website still shows the old GPO rules in some places!!! make sure when u talk to them u specifically mention the new fairness act or they might give u wrong info

Congrats on finally getting access to your spousal benefits! My mom was in the same situation (teacher for 31 years). Just be aware that this might affect your tax situation. The combination of pension + new SS benefits could push you into a higher tax bracket. Might want to talk to a tax person before you file your application.

I think there's some confusion here about COLAs. The COLA adjustments are applied to your husband's PIA before calculating your spousal benefit. For example, if his PIA was $2000 at his FRA and there have been total COLA increases of 15% since then, his PIA would now be $2300. Your spousal benefit would be based on 50% of $2300, which is $1150. Then that amount would be reduced according to the GPO phase-out schedule for 2025 (60% reduction), meaning you'd get $460 monthly this year, $805 next year, and the full $1150 in 2027. The exact percentages and timeline are on SSA's website.

I just want to say THANK YOU to everyone who fought for years to get the GPO eliminated!!! My mother was a teacher for 35 years and lost out on THOUSANDS of dollars because of this unfair policy. She passed away last year never getting what she deserved. At least future generations of public servants won't have to suffer the same injustice. 😢

One additional point that hasn't been mentioned: Make sure to formally apply for these benefits as soon as you're eligible. The SSA will not automatically recalculate benefits for people affected by the GPO elimination. You need to initiate the process, and benefits are generally not retroactive beyond 6 months. With the phase-out schedule, determining the optimal application timing can be complex, so you might want to consult with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning to maximize your lifetime benefits.