Social Security GPO confusion - was my spousal benefit application suspended or rejected?

Based on what you described, it sounds like SSA processed an application for spousal benefits for you when your wife applied. This is common - they often take spousal applications at the same time. The fact that you received an award letter with a suspension notice strongly suggests your application was processed and approved, but benefits were suspended due to GPO. The GPO reduces spousal benefits by 2/3 of your government pension amount. When you retire from your government job, you'll need to contact SSA again and inform them of your change in status. They won't automatically start paying benefits - you must notify them. Bring documentation showing your pension amount so they can recalculate the GPO reduction correctly.

the same exact thing happened to my brother!! he got a letter about spousal benefits being approved but suspended for GPO and then the letter vanished from his account too. when he called they said its because the benefit is suspended so they dont keep those notices up permanently. weird system if u ask me

I work with SS recipients dealing with WEP and GPO situations regularly. What happened is that when your wife applied for her retirement benefits, the system automatically checked if you were eligible for spousal benefits. Since you were, they processed that application (which is why you got the award letter) but immediately suspended payment due to GPO rules. The letter disappearing from your online account is actually normal. SSA only keeps certain notices visible for a limited time. However, the application and determination are still in their system. IMPORTANT: When you stop working at your government job, you MUST contact SSA right away. Your benefits won't restart automatically. You'll need to provide: 1. Final pension amount documentation 2. Last day of employment verification 3. Any lump sum payment information They'll then recalculate your spousal benefit with the GPO reduction (2/3 of your monthly pension) and begin payments if any amount remains payable.

Yes, for lump sum pension payments, SSA will convert it to a monthly amount for GPO calculation purposes. They have a specific formula they use based on your life expectancy at the time you receive the lump sum. This calculated monthly equivalent is what they'll use to apply the 2/3 reduction to your spousal benefit. The calculation can be complex and sometimes disadvantageous depending on your specific situation, so it's worth understanding the implications before choosing between lump sum and monthly pension options.

The WHOLE GPO/WEP system is just a way to STEAL benefits from hardworking Americans!!! I worked 40 years, 25 in regular jobs paying into SS and 15 in state government, and now I get PUNISHED for it. My neighbor who worked the same total years but all under SS gets DOUBLE what I get!!! How is this fair??? The government is literally ROBBING us of OUR MONEY that WE EARNED!!!!

I had a similar GPO situation with my husband's benefits. Trying to get answers from SSA by phone was IMPOSSIBLE - 2+ hour wait times and then often disconnected. After weeks of frustration, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual SSA agent in under 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed my application was on file but suspended, explained exactly how my GPO reduction was calculated, and noted in my record that I would be retiring in 6 months so they could reactivate my benefits then. Completely worth it after weeks of failing to get through on my own.

Not to go off topic but has anyone successfully had their GPO amount reduced? My pension administrator says part of my pension is from my own contributions (not employer) so shouldn't be counted for GPO, but SSA keeps counting the full amount. Been fighting for months.

cant believe how complicated ss makes evrything! my head hurts just reading bout all this wep gpo stuff lol. good luck man

so what i wanna know is whether you'll get Medicare if your benefit is suspended? My cousin had his benefits suspended for working too much over the earnings limit and they still gave him Medicare at 65

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I've learned that: 1. My spousal benefit application was likely processed and is just suspended 2. The letter disappearing from my account is normal 3. When I retire next year, I need to contact SSA with documentation 4. I should be very careful about lump sum vs. monthly pension choices 5. I should prepare for potentially long wait times when calling SSA I think I'll gather all my pension documentation now so I'm ready when the time comes. I really appreciate all the insights!