Social Security WEP confusion - How to calculate spousal benefits after 2023 law change?

wait are u sure the law changed?? my dad has WEP and he was told he CANT get spousal?? is this a new thing in 2025 or something?

To answer your questions about spousal benefits: 1. The calculation is based on your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) at HIS full retirement age, not the reduced amount he receives by claiming at 62. You can potentially receive up to 50% of his PIA when you reach YOUR full retirement age. 2. It's generally best to wait until your FRA to apply for spousal benefits. If you apply before your FRA, your spousal benefit will be permanently reduced. 3. Under the new law, WEP still affects your own benefit, but the GPO (Government Pension Offset) rules for spousal benefits have been modified. You'll need to have SSA calculate your specific amount. I suggest calling SSA directly to get a calculation specific to your situation. The modified WEP/GPO rules have different effects depending on your work history and pension amount.

I went through this EXACT same thing last month!!! The new rules are SO confusing. When I called SSA they kept putting me on hold to check with supervisors because even THEY weren't sure how to handle it! I waited on hold for almost 2 HOURS and then got disconnected right when they were about to help me!!! SO FRUSTRATING!!!

Everyone here is mixing up WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) with GPO (Government Pension Offset). They're different things that affect different benefits! WEP reduces your OWN retirement benefit if you worked in jobs not covered by SS. GPO reduces SPOUSAL benefits if you get a pension from non-SS-covered work. The law changed aspects of both, but they work differently. Since you're asking about spousal benefits, you're mainly concerned with GPO changes, not WEP changes. This distinction matters for your calculation.

my sister teached for 30 years and has the same problem. she said you gotta wait til your FRA or they take away some of the money. something about the "deemed filing" rules that make you file for everything at once. don't trust what the people at the SS office tell you, half the time they don't know the rules themselves!!!

One more important point: Make sure to bring documentation of your non-covered pension to your SSA appointment. They'll need: 1. Proof of your education pension amount 2. Years worked in non-covered employment 3. Years worked in Social Security-covered jobs 4. Your husband's Social Security number (they should have this on file but bring it anyway) The calculation is complicated because the new law phases in changes over time, and your exact benefit depends on your specific work history. Under the new rules, your spousal benefit reduction might be less than it would have been under the old rules. Be prepared to possibly speak with a technical expert at SSA rather than a regular claims specialist, as these WEP/GPO calculations are specialized.

The WORST part is how they apply these rules so INCONSISTENTLY!! My friend and I both worked for the same school district and have similar situations but got COMPLETELY different answers from SSA about our spousal benefits!!! It's like they're making it up as they go along sometimes!! 😡

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I've scheduled an appointment with SSA for next month, right after I reach my FRA. I'm gathering all my pension documentation and work history records like suggested. I'll make sure to specifically ask about how both WEP and GPO apply in my situation with the new law changes. I'm hopeful I might get a bit more in benefits, even if it's not the full 50% of my husband's PIA. Every bit helps with groceries getting so expensive lately! Wish me luck navigating the SSA bureaucracy! I'll update here after my appointment in case it helps anyone else in a similar situation.