Social Security WEP repeal retroactive payment confusion with upcoming spousal benefits

You've got a couple different issues happening at once. For the WEP repeal, SSA should automatically recalculate your benefits and issue retroactive payments back to December 2023 when the change went into effect. This is separate from your spousal application. Regarding spousal benefits, you're correct that they can be retroactive up to 6 months from your protective filing date, but they'll never go back further than your eligibility date. When the spousal benefit starts, you'll receive the higher of either your own benefit (newly calculated without WEP) OR the spousal benefit amount, not both. My advice: During your March 18 call, specifically ask the agent about both issues. Make sure they understand you're affected by the WEP repeal AND applying for spousal benefits. Ask them to explain the timeline for both adjustments and how they'll interact.

My husban is in THE SAME boat!!! He worked for county gov and got hit with wep for YEARS. Now theyve been soooo slow with the backpay, its been months. When he called they just said "be patient" which is EASY for them to say!!!

I went through something similar last year with a different benefit situation (not WEP related). When you have your phone interview, make sure you clearly state that you're owed retroactive payments from the WEP repeal BEFORE your spousal benefits begin. They should handle these as two separate adjustments. FYI - Retroactive payments are typically issued as a separate one-time payment, while ongoing benefits will be adjusted going forward. Make sure you get the rep's name and direct line if possible, because you might need to follow up. In my experience, trying to reach someone at SSA by phone is nearly impossible these days. I ended up using Claimyr.com which got me through to an agent in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it saved me so much frustration when I was dealing with my complicated benefit situation.

The WEP repeal is creating a lot of confusion. Here's what you need to know: 1) The WEP elimination is being processed automatically for all affected beneficiaries. SSA is working through these adjustments and will issue retroactive payments back to December 2023. This process is taking time due to the volume of recalculations. 2) Your spousal benefit application is being processed separately. During your interview, they'll determine if you're eligible and calculate the amount you're entitled to receive. 3) You will NOT lose any money you're entitled to. If your recalculated benefit (post-WEP) is still lower than your spousal benefit, you'll receive: - Back payments for your recalculated non-WEP benefit from December 2023 until spousal benefits begin - The higher spousal benefit amount going forward Have all your documents ready for your phone interview, including proof of marriage and your spouse's SSN. Make sure to specifically mention that you're affected by the WEP repeal and ask how that interacts with your spousal application.

Does anyone know if they're prioritizing certain cases for the WEP adjustments? I've been waiting since January and haven't seen any changes yet. I'm worried that if I call about it, I'll somehow end up at the bottom of the pile or something. The whole system is so confusing!!!

To clarify one more thing: when your WEP is recalculated, your own benefit amount will increase. Then when they calculate your spousal benefit, it will be based on your spouse's record. You'll receive the higher of the two amounts. The retroactive payments should work like this: - You'll get retroactive payments for your recalculated (non-WEP) benefit from December 2023 to present - If you're approved for spousal benefits with a retroactive date that overlaps with the WEP adjustment period, you'll get the DIFFERENCE between your new non-WEP amount and the spousal amount for that overlapping period (assuming spousal is higher) In my experience, it helps to write all this down before your call so you can be very specific about what you're asking.

ANYONE else notice how they NEVER explain this stuff clearly on their website?? It's almost like they WANT us to get confused and give up! My sister worked for the post office and got hit with WEP AND GPO and shes been fighting for months to get everything straightened out.

One more important point: keep detailed records of everything. Write down the date of your call, the representative's name and ID number if they provide one, and take notes about what they tell you. If something doesn't happen as promised, these notes will be essential when you follow up. Also, be aware that the WEP recalculations are being done in phases, and there have been reports of some taking longer than others. If you don't see your adjustment within a month after your call, it would be reasonable to follow up.