Social Security WEP repeal timeline - will it affect my March 2025 FRA filing?
I've been planning my retirement around my Full Retirement Age (FRA) date of March 30, 2025. I worked 22 years under Social Security but also have a pension from a state teaching job where I didn't pay into SS. I know I'm affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), but I've been hearing rumors about Congress repealing it. Does anyone know when this repeal is supposed to take effect? Would it apply to me if I file right at my FRA next March? I've been trying to calculate the difference - my estimated monthly benefit under WEP is around $1,870, but without WEP it would be closer to $2,450. That's a big difference! Any insights on the timeline would be really helpful for my planning.
19 comments
Join the conversation
Ravi Sharma
The repeal of WEP hasn't actually passed yet. There are several bills in Congress that would either modify or eliminate WEP (and sometimes GPO), but none have made it through both the House and Senate. The Social Security Fairness Act is probably what you're hearing about - it would fully repeal both WEP and GPO, but it's still in committee. Even if it passes in 2025, there would likely be a phase-in period rather than immediate implementation. With your FRA in March 2025, you should definitely plan as if WEP will still apply to your benefits. You can always adjust if legislation passes, but don't count on it when making your retirement plans.
0 coins
Isabella Ferreira
•Thanks for the clarification. I was afraid that might be the case. Do you know if any of these bills have provisions for retroactive payments if someone has already filed when the repeal passes? Or would it only affect future payments?
0 coins
NebulaNomad
My husband is also affected by WEP and we've been watching this for YEARS. Don't hold your breath!! They've been trying to repeal it since the early 2000s with no success. We finally just accepted the lower amount and moved on with our lives.
0 coins
Freya Thomsen
•THIS!!!!! WEP and GPO are a DISGRACE and politicians have been promising to fix them FOR DECADES with zero action!!!! I lost almost $800/month from my SS benefit after 25 years of teaching. Pure theft of benefits we EARNED. Don't plan your life around Congress doing the right thing - they never do.
0 coins
Omar Fawaz
I'm a financial advisor who works with many clients affected by WEP. The current bills in Congress include H.R. 82 (full repeal of WEP/GPO) and H.R. 2302 (WEP reform but not full repeal). Neither has passed both chambers, and implementation dates vary by proposal. Some versions would phase in changes over 5-10 years. Importantly, most proposals I've seen would only affect future benefit calculations or have limited retroactivity. With your FRA in March 2025, you should definitely calculate your retirement budget based on the WEP-reduced amount. If you've worked 30+ years in SS-covered employment, remember that WEP's impact is already reduced or eliminated.
0 coins
Isabella Ferreira
•Thank you for this detailed information. I only have 22 years in SS-covered employment, so I'm definitely hit by the full WEP reduction. I'll plan for the lower amount and consider it a bonus if any reform passes.
0 coins
Chloe Martin
my uncle had the same problem with his pension from the fire department. he had to wait an extra year to retire cause of the wep thing. really stinks!!
0 coins
Diego Rojas
I've been trying to reach SSA for weeks to get clarity on my own WEP situation. My online account doesn't clearly show how they calculated my WEP reduction. After dozens of failed calls and disconnections, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at SSA in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The SSA rep I spoke with confirmed that there's no imminent repeal of WEP scheduled and that I should plan based on current law. They also helped me understand exactly how my teaching pension impacts my benefit calculation, which was super helpful.
0 coins
Isabella Ferreira
•Thanks for the suggestion. I've been trying to get through to SSA too with no luck. I'll check out that service - I really need to talk to someone who can walk me through my specific situation.
0 coins
NebulaNomad
•Does this actually work? I've literally spent HOURS on hold with SSA and usually get disconnected!
0 coins
Anastasia Sokolov
Congres dosent care about us. They will never repeel WEP. I waited 3 years thinking they would fix it before I filed and wasted my time. Just go ahead with your plans and dont count on them doing anything. The politicians get full pensions but we get our SS cut!!!
0 coins
Ravi Sharma
To respond to your question about retroactivity - most proposals I've seen would either only apply to future beneficiaries or include some limited retroactive adjustments. However, even the most generous proposals usually cap retroactive payments (often at 1-2 years) rather than going back to your original filing date indefinitely. Remember that you can also minimize WEP's impact by continuing to work in SS-covered employment. Each additional year of substantial earnings (about $28,000+ in 2025) will reduce the WEP penalty slightly, and if you reach 30 years of substantial earnings, WEP doesn't apply at all.
0 coins
Isabella Ferreira
•That's really helpful information about the additional work years. I might be able to pick up some part-time work that would qualify. Do you know if they have to be consecutive years, or just 30 years total over my lifetime?
0 coins
Ravi Sharma
•They don't need to be consecutive years - just 30 total years with substantial earnings under Social Security throughout your lifetime. SSA keeps track of these years in your earnings record. You can see your complete earnings history by creating a my Social Security account online if you haven't already.
0 coins
Chloe Martin
wait whats WEP??? does this affect regular retirement or just government workers??
0 coins
Omar Fawaz
•WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) affects people who receive a pension from work not covered by Social Security (like some state/local government jobs, federal civil service before 1984, or foreign employment) AND who also worked enough in Social Security-covered jobs to qualify for SS benefits. It reduces the Social Security benefit for these individuals according to a formula based on years of substantial SS-covered earnings. It doesn't affect people who only worked in jobs covered by Social Security.
0 coins
Freya Thomsen
I have the EXACT same situation but my FRA is August 2025. I've been calling my representatives in Congress about this for years. What makes me FURIOUS is that they keep introducing these bills KNOWING they won't pass just to say they "tried" when election time comes around. It's all a show! I'm planning based on the reduced amount. The WEP takes about $530/month from my earned benefits after 24 years of teaching in Ohio. It's ROBBERY but I've given up hope of it changing.
0 coins
Isabella Ferreira
•It's so frustrating. I'm in California with a CalSTRS pension. The WEP reduction means I'll get about $580 less per month than I would otherwise qualify for. After paying into SS for 22 years at various jobs, it just doesn't seem fair.
0 coins
Diego Rojas
To answer your original question directly - no, there is no official implementation date for WEP repeal because it hasn't passed yet. The current Congressional session ends in January 2025, so any bills not passed by then would need to be reintroduced in the next Congress. If your FRA is March 2025, you should definitely plan your retirement based on current law. The calculations you mentioned sound about right - WEP can reduce benefits by up to half of your non-covered pension or about $600 per month maximum (adjusted annually), whichever is less.
0 coins