Social Security WEP/GPO reform confusion - can I finally collect SS with my government pension?

The rules are confusing! From what I understand, the WEP/GPO reform that's been proposed isn't about eliminating these provisions completely, but modifying how they affect people. Currently, WEP reduces YOUR OWN Social Security benefits if you have a pension from non-covered employment (where you didn't pay into SS). GPO reduces SPOUSAL or SURVIVOR benefits if you have your own non-covered pension. The reform would likely modify the calculation formulas to be less punitive, especially for people with fewer quarters of SS-covered work, but it probably won't eliminate the reductions entirely. Have you checked your SS statement online to see what your current estimated benefit is with the WEP reduction?

THIS IS ALL POLITICAL GAMES!! I've been waiting 15 YEARS for them to fix this unfair penalty! My husband worked 30 years paying into Social Security but I get almost NOTHING from his survivor benefits because I was a teacher with a state pension. They've been introducing WEP/GPO reform bills since 2004 and NOTHING EVER PASSES. Don't get your hopes up that Congress will actually do anything to help us. They just dangle this carrot before every election!

Let me try to explain the current proposals clearly. The Social Security Fairness Act would completely repeal both WEP and GPO, allowing you to receive your full earned SS benefits regardless of your government pension. But most experts think this has little chance of passing due to cost (estimated $150-180 billion over 10 years). More likely to pass is the Public Servants Protection and Fairness Act, which creates a new proportional formula that would help people with fewer quarters of SS-covered work (like your 32 quarters) and provide a guaranteed minimum benefit. It wouldn't eliminate the WEP reduction completely, but would make it less severe. Regarding your wife's situation with survivor benefits - that's the GPO part, which reduces spousal/survivor benefits by 2/3 of her government pension amount. Some proposals would modify this calculation to be less punitive, but details vary by bill.

my dad had this same problem. worked for post office 25 yrs then private sector 10 yrs. lost most of his ss benefits cuz of wep. super unfair!!

I spent hours trying to get through to someone at SSA to ask these same questions last month. After getting disconnected 4 times and spending 3 days trying, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a real person in 20 minutes. They explained my WEP reduction pretty clearly and told me what might happen with the current legislation. Saved me so much frustration! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

Here are the technical details that might help you: 1. Current WEP: If you have fewer than 30 years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security, your benefit is calculated using a 40% factor instead of the normal 90% factor for the first bracket of AIME (Average Indexed Monthly Earnings). 2. Proposed proportional WEP reform: Your benefit would be calculated based on the proportion of your lifetime earnings that came from SS-covered employment. 3. For your specific situation with 32 quarters (8 years), you're well below the 30-year threshold where WEP wouldn't apply. But the proportional formula would likely be more favorable than the current WEP formula. 4. For your wife's potential survivor benefits: Currently, GPO would reduce those benefits by 2/3 of her teaching pension. Some reform proposals would reduce this penalty or create exemptions. I recommend creating an account at mysocialsecurity.gov if you haven't already - it will show your current estimated benefit with WEP applied.

One more thing to consider - if this legislation passes, there will likely be a phase-in period. Some versions of the bill have included immediate relief for current beneficiaries, while others implement changes gradually. Also, some proposals include a small monthly stipend ($150-$200) for those already affected by WEP/GPO as a transitional measure. Have you contacted your Congressional representatives to express support for WEP/GPO reform? That can actually help move legislation forward.

my aunt said theres also something about if u have 5 years of substantial earnings before 1986 ur exempt from wep??? is that true??

I think you might be mixing up some things here. WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) affects your OWN Social Security benefits if you also receive a pension from work not covered by Social Security. GPO (Government Pension Offset) affects SPOUSAL or SURVIVOR benefits if you receive a government pension from non-covered work. So the answers to your questions depend on whether we're talking about: 1. Your own SS retirement benefits (WEP) 2. Your potential claim on your wife's record (GPO if she passes) 3. Your wife's potential survivor claim on your record (GPO if you pass) Do you know which one concerns you most?