Social Security benefits confusion - Teacher pension, SS from side job, and ex-spouse benefits

You're dealing with the classic WEP/GPO situation that affects many teachers. Here's the breakdown: 1. Yes, you'll get your teacher pension based on your years of service 2. Your own Social Security from your side job will likely be reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) because you're receiving a pension from non-covered employment (your teaching job). WEP doesn't eliminate your benefit, but reduces it using a modified formula. 3. Any spousal benefits (including divorced spouse) from your ex-husband's record will be affected by the Government Pension Offset (GPO). GPO typically reduces spousal/survivor benefits by 2/3 of your government pension amount. Since you were married for over 10 years and haven't remarried, you do qualify for divorced spouse benefits, but the GPO will likely reduce or eliminate those benefits depending on your pension amount.

This DRIVES ME CRAZY about the system!!! Teachers and other public servants get PUNISHED for choosing careers that serve communities. I worked 35 years in public schools and paid into SS through summer jobs for 40+ years, but only get a tiny fraction of what I paid in because of WEP. And the GPO is even WORSE - practically wipes out any spousal benefits. The SSA phone agents will just read you the rules but won't help you maximize anything. You need to talk to a financial advisor who specializes in teacher retirement with SS complications. Regular advisors DON'T understand these rules!!

I'm a retired teacher who went through this exact situation. Few tips based on my experience: 1. Contact your state teacher retirement system first - get a written pension estimate based on your specific years of service 2. Then create an account on ssa.gov to get your SS earnings record and benefit estimate 3. You can apply for your own SS benefit and divorced spouse benefit at the same time - SSA will pay whichever is higher after WEP/GPO reductions 4. Timing does matter! If your ex isn't collecting yet, you can't get ex-spouse benefits until he files (unless you're waiting until your FRA) The GPO reduction is significant - it's 2/3 of your GROSS pension (before health insurance or tax deductions). In my case, my teacher pension completely wiped out my ability to collect on my husband's record.

my sister had almost ur exact situation, teacher for 22 yrs w/ side jobs. ended up with about $450/mo from SS after WEP reduction + teacher pension. ex-spouse benefit was completely wiped out by GPO. sorry to say but dont expect much from SS with teacher pension. its just how it works unfortunately

I've been trying to reach Social Security for weeks to ask similar questions about my teacher pension and WEP, but the wait times are ridiculous and I keep getting disconnected. Finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person at SSA in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with confirmed that I could receive both my CalSTRS pension and reduced Social Security benefits. She explained exactly how WEP would affect my specific situation, which was so much more helpful than the generic info online. Definitely worth talking to SSA directly about your specific case.

Regarding the timing question - yes, it can matter. If you wait until your Full Retirement Age (FRA) to claim SS benefits, you'll get the maximum WEP-adjusted amount. Taking benefits early would reduce them further by the early claiming reduction. As for divorced spouse benefits, the other commenter is correct - you CAN claim on your ex's record even if he hasn't filed yet, as long as: 1. You've been divorced at least 2 years 2. Your ex is eligible for benefits (even if not claiming yet) 3. You are at least 62 But remember, the GPO will still reduce these benefits by 2/3 of your teacher pension amount. If your teacher pension is substantial, it might eliminate the divorced spouse benefit entirely.

Based on the numbers you just shared, you're exactly right. Since 2/3 of your pension ($1,867) exceeds the divorced spouse benefit you'd be eligible for ($1,600), the GPO would completely eliminate your divorced spouse benefit. So in your situation, you'd receive: 1. Your teacher pension of $2,800/month 2. Your own Social Security (reduced by WEP) from your side job 3. $0 from divorced spouse benefits due to GPO The system definitely creates frustrating outcomes for many teachers and other public employees. There have been bills proposed to reform or eliminate WEP/GPO for years, but none have passed yet.

Thank you everyone for your help! This has been eye-opening but also disheartening. Sounds like I'll get my teacher pension and a reduced Social Security benefit from my side job (thanks to WEP), but nothing from my ex-husband's record due to GPO. I'll definitely create my ssa.gov account to get specific numbers and maybe use that Claimyr service to actually talk to someone at SSA without waiting for hours. Is there anything else I should be considering in my retirement planning given these limitations? I'm worried my income might be less than I was hoping for.

Welcome to the reality of being a public servant in America! I'm a retired federal employee who went through something similar with my CSRS pension and Social Security. A few things that might help as you navigate this: 1. **Document everything** - Keep records of all your Social Security earnings from your side job. Sometimes SSA's records aren't complete, and you'll want proof of what you paid in. 2. **Consider the "last day" rule** - Some teachers have successfully avoided WEP by ensuring their last day of work before retirement is at a job where they pay into Social Security (like your side job). This is tricky and depends on your state's rules, but worth researching. 3. **Health insurance planning** - Since your Social Security income will be lower than expected, make sure you understand what health benefits you'll have as a retired teacher. Many states have good retiree health plans that can save you thousands compared to individual market insurance. 4. **Tax considerations** - Your teacher pension might be partially taxable depending on your state, while Social Security has its own taxation rules. A tax professional familiar with retirement income can help you plan withdrawal strategies. The system is definitely unfair to public servants, but knowing the rules helps you plan around them. Good luck!

I'm a newer federal employee and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea about WEP and GPO until I started researching my own retirement planning. It's shocking how these provisions can essentially wipe out benefits that people have legitimately earned. @Anastasia Popova - your situation really highlights how complex this gets when you have multiple income sources. One thing I'd suggest is also checking if your side job earnings might help you reach that "substantial earnings" threshold that @Finnegan Gunn mentioned. Even if you don't hit 30 years, getting to 20+ years could significantly reduce your WEP penalty. Also, have you looked into whether your state participates in Social Security for teachers? A few states (like Ohio and Texas) have transitioned some or all of their teachers into Social Security, which eliminates these offset issues entirely. Unfortunately, most states haven't made this change. The advocacy point that others mentioned is really important too. Organizations like the National Education Association and AARP regularly push for WEP/GPO reform. The more people who understand and speak up about these unfair provisions, the better chance we have of seeing change someday.