Social Security early filing with firefighter disability pension - WEP impact with multiple non-SS pensions?

Yes, your non-covered disability pension will trigger WEP. The exception would be if your disability was work-related and covered under Social Security Disability Insurance, which yours isn't since you mentioned it's from a non-covered pension system. Regarding maximum WEP reduction - there is good news. The maximum WEP reduction for 2025 is $626/month for someone with fewer than 20 years of substantial earnings under Social Security. But since you have 22 years of SS-covered work, your reduction would be less. With 21-29 years of substantial earnings, the WEP reduction is gradually phased out (reduced by 5% for each year over 20). Both pensions from non-covered employment will factor into WEP, but the maximum reduction is still capped. The important thing is that WEP can never reduce your Social Security benefit by more than 50% of your non-covered pension amount.

I spent HOURS on the phone with SSA about this exact situation last year. My husband is a retired state trooper (non-SS pension) with a disability component. Here's what I learned - the WEP calculation doesn't care whether your pension is taxable or non-taxable. It only cares that it came from work not covered by Social Security. And yes, both your pensions will count. The 50% guarantee means your WEP reduction can't be more than half your total non-covered pension amount. So if your combined firefighter and teacher pensions are $4000/month, your WEP reduction can't exceed $2000. But with your 22 years of SS coverage, you'll get hit less than someone with fewer years. ALSO - you should check if your state has any "WEP protection" laws for first responders. Some states have special provisions.

Firefighter here who went thru this. Govt pensions are BRUTAL with SS!! They take so much of ur money its criminal. My pension got cut by almost 40% because of this WEP garbage. If ur job didnt pay SS then they WILL take a big chunk of ur SS check, doesnt matter if its disability or regular pension!!!!

I'm confused reading all this... does it matter if the disability pension is service-connected (like injured on the job) vs non-service connected? I thought there were different rules for that. And what about if you file at exactly FRA vs early? Does that change how WEP works?

my dad had city pension (police) and SS from second career. they took almost half his ss check away! complete ripoff after he paid in for 18 years on second job. he got maybe $600 from ss when he shouldve gotten like $1400.

Let me clarify a couple things here that might help the OP: 1. The WEP reduction is approximately $69 per year of substantial earnings under Social Security less than 30 years (as of 2025 numbers). With 22 years, that's 8 years short, so approximately $552/month reduction MAXIMUM. But... 2. Your actual WEP reduction is the LESSER of: - The formula reduction (approx $552 in your case) - 50% of your non-covered pension amount 3. For early filing: If your FRA is 67 and you file at 64, you'll take a 20% reduction on your WEP-adjusted benefit. For your specific situation with non-taxable disability pension, SSA still counts this as a non-covered pension for WEP purposes. The taxability doesn't matter - only whether it's from work where you didn't pay Social Security taxes. And yes, both pensions will count toward the 50% maximum limit calculation, but having 22 years of substantial earnings helps significantly reduce your WEP impact.

One thing nobody's mentioned - you should get an official WEP calculation from SSA before making your decision on when to file. You can do this by requesting a benefit estimate that includes the WEP reduction. Your online statements don't factor in WEP! Also, consider whether waiting until FRA (or even 70) might be better depending on your health and financial situation. WEP reduces your base benefit, but delayed retirement credits are calculated on the WEP-reduced amount, so you still get the 8% per year increase for waiting past FRA.

To answer your follow-up question - you need to contact SSA directly for a WEP-adjusted estimate, either by phone or at your local office. The online statements don't include the WEP calculation. Regarding your question about the combined pensions - yes, for the 50% limitation rule, SSA looks at the combined amount of all non-covered pensions. So with your combined $4250 in non-covered pensions, the maximum WEP reduction would be $2125. But as others have correctly pointed out, your actual WEP reduction with 22 years of substantial earnings would be around $552, well below that 50% cap. Your decision to file at 64 vs. FRA will depend on your overall financial situation, other income sources, health/longevity expectations, and whether you need the money now or can wait for a larger monthly amount later.

To clarify the math for everyone concerned about the reductions: 1. Starting SS benefit: ~$1250 2. WEP reduction: ~$552 3. Post-WEP benefit: ~$698 4. Early filing reduction (20%): ~$140 5. Final monthly benefit: ~$558 So yes, the total reduction is significant. This illustrates why understanding WEP before filing for Social Security is so important, especially for public servants with non-covered pensions. One consideration: if you continue working in SS-covered employment even part-time and earn enough to qualify as a "substantial earnings year" (around $29,600 for 2025), you could potentially add more years toward the 30-year threshold, further reducing the WEP impact. Each additional year reduces the WEP penalty by about $69/month.

Sean, I'm a retired federal employee who went through a similar WEP situation. One thing that might help your decision-making process is to consider the break-even point between filing early versus waiting until FRA. With your projected numbers (~$558/month at 64 vs potentially ~$698/month at 67), you'd need to calculate how long it would take for the higher monthly payments to make up for the 3 years of missed payments. That's typically around 12-15 years, so if you expect to live past age 79-82, waiting until FRA might be financially better. Also, since you mentioned getting different answers from SSA, I'd strongly recommend getting any final calculations in writing before making your decision. The WEP rules are complex and even SSA representatives sometimes give conflicting information. Document everything for your records. One last thought - check if your state has any pending legislation regarding WEP reform. There have been ongoing efforts in Congress to modify or eliminate WEP, though nothing concrete yet. It might not help you immediately, but it's worth staying informed about potential changes.

As someone who works in benefits administration, I wanted to add a few practical points to this excellent discussion: First, regarding your tax-free disability pension - while the tax status doesn't affect WEP calculations, make sure SSA has the correct information about when your disability pension started. If there was any gap between your firefighting career ending and the pension beginning, that timing could potentially affect the WEP calculation. Second, I'd recommend documenting your 22 years of substantial earnings carefully. SSA sometimes has incomplete records, especially for older work years. Request your complete earnings history and verify that all years with substantial earnings (currently $29,700+ annually) are properly recorded. Even one additional year of substantial earnings could save you about $69/month in WEP reduction. Finally, consider the interaction between your part-time college work and any potential future Social Security earnings. If you're planning to continue working after filing for SS benefits, be aware of the earnings test limits if you file before FRA. At 64, you could earn up to $23,400 in 2025 without benefit reduction. The math others have provided looks accurate - you're looking at roughly $558/month if you file at 64, which is a significant reduction from your pre-WEP estimate. Getting that official WEP calculation from SSA in writing is definitely your best next step.

Sean, I went through a very similar situation as a retired police officer with a non-SS pension and subsequent SS-covered employment. A few additional points that might help: 1. **Documentation is key** - When you contact SSA for your WEP calculation, bring documentation of your firefighter disability pension amount and start date. Sometimes there are discrepancies between what SSA has on file and your actual pension details. 2. **Consider your spouse's situation** - If you're married, remember that WEP only affects your own earned Social Security benefit, not spousal benefits. However, if your spouse will receive benefits based on your record, the Government Pension Offset (GPO) might come into play separately. 3. **Health insurance considerations** - Since you mentioned you're 63 now, factor in health insurance costs when deciding between filing at 64 vs waiting. Medicare doesn't start until 65, so you'll need coverage for that gap year if you retire early. 4. **State-specific resources** - Many states have retired firefighter associations that maintain resources about Social Security and pension interactions. They might have state-specific guidance or advocacy efforts you should know about. The $558/month estimate others calculated sounds about right given your situation. It's frustrating after paying into SS for 22 years, but at least you have substantial non-covered pension income to rely on. Best of luck with your decision!

I'm a benefits counselor and wanted to add some perspective on your timeline decision. Given your age (63) and the complexity of your situation, you might benefit from what we call a "delayed decision strategy." Since you're not yet 64, you have time to optimize your position. Consider: 1. **Work one more year in SS-covered employment** - If you can earn at least $29,700 in 2025 at an SS-covered job, you'd add a 23rd year of substantial earnings, reducing your WEP penalty by approximately $69/month. That's $828/year for life. 2. **File and suspend strategy** - While this was mostly eliminated, you can still file for benefits and then withdraw your application within 12 months if you change your mind (though you'd need to repay benefits received). 3. **Tax planning** - With your non-taxable disability pension, your Social Security benefits might be largely tax-free depending on your other income. This could make the reduced benefit more valuable than it appears on paper. The math everyone's provided is solid - you're looking at roughly $558/month at 64 vs $698/month at 67. But don't forget that waiting until 70 would give you delayed retirement credits on top of your WEP-adjusted benefit, potentially bringing you to around $870/month. One more year of covered work + waiting until 70 could potentially get you close to $950/month instead of $558 - that's a $391/month difference, or nearly $4,700 annually. Something to consider given your relatively good health.