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Social Security spousal benefits confusion - switched from suspended to active at age 70 without explanation

I'm completely confused about what's happening with my Social Security benefits and getting contradictory answers from SSA. I started receiving a small benefit ($623/month) from my own work record when I was 62 in 2017. I also applied for spousal benefits at that time, but they were suspended due to Government Pension Offset (GPO) because I receive a pension from non-covered employment. My SSA online account has shown "suspended" status since 2017, until this week when it suddenly switched to "active" with no explanation. I've called three different SSA representatives (two at my local office, one at the national number) and received three completely different explanations! I'm now 70 years old and need to understand what's happening. My main question: If I'm being automatically switched to spousal benefits now, will they be permanently reduced because I initially filed at 62, or will I get the full 50% of my spouse's PIA since I've now passed my Full Retirement Age? Does anyone have experience with GPO situations like this?

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15 comments

Connor Gallagher

•18d

This is a complex situation with several moving parts! The key is understanding how GPO (Government Pension Offset) interacts with spousal benefits when you reach age 70. When your status changed from "suspended" to "active," it likely means one of two things: 1. Either SSA is now processing your spousal benefits because something changed with your GPO situation 2. Or there's been an administrative update in their system Regarding your main question: Your spousal benefit amount depends on when you first became entitled to spousal benefits. If you filed for spousal benefits at 62 (even though they were suspended due to GPO), the early filing reduction would still apply. The reduction would be permanent - roughly 30% less than if you had waited until your Full Retirement Age (FRA). However, if your spousal benefits were completely denied (not just reduced to zero) because of GPO, and you're now newly eligible, you might receive the full 50% since you're past FRA. I suggest requesting a detailed explanation in writing from SSA about this status change. Also ask specifically whether your benefits are calculated with an early filing reduction or at the full FRA rate.

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Yara Sayegh

•18d

I had a somewhat similar situation with GPO and spousal benefits last year. After months of getting nowhere with phone calls, I tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an SSA agent who actually knew what they were talking about. Their service connected me to an agent in about 15 minutes when I had been trying for weeks on my own. The agent they connected me with was able to pull up my entire file history and explain exactly what was happening with my benefits calculation. They even have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU For situations like yours with conflicting information, I found it really helped to keep asking until I got someone who specialized in GPO cases. Not all SSA reps understand the nuances of GPO and dual entitlement scenarios.

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Paolo Longo

•18d

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE US!!! I went through something similar with my widow's benefits and GPO. Every rep tells you something different because they don't understand their OWN RULES! I had to go to my congressman to get a straight answer after 5 months of runaround. The GPO calculator on SSA's website is completely useless too. I'll tell you what happened in my case - they did NOT give me credit for waiting until after FRA. They insisted on using my original filing date for the reduction calculation even though my benefits were $0 due to GPO for years. It's CRIMINAL how they treat us government pensioners!!!!

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Amina Diallo

•18d

Let me explain exactly what's happening here, as I dealt with this exact situation. When you filed at 62, you filed for BOTH your retirement benefit AND your spousal benefit simultaneously (this is required post-2015 due to deemed filing rules). Your spousal benefit was subject to both: 1. An age-based reduction for claiming before FRA 2. A reduction or elimination due to GPO The fact that your status changed from "suspended" to "active" likely indicates one of these things: - Your GPO amount changed (did your pension amount change recently?) - SSA performed a recalculation at age 70 (standard procedure) - An administrative correction to your record The most important thing to understand: Yes, your spousal benefit will be permanently reduced because you filed at 62, even though you're now 70. The reduction is approximately 30% (depending on your exact FRA). So rather than getting 50% of your spouse's PIA, you'd get about 35% minus any remaining GPO reduction. Request a detailed benefit calculation (Form SSA-2458) which will show exactly how they calculated your benefit amount and what reductions were applied.

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Connor Gallagher

•18d

Status changes without notification are frustratingly common with SSA. Their internal systems perform periodic reviews and recalculations that can trigger status changes, especially around milestone ages (62, FRA, 70) or calendar events (beginning of year COLA adjustments). When you call, make sure to document everything - get the representative's name and direct extension if possible, take detailed notes, and follow up with a written summary through your my Social Security message center. This creates a paper trail that can be invaluable if you need to appeal their determination later. If your spousal benefit is substantial, even with GPO reduction, it might be worth consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies for government employees. Sometimes the difference in proper calculation can mean tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime.

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Amina Diallo

•18d

Great question. There are a few scenarios where GPO impact could change: 1. A change in pension amount (unusual, but possible with pension recalculations) 2. A recalculation of the spouse's PIA that increases the spousal benefit potential 3. Administrative correction of a previous error 4. Changes in other income affecting taxation (doesn't affect GPO directly but might affect net payment) The GPO reduction is 2/3 of the non-covered pension amount. So if her spouse's benefit increased significantly due to delayed retirement credits or earnings recalculations, it's possible the math now works out differently. For example: If her spouse's PIA increased enough that 50% of it (reduced for early filing) is now greater than her own benefit plus 2/3 of her pension, she might now be eligible for a partial spousal benefit where before it was reduced to zero.

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