Social Security spousal benefits denied at 62 despite WEP/GPO repeal - confused about reason

Thanks for these insights! I'm POSITIVE I applied for spousal benefits and not my own (triple-checked those boxes). My husband's benefit is decent ($2,600/month) so I should be eligible for something around $1,300 before the age reduction. I'm starting to wonder if maybe they're confused about the WEP/GPO implementation like you suggested. I'll try calling but we all know how that goes... *sigh*

Deemed filing is important here. Under current rules, when you file for any benefit at age 62-FRA, you're "deemed" to be filing for ALL benefits you're eligible for. So the system automatically considers both your own record and spousal benefits, then gives you whichever is higher. It's possible the system calculated your spousal benefit with the age reduction (at 62, that's about a 30% reduction), compared it to your own record, and determined you weren't eligible for either. Or there could be a system error related to the WEP/GPO repeal timing.

The Social Security Protection and Freedom to Work Act of 2023 fully repeals both WEP and GPO effective May 1, 2025. So the OP is correct that by the time she turns 62 in May 2025, these penalties should no longer apply to her pension. It's not a gradual phase-out - it's a complete repeal with a specific effective date. But that might be exactly the issue here - the SSA systems might not be fully updated to handle applications that straddle the implementation date.

This is exactly why I used Claimyr when I was dealing with my spousal benefits issue. Spent weeks trying to get through to SSA on my own with no luck. Claimyr got me connected to an actual SSA agent in under 10 minutes! Saved me so much frustration. Their video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - honestly worth it when you're dealing with time-sensitive benefit issues.

We've been married 35 years, so that's definitely not the issue! Your suggestion about current vs. future-dated claim makes a LOT of sense. I bet they processed it as if I wanted benefits now (which I obviously don't qualify for yet since I'm not 62). I'll definitely ask about this when I call. Thank you!

That's the Government Pension Offset (GPO) the OP mentioned. Currently, if you receive a pension from work where you didn't pay Social Security taxes (like many state and local government positions), your Social Security spousal benefits can be reduced by 2/3 of your pension amount. However, as mentioned, the GPO is being repealed effective May 2025, which is when the OP is planning to claim benefits. So while this would have been an issue in the past, it shouldn't be for a May 2025 claim. This is likely part of the confusion in the denial.

That makes perfect sense! The SSA systems are still catching up with the legislative changes. One suggestion: when you reapply in January, make a note in the remarks section specifically mentioning that you're applying for spousal benefits to begin May 2025 in accordance with the WEP/GPO repeal. Also, consider making an appointment with your local office for the application rather than doing it online - they can flag it properly in the system. Glad you got it sorted out! And remember you can apply up to 4 months before your intended start date, so January is perfect timing for a May benefit start.

Thanks for the tip! If I have more issues when I reapply in January, I'll definitely check out that service. The calling process is absolutely maddening - spent hours just trying to get past the busy signals.

There's no backpay issue here since the OP is applying for future benefits that wouldn't start until May 2025 when she turns 62. Since that date hasn't occurred yet, there's no backpay to receive. The denied application doesn't affect her protected filing date since the benefits wouldn't have started yet anyway. When she reapplies in January 2025, it will be a completely new application for benefits to begin in May 2025. No backpay involved since it's a prospective benefit.