Will Social Security WEP/GPO repeal bill increase my spousal benefits? Teacher with small pension confused

Yes, if the WEP/GPO repeal bill passes, your Social Security spousal benefits would likely increase significantly. The Government Pension Offset currently reduces your Social Security spousal benefits by 2/3 of your government pension amount. If repealed, you could receive your full spousal benefit (up to 50% of your husband's full retirement amount, depending on when you started collecting). I've been following this legislation closely as it affects many former teachers and government employees. The current version would phase in the changes over several years, so you wouldn't see the full benefit immediately, but you should see incremental increases starting about 9 months after passage.

DONT GET YOUR HOPES UP!!! Congress has been trying to repeal WEP/GPO for DECADES and it never passes!!!! I'm also a retired teacher (Illinois) and they've been dangling this carrot in front of us for 20+ years. Every session someone introduces a bill, gets our hopes up, then it dies in committee. Even if it passes the House, the Senate will kill it because they'll say it's "too expensive" while they give tax breaks to billionaires!!!

My wife and I are in a similar situation with her TRS pension. From what I understand reading the bill summary, the repeal would be phased in over several years - I think it's a 10-year implementation period? So you wouldn't get the full benefit increase immediately, but would see gradual improvements. Have you contacted your representative to voice support? The more they hear from affected constituents the better chance it has.

I work with retired educators and this WEP/GPO issue comes up constantly. The current bill would phase in the repeal over time - I believe it starts with a 10% reduction in the penalty the first year, then increases each year after that. So you would see some benefit right away if it passes, but not the full amount until the phase-in completes. One thing to consider: have you checked if you might qualify for any additional benefits like Medicare Savings Programs or Extra Help for prescriptions? Many people affected by WEP/GPO have incomes that might qualify for these programs.

I've spent 3 days trying to get through to Social Security to ask about this EXACT situation! My mom is also a retired teacher with the GPO reduction. The phones are always busy and when I finally get through, I'm on hold for hours only to get disconnected! Does anyone know if there's actually a way to reach a real person at SSA these days??

my aunt is a teacher and always complaining about this wep gpo thing. hope they fix it but government is so slow at everything. good luck!

Quick update: I just read that if the bill passes in its current form, there would be a 3-year delay before the phase-in even begins, followed by a 7-year gradual reduction of the WEP/GPO penalties. So unfortunately, the full benefit wouldn't be realized for 10 years after passage. However, even the incremental increases would help many affected retirees. Regarding the Medicare Savings Programs someone mentioned above, you can start by contacting your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for free counseling. They can help determine if your income and resources qualify you for any assistance programs.

I just read the actual bill text - it's even MORE complicated than people are saying!! The phase-in depends on when you retired and how many "substantial earnings" years you had under Social Security. Some people might see bigger increases faster while others get less. It's DELIBERATELY complicated so they can claim they "fixed" it while still saving money. Classic government bait and switch!!

To address your original question more directly: Yes, if the WEP/GPO repeal passes, your spousal benefit would increase, though gradually over time. The bill has bipartisan support, which is rare these days, so there's legitimate hope it might finally pass after many previous attempts. While waiting to see what happens with the legislation, I strongly encourage you to apply for the Medicare Savings Program and Extra Help program. With your described income level, you might qualify for assistance with Medicare premiums, deductibles, and prescription drug costs, which could provide immediate relief.