Will my Social Security be reduced by WEP with 29 US years and a German pension?

The good news is that you're very close to avoiding WEP entirely. With 30 years of substantial earnings under US Social Security, you would be completely exempt from WEP. At 29 years, you'll face only a minimal reduction. The totalization agreement between the US and Germany primarily helps you qualify for benefits in both systems, but it doesn't fully eliminate WEP. However, the agreement does ensure that your German benefits won't prevent you from receiving your US benefits. If possible, see if you can get credit for one more year of substantial US earnings - that would eliminate WEP completely for you.

my sister has pensions from US and France and she got hit HARD with WEP. took almost $600 off her monthly SS check!! she was so mad because nobody warned her about this. check the substantial earnings requirement for each year you worked - some of your 29 years might not count if you didn't earn enough in those years.

The WEP reduction is capped at no more than half of your foreign pension amount. With 29 years of substantial earnings, your WEP reduction would be only 10% of the full WEP amount (which is $631 in 2025). So your reduction would be approximately $63 per month, much better than what happens to people with fewer years. The totalization agreement means your benefits are calculated differently than they would be without it, but it doesn't prevent WEP from applying. I'd suggest contacting SSA directly and asking for a WEP calculation specific to your situation - they can give you an exact amount based on your earnings history.

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to a Social Security agent? I was in a similar situation trying to get information about my international benefits and kept getting disconnected. I used their service at claimyr.com and got through to a representative in less than 20 minutes. They have a video that shows how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It really helped me get specific information about my situation with a UK pension and US Social Security benefits. For complex international cases like yours, speaking directly with an agent is really the best way to get accurate information.

DONT TRUST WHAT SSA TELLS YOU ON THE PHONE!!!! I got told THREE different things by three different people about my German pension and WEP. One said I wouldn't be affected at all because of the agreement, one said I'd lose almost half my SS, and one wasn't sure. The only way to know is to get it IN WRITING from them. Make them send you a formal determination letter.

I think your worrying too much about WEP. My cousin has pensions from Germany and US and he barely got any reduction. The totalization agreement means they cant double-dip on reducing your benefits. I think with 29 years your almost at the safe point anyway. But definately check if any of those years didn't have enough earnings to count as substantial.

Hey there! Just wanted to share that my situation is kinda similar but with Canada. Based on my research, you might wanna look into the "substantially higher benefit exception" to WEP. If your German benefit calculation method results in a much higher benefit than you'd get under US rules alone, SSA might apply a different calculation that could be more favorable. It's worth asking specifically about this when you talk to SSA. Good luck!

One important factor to consider: if you're still working, even one more year of substantial earnings in the US system would completely eliminate WEP for you. For 2025, substantial earnings means earning at least $31,275 in US Social Security covered employment. If you could somehow arrange to do US-based work remotely for one year while in Germany, or return temporarily, it might be worth it to completely eliminate WEP forever.

After you get your German pension and US SS started, make sure to check the COLA adjustments every year! My dad got hit with WEP but what was weird is that after a few years, his COLA increases seemed off compared to what was announced. Turns out they were recalculating the WEP amount wrong after each COLA. He had to call and get it fixed and even got some backpay from their mistake.

Also not sure if you're still working in Germany but remember the foreign earned income exclusion DOESNT apply to SS tax! I made that mistake and ended up owing a bunch of SS taxes even though I excluded the income from my regular taxes. So confusing!!

I'm in a very similar situation with UK/US benefits! One thing I learned that might help you - make sure to request a complete earnings history from SSA showing which years qualify as "substantial earnings" for WEP purposes. The substantial earnings threshold changes each year, so some years you think count might not actually qualify. Also, when you do apply for benefits, consider timing carefully - if you can delay your German pension start date even slightly, it might affect your WEP calculation favorably. The interaction between totalization agreements and WEP is incredibly complex, and each case is unique based on your specific earnings history and benefit amounts.

I'm dealing with a similar situation but with Canada instead of Germany. One thing that might help is understanding that the WEP reduction formula has different tiers based on your years of substantial earnings. At 29 years, you're in the second-best tier where WEP only reduces your benefit by about 10% of the maximum reduction amount. The totalization agreement helps ensure you qualify for benefits in both countries, but it doesn't eliminate WEP - that's a common misconception. I'd strongly recommend getting a formal benefit estimate from SSA that specifically accounts for your German pension and WEP. Also, double-check that all 29 of your US years actually meet the "substantial earnings" threshold for each respective year, as these amounts have changed over time. If you're still working, even part-time US employment that gets you to 30 years would completely eliminate WEP for you.

I went through something very similar with my Australian pension and US Social Security! With 29 years of substantial earnings, you're actually in a pretty good position - the WEP reduction will be minimal compared to people with fewer years. The key thing to understand is that the totalization agreement between US and Germany helps you qualify for benefits in both countries by combining your work credits, but it doesn't prevent WEP from applying. However, at 29 years, your WEP reduction would only be about 10% of the maximum amount (around $63/month based on 2025 figures). I'd really encourage you to verify that all 29 years actually meet the substantial earnings threshold for their respective years - the amounts have changed over time and you might find you have fewer qualifying years than expected. If you can somehow get that 30th year of substantial US earnings (maybe through remote consulting work?), you'd eliminate WEP entirely. Also, definitely get everything in writing from SSA - phone reps often give conflicting information on international cases. Good luck!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation but with Japan instead of Germany! One thing I learned that might save you some stress - at 29 years of substantial US earnings, your WEP reduction will likely be quite small (around $60-70/month based on current calculations). The totalization agreement is great for helping you qualify for both benefits, but it won't eliminate WEP entirely. However, I discovered something interesting: if you're doing any freelance or consulting work for US companies while in Germany, that income could potentially count toward getting you that crucial 30th year of substantial earnings, which would eliminate WEP completely. You'd need to make sure you're paying US Social Security taxes on that income though. I'd also recommend requesting Form SSA-7050 (Request for Social Security Statement) which will show your complete earnings history and indicate which years meet the substantial earnings threshold. Sometimes people are surprised to find they have fewer qualifying years than they thought, especially from earlier in their careers when the thresholds were lower but so were typical wages. The key is getting accurate, written information rather than relying on phone conversations with SSA representatives who may not be familiar with international cases.

I'm in a similar boat with my UK pension and US Social Security situation! From what I've learned through my own research and conversations with SSA, you're actually in a relatively favorable position with 29 years of substantial earnings. The WEP reduction at your level should only be about 10% of the maximum reduction (roughly $63/month in 2025), which is much more manageable than what people with fewer qualifying years face. The totalization agreement between the US and Germany is fantastic for helping you qualify for benefits in both countries and ensuring your years of coverage count toward eligibility, but it doesn't eliminate WEP entirely - that's a common misconception I had initially too. What really matters for WEP is specifically your US substantial earnings years. My biggest recommendation would be to request your complete earnings record from SSA to verify that all 29 years actually meet the substantial earnings threshold for their respective years. These thresholds have increased over time, so some years from earlier in your career might not qualify even if they seemed like good earnings at the time. Also, if there's any way you can structure some US-based remote work or consulting to reach that magical 30th year of substantial earnings, it would completely eliminate WEP for you forever. Even part-time work that gets you above the substantial earnings threshold ($31,275 for 2025) would do the trick. Good luck with your retirement planning!

I'm in a very similar situation with my Italian pension! Just wanted to add another perspective from someone who went through this process recently. With your 29 years of substantial US earnings, you're in much better shape than most people facing WEP - the reduction should be minimal as others have mentioned (around $60-70/month). One thing I learned that might help: when you do contact SSA, specifically ask them to run a "totalization calculation" alongside the standard WEP calculation. Sometimes the totalization method can result in a higher benefit than the WEP-reduced amount, and SSA is supposed to give you whichever calculation is more favorable. Not all representatives know about this, so you might need to ask specifically. Also, regarding the remote work idea that others mentioned - I was able to structure some freelance work through a US payroll company while living in Italy, which allowed me to pay into Social Security. It's definitely worth exploring if you can get that 30th year! The paperwork was a bit complex but completely eliminated WEP for me. Good luck with everything - the international benefit coordination is confusing but you're asking all the right questions!