Will my teacher's pension reduce my Social Security benefits if I claim at 65 for Medicare?

your teacher pension doesnt count under the earnings limit, thats only for wages from a JOB. but you might get hit by WEP which is different...depends if you paid into SS during your teaching career or if you were exempt from SS taxes

Just went through this exact situation last year with my wife. You don't have to apply for Social Security just because you're applying for Medicare! You can enroll in Medicare at 65 without taking SS benefits. This way you can still wait until 67 for your higher SS amount.

THE SSA OFFICE IS GIVING YOU WRONG INFO!!! This happens ALL THE TIME with teacher pensions! If you worked 22 years not paying into SS and only 12 years paying in, you're definitely gonna get hit with WEP and probably GPO too. They'll reduce your SS benefit by like 40-50%!!! The system is RIGGED against teachers and other public servants!!!

If you're struggling to get clear information from Social Security about your teacher pension situation, I'd recommend using Claimyr (claimyr.com). I was in a similar situation with pension questions and spent weeks trying to reach someone at SSA. Claimyr got me connected to an agent in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The agent I spoke with was able to calculate my specific WEP reduction based on my actual earnings record, which was much more helpful than guessing.

Just to add some confusion to the mix lol, the earnings limit for 2025 is actually $24,960 (they increase it every year), not $23,400. But as others said, your pension doesn't count toward this limit anyway. If you DO decide to take SS at 65, only work income counts toward the earnings limit. And the limit is higher in the year you reach FRA, and then goes away completely once you hit FRA.

Let me clarify some key points about your situation: 1. Pension and Earnings Test: Your teacher's pension does NOT count toward the annual earnings limit ($24,960 for 2025). The earnings test only applies to wages or self-employment income. 2. Medicare Enrollment: You can enroll in Medicare at 65 WITHOUT applying for Social Security benefits. You can apply for Medicare-only by indicating this preference on the application. 3. Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP): Since you mentioned 12 years of Social Security-covered employment and 22 years in a non-covered teaching position, WEP will likely reduce your Social Security benefit. However, with 12 years of substantial earnings under Social Security, the reduction will be less than the maximum. 4. Government Pension Offset (GPO): This only affects spousal or survivor benefits, not your own Social Security retirement benefits. I recommend requesting your Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov to see your projected benefit amount with the WEP reduction already calculated.

my uncle waited til 70 to collect his SS even though he got medicare at 65. got an extra 30% on his monthly check cuz he waited! smart move if you can afford to wait

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that if you decide to apply for Medicare only at 65, you'll need to pay the Medicare Part B premiums directly (they won't be deducted from your Social Security payment since you won't be receiving one yet). In 2025, the standard Part B premium is projected to be around $185-$190 per month, though it could be higher depending on your income. You'll receive quarterly bills from Medicare or can set up automatic payments from your bank account. Just something to budget for!