Major Social Security Reform-WEP and GPO Eliminated! How Are You Affected?

[@naturaltexan6970]

⁠The bottom line is WEP and GPO had nothing to do with “fairness”. It was another cut to SS because Congress borrowed the ENTIRE SS fund and they didn’t want to have to pay it all back. Explain what Congress is having to do I order to repay the money they borrowed.

[@SandfordSmythe]

The problem starts when the government pays it back.

[@UJB123]

The Government doesn't make money, (it doesn't make or sell anything); it takes money (in the form of taxes) ... our money. WE have to pay back the money borrowed from US. 😉 IIRC, the government borrowed 2 trillion dollars from social security to pay for the ME war. That was around a 10 year war. So, pretty much they (Govt) took from working citizens retirement savings & the business who input too and now they say there's not much left .... like something a junkie would do.

[@tearlach61]

Not sure how this ever became a thing. My career is a mix of jobs that paid into SS and those that didn’t. My SS will already be less because I have a shorter work history in the system and that is fine. But the WEP is used to reduce those benefits still further and these are benefits that I have paid for.

[@rhodastephens-yoder5693]

That is what happened to me. I worked at private schools and nonprofits for about half of my career. When I retired last year, I received forty percent of my social security benefits. Glad to hear that something is being done with this issue. About time.

[@stephaniem8927]

My parents were the first wave of retired people to be impacted by these provisions. After my dad died, my mother had to pay back money to the government. It almost put her in poverty. A few months ago, I was talking to a school janitor (age 67) who couldn’t afford to retire because of WEP/GPO. I also would have been impacted by these provisions. I’m so happy for so many people. Thank you for your clear explanation to individuals about this. Sadly, too many people didn’t know about WEP/GPO or understand its impact.

[@sandrarhine7600]

ALot of the ones who are upset that we will get our SS back dont understand that even with our pension WE ARE NOT GOING TO BE RICH most of us will have to work just to make ends meet AT OUR age we would like to retire not work ourselves to the grave!!!

[@NatureBoy12100]

The people in Congress back in 1983, thought everyone was making as much money as they did. They said they voted to keep people on pensions from getting rich. The only people getting rich were members in Congress. the average worker was just getting by. This was highway robbery, of people who couldn't afford it.

[@ghostofmanitou6864]

I am so excited about this news! I paid into the SS system for 19 years and then landed a job at a public utility where I get a pension and do not pay into social security. I am very grateful that I will have a pension but that doesn't give the government the right to heist all the money I paid into the SS system.

[@wanaraz]

Not to worry. Govt takes care of govt. Real good.

[@j.a.b.3548]

It’s not going to pass..

[@scottg5588]

@@j.a.b.3548 It already did.

[@drobin333]

I spent 17 years working in the private sector and paying into Social Security. After, I worked 33 years as a police officer and am receiving a CalPers retirement. When I applied for Social Security I believe the payments were reduced by about $450 a month because of my pension. I hope this reform will reestablish my loss.

[@mikerieck306]

I paid into SS for 48 years....6 years full time job and 80% of the rest in a high paying part time job. I worked my ass off part time while working in Boston School System 30 years (which provides a public pension). By the time Medicare is deducted I'm lucky to get 30% of the original benefit.....basically SS removes 550.00 to now 587.00 a month. That's significant.

[@OneLuvRosethorn]

The coming repeal of the GPO directly affects my father, who worked at the Post Office for decades. I had to convince him to let me help him apply for SSA because it was hard for him to wrap around getting anything based on my mother's SSA record. He submitted an application on Monday. I'm hoping he starts to receive it by March.

[@DaB1865]

Wouldn't it be better to wait until the bill actually becomes law, i.e. after the President signs the bill?

[@OneLuvRosethorn]

@DaB1865 The law is supposed to be retroactive to January 2024, but I'm not sure if that applies to someone who never received SS before. From what I understand, Biden is probably waiting to sign it until after the holidays for more attention.

[@MrStan0630]

Biden signed the bill the day after it was passed by congress.

[@Viconius]

Even if this gets past, folks who get this will receive it as a lump sum and have to pay income tax on it. SSA doesn't plan, they just react.

[@WilliamSmidt1]

That the problem. President has not signed it yet. He only has 10 days to sign it from the date that it was approved by the Senate. That was on the 21st, and is now the 27th.

[@krg038]

He has until the 31st. 10 days

[@willywold9090]

@@krg038actually they don’t count Sundays so it can die if not signed by the 31st

[@RogerGreen-bk8rp]

The bill has not left senate

[@RogerGreen-bk8rp]

Go to congress.gov hr 82

[@zynxmynx69]

He either 1) secretly signed it already, 2) will sign it when he gets back from holiday, or 3) fingers crossed it becomes a pocket veto

[@cathyknapp8904]

Yes, this legislation will impact my life. I worked about half my career as a teacher in private schools and other jobs paying into S.S., and then 20 years as a public school teacher. I will be much more comfortable (and much less anxious) once these changes take effect.

[@NancyMosca-d8i]

Yes it touches both me and my husband…. Worked 30 years state teaching jobs and extra jobs each about 15 years paying in to SS. So worried President hasn’t signed it yet

[@redblur389]

Hi Erin! Thank you for covering this subject. I just retired from the fire department, and by the time I'm truly done working, I will have also worked in the private sector and paid into social security for a total of 18 - 20 years. WEP was going to invalidate those 18 - 20 years of earnings simply because my other working years were covered by a pension. I really hope Biden signs this bill! Please keep us updated either way.

[@southbound1969]

@@redblur389 You may have to give 10% to the big guy.

[@cathyfeller873]

I am so excited! I worked 27 years with SS job and then became a professor for the last 15. They were going to take about 1/2 of what I should have gotten in SS away even though I didn’t have many years to increase my pension as a professor. This will really help!!

[@polaridoo1]

Absolutely this needs to be fixed. It's straight up robbery. If you have earned something, you should get it. Your marital status or the fact that you have two different careers that paid into two different forms of retirement has nothing to do with the fact that its your money.

[@Larry-d1c]

Actually all social security is robbery.

[@rodneylw10]

The reason they passed WEP to begin with was because only closed state or certain government workers could get salaries and pensions in their jobs and take on a side job and then it count as a separate job. The SSA calculation bend point method benefits the lower income worker but qualifying second job workers would likely appear as low income workers (their main gov job salary with pension not counted) and then they end up as earning a high percentage of paid in monies with a pension too- something that others cannot do. If a private sector employee pays in holding two jobs it shows up as one salary in SSA and is reduced in the progressive formula as they would be likely reaching higher limits and earn lower benefit dollars on their career average monthly earnings (AIME)

[@zynxmynx69]

@@rodneylw10 And IF the 3% beneficiaries received a SECOND govt pension, where the FICA contributions were exempt, and/or did NOT contribute significantly to SS, then they do NOT deserve the 90% adjustment

[@timnichols3795]

You’re absolutely wrong. All WEP and GPO do is ensure that the rate of return somebody gets from Social Security is identical to somebody who had the same earnings, but who paid Social Security taxes on all of their income. Without WEP and GPO, the person who paid less Social Security taxes would get a more generous rate of return than the person who paid more Social Security taxes.

[@zynxmynx69]

@@timnichols3795 Stop, "Six of one, half a dozen of the other."

[@scottg5588]

They finally conceded that if you worked double it's not "double dipping". The question is, when is someone going to put it in front of Biden and tell him to sign it?

[@zynxmynx69]

He either 1) secretly signed it already, 2) will sign it when he gets back from holiday, or 3) fingers crossed it becomes a pocket veto

[@articfrost3569]

​@@zynxmynx69 What's a pocket veto?

[@randymccammon468]

And now, lets here the REST OF THE STORY.... At age 16, on my first job, I was FORCED into paying social security with the assurance that when I reached retirement age and paid in X number of dollars for X number of quarters, I would receive SS in the amount of X Dollars.. The amounts were in black and white and predictable.. About 15 years later, Congress noticed that some of us made very large sacrifices in salary and safety to work for the government and earn and pay for a second retirement. If I buy 2 apples at the krogers, I get both of them. The government steals $587.00 per month from me because I paid and earned a Civil Service retirement ALSO! I didnt make much while paying in to ss for 12 years, and would get only 1428$, i earned 1428 according to their figures but they are stealing it. BTW... It is wrong to steal....

[@scottg5588]

@@randymccammon468 Yep, sounds familiar.

[@DaB1865]

He needs to sign before the new Congress is sworn-in. Hopefully, by 12/31/24.

[@susanauer6715]

Well done. I taught for 30 years and appreciate my pension. I also worked in the private sector for 17 years and paid into social security. If Biden signs this, I should get an extra $300 or so. I'm 82 and many of my coworkers have already passed away. They could have used this extra money. We appreciate that after 40 years we might be getting our money, but think how much money the government has saved by delaying these payments !

[@dcaposey]

thought provoking this

[@brianburry4862]

It is $196 billion “cost” and that is both a falsehood as it is only 1.5% per year difference, yet it stole 50% + of the earned and paid into Social Security Benefit to police officers, firefighters and teachers!

[@josephkelleher8820]

U.S. Postal workers were affected also.

[@codebloke2200]

That $196B is over the course of a decade and simple math suggests that is a conservative figure. In 2023, $1.4T of benefits were paid out of OASDI Trust Funds. An increase of 1.5% to $1.4T is $20.9B times 10 is $209B.

[@janicemire3511]

Stop giving money to Ukraine.

[@kevinw7560]

@@codebloke2200 bad analogy

[@Mike_S_Swift]

Best video I’ve seen on WEP & GPO. I worked over 40 quarters paying into SS before taking a civil service job with the Army late 79’. ( took me 10 years to make my last year at PacBell). I only get 40% of what I’m owed. Now my wife who paid into SS her whole adult life passed away on Mother’s Day and I don’t get any of her SS either. Bummed CA VN vet here waiting for the president to sign this into law to help with the loss of over 1800$ a month.

[@carlclark8206]

Same thing happened to me. I paid in 44 quarters into ss. My wife passed away at 52. Had two kids. Couldn’t get survivors benefits because at the time I had a civil service job. Now I’m retired and I’m penalized 60 % of my social security. My wife had paid $199,000 into social security. Could only get $255. 00 a one time payment.

[@ItsEverythingElse]

WEP and GPO would not eliminate survivor benefits if your spouse had enough credits.

[@dawndarling2277]

​@@ItsEverythingElseNot true. I know so many teachers that couldn't get a dime of Survivor Benefits because of their pension.

[@charlieruns7953]

@@ItsEverythingElse Of course it does.

[@davidstephens6458]

If you ever wanted to piss off my mother all you had to do was mention Social Security. She worked for over 30 years as a civilian contract specialist for the army. She retired with a great pension but could not draw off of my father who paid in social security for 40 years. Her sister in law never worked. She stayed home and took care of the house and her kids. My mother paid someone to watch her kids during the day but then she spent her nights and weekends taking care of the house and a huge garden. She did everything her sister in law did but had to do it at night and weekends. When my uncle retired my aunt could draw off of him but my mother couldn't draw off of my father. She complained about that till the day she died. And I think she was right, it wasn't fair. Another good one Erin. Thanks.

[@Patricia-n5u-j6m]

Your mother being denied survivor benefits contributed to extending the solvency of social security. And now the critics of the repeal of WEP & GPO are whining about how it will make SS insolvent 6 months earlier. I am so sorry about your mother. She had to live with the injustice until her death.

[@13Voodoobilly69]

That is a sucky story. I am a newly retired DOD Civil Service employee. That is such a shame how that goes on. 🙁

[@flyingjeff1984]

And now you understand what the social security act was designed to do. Namely, help those who have no other means of support. Another name for the "reform" could be, "Pay retired members of Congress an extra 50k per year."

[@fredost1504]

Its double dipping and a bad idea(getting her pension and 1/2 of dads SS). Double dipping is one of the biggest Govt crimes ever.

[@Marilyn-np2xh]

David, your mother didn’t get your father’s Social Security because she got a big fat government pension! So she wants a pension and half of her husband’s Social Security. That’s double dipping! Your aunt did not get a big fat government pension.

[@AverysMoneyMoves]

The reduction of spousal and survivors benefits was especially stupid! I worked for a public retirement system as a call center rep and talked to people who were negatively impacted by these provisions every day, so glad they are getting rid of this.

[@krg038]

The whole thing was stupid. It and SS tax started with republican Ronald Reagan in 1982 and still congress has done nothing to fund social security from running out.

[@automationbyrob]

Actually I see why it was done originally. Say both spouses worked a private sector job. Let's say each got $2000 a month for SS for a total of $4k. One dies and then the remaining spouse only gets their benefit so that person loses $2000 a month. Where couple #2 one person has a $2000 pension and the other has a $2000 SS payment. Now add in spousal benefits of $1k (50% of SS spouses benefit ) Now that couple gets $5k per month which gets them extra grand aka the double dip. The person with SS dies and the surviving spouse would still get $4000 a month. That is what the law was to stop and make things fair. Since the pension takes the place of SS which is why you don't pay SS taxes then in my opinion the couples should have similar incomes but do not when these are repealed. The one area with the old law I disagree with is if a person worked under both a pension and SS, then that person should get the benefit from both then that person should get both benefits without a reduction.

[@timnichols3795]

You are not correct. If GPO is repealed, you could have two people with identical lifetime earnings, one of whom paid into Social Security, and one of whom didn’t, and the person who didn’t pay into Social Security would qualify for a survivor’s benefit, but the person who did pay into Social Security wouldn’t. That isn’t fair at all!

[@krg038]

@@AverysMoneyMoves thank the 1982 congress and republican president Ronald Reagan.

[@mannyheine7258]

You are honest and great..you explain everything clearly..you are the best than others.

[@frankt1720]

Joe still needs to sign this. He has named the bald eagle the national bird since this has passed. I don't receive a government pension but I hope he signs this and doesn't pocket veto the bill.

[@tothra]

And Joe gave a shocking generous pardon to his, IMO, horrible kid, and commuted the death sentences of some of the worst murderers in prison, but has yet to sign legislation that will actually help people like firefighters and police officers who devoted their life, their physical health and mental health to public service. I need a bumper sticker on my car that reads "Ask me why I despise Joe Biden"

[@mat72-k1q]

Starting to look like a pocket veto.

[@billrahn8723]

You are correct. The bill needs Biden’s signature. I have just seen a few articles expressing concern as to why Biden didn’t sign the bill. Apparently he signed at least 50 other bills but not this one. Biden is reportedly away on a holiday vacation. We shall see what happens next.

[@tothra]

I'm always impressed how Erin can take overly complicated concepts and formulas and make them understandable. I worked for 20 years in private industry, paying Social Security taxes. I wanted greater job satisfaction. Not knowing about WEP & GPO, I became a first responder in my community. Imagine my frustration a few years later when I learned about these provisions. I was thrilled when both houses of Congress overwhelmingly approved their elimination. Imagine my frustration as I watch our current president pardon his son and commute the sentences of some of the adjudicated murderers whose killings are so shocking and vile, I doubt they would be allowed past FB community standards, yet he has not signed this legislation into law. But my fingers are crossed. Last year I ran the calculation on SSA.gov that Erin refers to. I found out that my SSA benefit after WEP deduction will be reduced so much that it'll not even cover my Medicare Part B benefit, the drug plan and the supplemental Medicare plans I'll choose when I retire in 2026 or 2027. And the GPO will reduce my wifes SSA benefit to zero. In less than four years, this president has forgiven college loan debt of approximately $175 billion dollars, and I've no clue how much money has been spent on illegal migrants to live in hotels and get free healthcare. While I'm normally a deficit hawk, I firmly believe the WEP & GPO are wrongs against some of our best citizens that deserve to be corrected. Thank you, Erin for tackling a political hot potato among some people, and doing it in as neutral a way as possible. Now go on vacation! You deserve it 😊

[@rogerclark9285]

If Biden does that the democrats can kiss 2028 goodbye. Without support from the public service unions they don't have a chance.

[@phyllissnyder2563]

I’m a retired public school teacher- my deceased husband worked over 40s in private sector employment. My minimum teacher’s pension is docked by 2/3 of my survivors SS benefits. This repealed restores my earned benefits!

[@pauls9011]

Other posts you said patty Murray signed off on 26th. Nothing in news. How do you know this

[@rodneylw10]

Are you sure they are docking your teacher pension or is it that it is full pension and lack of full SSA benefit?

[@arloameans1466]

@@phyllissnyder2563 Minr is still with us, he taught Specual Ed,Principle and teacher. He oaud into the Tex teachers pension, his SS from other SS withholding positions so now, his SS us $33.00 monthly,and if he dies, I would not get his pension, that said, I paid in and worked most if my adult life,still without this repeal of WEP & GPO,I would live on less that $1000.00

[@MrStan0630]

You will be eligible for your late husband’s “earned” benefits in addition to your teacher’s pension.

[@crackrokmccaib]

Free shit! hooray.

[@jamesellery9238]

This is what happens when side deals are made by congress that exempt certain groups from laws. If everyone were treated the same then "fairness" would rule the day. The need for this bill could have been avoided by requiring all jobs to contribute to Social Security from the very beginning and not allowing for any exceptions. Those who did not pay into Social Security had the benefit of higher paychecks all of their working lives, and now in retirement, are receiving less than their private sector counterparts, and that hurts. The problem with this bill is that it still does not treat everyone the same. It does not take into account ALL earned income like it does for private sector workers. That said, fair or unfair, I am happy to see someone getting more of what they contributed back from the government, even if it isn't me.

[@jdilksjr]

Sorry, but there was no higher paycheck. What would have gone to Social Security went to the retirement system. The paycheck was the same.

[@VictorGarcia-wn1je]

Why hasn’t Biden signed????

[@howardfriedman7077]

He just received the bill today and has 10 days to sign it.

[@mimidenden]

@@howardfriedman7077 Well he had better sign it. He can send billions over to Ukraine, while SSI steals what I earned. Tired of these crooks.

[@robertstanton1668]

The old man needs to sign it, and he hasn't so far.

[@cdub1955]

and these dim lightbulbs cannot figure out, he is busy commuting sentences of pedophiles

[@southbound1969]

@@robertstanton1668 He's eating ice cream

[@megabyte01]

Let's hope he pocket vetos it

[@roburb73]

If this old man doesn't sign it, the incoming old man may. 🤣

[@CptTyred]

@@roburb73If Joe doesn’t sign, the bill is doa and needs to be reintroduced next year.

[@Silverado1222]

Hi Erin, thank you so much for putting this video together. I have not watch a single video of yours that I didn't get something out of it. Of course to finish with the bloopers is frosting on the cake! Happy New Year!!

[@NorCAL_Stacker]

I'm only getting $241 a month of social security thanks to the WEP. I was penalized .66%

[@howardfriedman7077]

How much is your pension?

[@royrichards1563]

Erin-you’ve made the confusion on this very clear.. Thanks!

[@Genesis.1-1]

I'm a victim of WEP. Unlike social security payments that receive COLA adjustments for inflation, my government pension is exactly the same as it was 15 years ago when I retired. The only changes come from higher or lower tax rates.

[@placesandspaces3489]

How is it eliminated when your president hasn't signed it into law?

[@GeeW477]

Well done Erin. I am glad to see the WEP and GPO being repealed. Keep up the great work. Love the bloopers too!

[@frankish5314]

we are not there yet! Biden still has to sign.

[@ceejaybreeze234]

Please don't take the bait that elimination of WEP and GPO is adding 200 billion to Social Security benefits. The Social Security Fairness Act restores fully earned benefits to the only class of beneficiaries that has been denied their full benefits. Over the next 10 years, $200 billion will be restored and those benefits are no more and no less justifiable than anyone else's fully earned benefits. The reality is that Social Security solvency is an issue of there not being enough payroll tax workers for the ever-growing number of retiring beneficiaries. Please don't allow those who have already involuntarily contributed over 500 billion extra to preventing Social Security insolvency to be used as scapegoats for the next insolvency crisis. Ironically, they are the only class of beneficiaries that has ever contributed to preventing previous insolvencies and they will only receive a fraction of the money that has been denied in retroactive payments.

[@todddunn945]

Yes, my wife has been receiving a WEP reduced benefit for 19 years. I did the math and she received $88,000 less than she would have without WEP. She is 82 now and will get an extra $500/mo for the rest of her life. I doubt she will live the 15 years required for her to recover the benefits she lost to WEP. Incidentally her government pension is $97 per month.

[@nancyumass]

GPO was extremely unfair to stay at home Moms who returned to work after raising children and went into the public sector. Very relieved.

[@11227denis]

How was it unfair? They got to be stay at home moms while other women were working.

[@jwg9338]

@@11227denis forget SAHM, public sector jobs pay about double the real market value

[@tgunnarson]

Unfair how? You paid into a public sector pension program, did NOT pay into Social Security and it was all explained to you when you (or your spouse) started working. What's not fair is for those of us who have (and are) paying into SS to pay for people who have NOT. Can I now receive benefits from a public sector pension that I didn't pay into?

[@mflong100]

@@tgunnarson did you actually watch the video? This is about people who paid into both systems, not people who did not pay into SS. The OP didn’t watch it either because she missed what this was about, too.

[@penelope5500]

What's unfair, imo...is married spousal benefits. People always like to make this about SAHM's (lifestyle choice) but guess what? Your atty's. wife, who never did anything more strenuous than going to lunch w/ her friends, is also entitled to half of hubby's $4,000 a mo. SS ck.

[@danhutcheson7977]

I worked in private sector job for 35 quarters worth, then worked for federal Gov for almost 34 years, making less than what I would have doing the same thing in the private sector. I retired from federal service and started my own business and paid into the system again for 5 quarters....enough to account for a little more than 40 quarters. My SS check is a whopping 160.00 per month......THAT is the effect of the WEP.....someone PLEASE wake Joey up and have him sign this...PLLLLEEEEEEEZZZZZZEEEE.....

[@timnichols3795]

Dan, If I recall correctly, everybody in your family has been negatively affected by WEP and GPO, and multiple times. Are you a robot by chance?

[@Vegaswill714]

My wife worked for 30 years in private sector jobs, 20 in a position (School District) with a public pension. Her public sector pension was not very much, because she was in a low earning position and only worked 20 years. (It went by increments of 10, she would have had to work 30 years to get a significant bump in pension.) However, her social security was reduced by 50% because of the WEP. Luckily, I had a 50 year career myself and we are okay. However, I have often thought of what her life would be like if she were single and didn't have my retirement income. She would have trouble paying for food and be borderline homeless. The WEP really is not fair.

[@timothyewing]

Very useful information Erin! Many Thanks👍 It wouldn’t affect my wife or I, but as a tax preparer, I do have several clients that this would affect in the near future.

[@rwg1811]

In your John and Jane example, explain how John would end up with more money than jane. Except that Jane had a pension also. You didn't explain how much pension she would get. Also while John worked and paid 7% of his money into social security Jane wasn't paying that she got to spend that money. And to get the money that they did not contribute to, you took it away from my retirement.

[@erickawabata2182]

Thank you Erin for posting this - this is HUGE!

[@sarahcallaway609]

Your explanation has been wonderful! I have been a retired DCPS teacher for a number of years and was so frustrated by these 2 provisions. Hopefully things are about to change!@

[@DaB1865]

Excellent presentation with easy to understand examples. GREAT JOB!

[@ErinTalksMoney]

Thanks for watching!

[@tblair9172]

I’ve worked 35 years in the public sector (without Social Security) and 10 years in the private sector. My wife has worked 35+ years in the private sector, paying at the highest SS rates every year. I never expected much from my own SS benefits (and would likely have received close to zero), but I couldn’t understand why I would be denied spousal benefits. Now I will get them. BTW, spousal benefits for Medicare were never denied to public employees.

[@rob46872]

This is great news! I have a federal government pension but in my early work years I contributed to Social Security. This will allow me to return to work and then qualify for SS benefits.

[@gregspeth7910]

Worked 25 years at the fire department. Worked 10 years at a motel. Worked 6 years for the USMC . I have earned my social security.

[@Copicutretiree215]

You did an excellent job explaining this. The best I’ve seen so far 👍👍👍

[@ErinTalksMoney]

Thank you!!

[@williethomas422]

Loved your explanation of WEP and GPO. Your show has had been the most articulate. I am affected by this bill and I have been searching for someone to break it down for me. I worked 38 years at the USPS 1981-2019. I paid no SS. When I retired, I had 32 credits from previous jobs. You need 40 credits to qualify for SS. I got the 8 credits by working 8 quarters at Amazon. Applied for benefits and WEP reduced my amount to $200/m. I think I would get close to $600 without WEP. GPO affects me too. I qualify to “upgrade “ my SS when she retires. There are numerous nooks and crannies with this whole thing that I share and help your audience.

[@bptexas]

Why hasn’t Biden signed it?

[@howardfriedman7077]

The bill hasn't come to him yet.

[@happycampers6592]

Excellent presentation! The Fairness Act and WEP/GPO are widely misunderstood and it appears that many would rather just blast out misinformation and hateful comments instead of making an effort to learn the facts. I am a retired firefighter (not yet drawing SS) and also paid SS for 40 years. I'll be quite relieved when Biden signs it into law. I currently have 27 years of substantial earnings, so the penalty is minimal, but I want my 90%. Thanks.

[@rebeccasharp4056]

I wonder why Biden has not signed this yet?

[@howardfriedman7077]

He hasn't received the bill yet.

[@TomComer-m1s]

Only 7 states were affected should be all 50 or none

[@13noman1]

Appreciate the clarity of the explanation.

[@jimfreyler2944]

I worked for USPS for 31 years and collect a monthly annuity. I also got my 40 quarters in working menial jobs before and after my postal career. My Soc Sec monthly payment has been reduced because of my government annuity. I collect $205 monthly from Soc Sec. Does the new law then mean I will get $615 monthly, or is it much more complicated than that?

[@southbound1969]

As of now Biden has not signed it yet, he's on another vacation.

[@dkslots8737]

Neither will trump. They don't want you to win

[@howardfriedman7077]

south: He just received the bill today and has 10 days to sign it (Not counting Sundays).

[@pauls6677]

@@howardfriedman7077 yes stand corrected. Congress.gov just changed it to the president

[@southbound1969]

@howardfriedman7077 thnx

[@davidbach7003]

I don't think he has golfed one day.

[@bobbert1945]

Thank you so much for this video! My mother was a teacher for years and probably didn't pay enough into SS from her other jobs to make a difference, but if she can qualify for her husband's SS, that will make a big difference.

[@RS-lw9cd]

Thanks, Erin. You clearly explained this subject. Although I already understood and had knowledge about this subject, it was nice that your explanation verified this information. Hope you had a Merry Christmas and wish you a very wonderful, safe and healthy New Year!

[@Jen-CelticWarrior]

So the GPO contributed to extending the solvency of SS. Also, I believe more people previously working under WEP will now be paying into SS? Have these things been factored into the solvency issue?

[@willywold9090]

Not unless the president signs it which as of now has not.

[@howardfriedman7077]

He just received the bill today and has 10 days to sign it (Not counting Sundays).

[@tianyi05]

Look at for federal employees under the CSRS system there is an offset for the WEP. Pensions are roughly 50% higher than for FERS employees and CSRS pensions get a larger COLA every year. I don't know one FERS employee or retiree that wouldn't swap their pension and social security for the FERS pension and WEP.

[@gwizz911]

Biden has not signed it yet, lets hope someone wakes him up in time to sign it.

[@howardfriedman7077]

He just received the bill today and has 10 days to sign it (Not counting Sundays).

[@gwizz911]

@@howardfriedman7077 If he forgets to sign the bill it will be pocket veto and will have to start all over again next year with the new congress.

[@Joe-xu4xk]

The 3% has contributed to social security. They don't get any credit for the years they worked in the public sector unless holding a part time job moonlighting like most of them did. Also many of us already had more than the minimum 40 quarters paid in before entering the public sector by holding other jobs in the private sector. Remember that the monthly benefit is based upon 30 years of your highest earnings. The formula they use to determine the monthly benefit reduces benefits by 40% on the first bend point vs 90%. That 40% should have never been put into the calculation for public sector workers because the zeros they are given in their calculation for their years working in the public sector already reduces the benefit. Case in point, the public worker's wages in the private sector jobs were much less than the salary of the firefighter, police officer or teacher. We just want to get our contributions calculated like everyone else who paid into the social security system. based upon the amounts of credits we have paid in. Another factor that affects firefighters and police are the risks of their jobs. They are more prone to getting injured, or sick from conditions that prevents them from working in these professions and end up getting a smaller pension based upon their years served. When the WEP/GPO was enacted this wasn't even a consideration that these workers would become low wage earners due to not being able to continue working as a firefighter or police officer. They are forced to get jobs that pay lower than what they were making in those professions. Don't get me wrong, but we don't get wealthy in those jobs, that's why we moonlight in second jobs while we're in those professions. With this said, the WEP/GPO were two poorly written pieces of legislation that never should have been passed. These laws were enacted in 1983 by Ronald Reagan's administration. It's been a long 41 years of past retirees being treated unfairly by having their social security cut and their widows not getting any survivor benefits from their husband's social security benefits after he has passed. This repeal of WEP/GPO is way overdue, and it's time to put it in the history books. The Social Security Fairness Act is titled that for a reason, we just want what we paid for, no more, no less. Fair is Fair!

[@VBD288]

This is old info! The President has until Sunday to approve this bill.

[@howardfriedman7077]

VBD: He just received the bill today and has 10 days to sign it (Not counting Sundays).

[@paulg3316]

The WEP does not “completely eliminate” a worker’s SS - it only reduces it. Instead of getting 90% of the first bend point of the AIME they would get 40%. Yes, the GPO could completely eliminate the spousal benefit.

[@miragexl007]

Hmm. I have to think about this one deeper... Wondering if everybody should pay social security then no question. Otherwise those 3 positions ➕️ get pensions, And don't get s sso. If they work a little bit and pay a little bit of social security.. Then how much should they get compared to someone who's paid in for thirty years plus.

[@cherfromtn8225]

The Congressional Research Service did a great overview of the WEP. See Report 98-35, entitled Social Security:The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)" FOUND AT crsreports.congress.gov The problem is the FLAWED FORMULA--not that there shouldn't be some way of treating high wage earners differently. The formula was chosen in 1983. It has removed too much of many people's SS benefits. Now we have digital data that confirms this. This is why Congress has been trying to fix it. Many people do NOT get big pensions, yet they receive the same SS formula reduction as those who receive big ones. Across-the-board formulas usually don't work. This one doesn't either. Congress needs to do something different here.

[@markdwest1]

The spousal surviver benefit argument does not hold water in that when survivors who both receive SS have a choice of taking their late spouses benefit or keeping their own whichever is larger while losing the other benefit altogether. So no difference for a couple where one is the public pension beneficiary and the other SS. Plus what happens when the spouse who received the public pension passes first. Does their spouse get a portion or full of the spouse public pension plus their own SS?

[@Ripplesinthewaters]

Wow! I’m only finding this now, a year later! I’m a teacher of 24 years. I thought I was so screwed! I’m really happy about this!

[@Po1itica11yNcorrect]

Biden still has to sign it. Otherwise, the bill dies.

[@sherz3725]

I worked in the private sector for 21 years. Went to work for state government for 23.5 years. I just started getting social security this month and will get my first $900 check in January. I waited until I turned 69, so I didn’t have SS for 4 years as I was able to get full SS at 65. They reduced my SS by 700 because I get a govt. pension. SS was intended to supplement a pension or retirement not be your whole retirement income. Still not seeing why they had the WEP and GPO to begin with. I worked for 21 years in the private sector, why wouldn’t I get my full benefit? If the politicians hadn’t spent the SS money on pork projects, this WEP and GPO never would have occurred. I now will get my full SS and am pretty happy about that. In addition I worked for the state government for 3 years before I even heard about the WEP and GPO.

[@pamelahancock5679]

Hi 😮 he better sign the bill H82 😢

[@southbound1969]

@@pamelahancock5679 Or else what?

[@hughjones2050]

You mentioned that the benefits are retroactive to January 2024. My wife receives a government pension which would have eliminated any spousal benefit. So, she never applied. How should she apply?

[@yhckelly]

Maybe it's time to say the quiet part out loud... Government workers should be paying social security. We should probably start there...

[@denised1971]

Federal workers were moved over to social security years ago (some were grandfathered in.) This is now mostly state and city workers which is why you keep seeing the examples of teachers cops and firefighters. Almost all of these workers paid into social security through side jobs.

[@debscheider8520]

💯

[@deshwitat357hedge7]

We do

[@mrfuzzcat]

Almost all federal workers after Dec 31st 1983 came under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Social security based. Prior to that employees were under the old Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Which was not Social Security System based but rather on mandatory employee Payroll deductions of 7.5 percent.

[@SandfordSmythe]

States apparently don't want to.

[@naturaltexan6970]

Show how the 90 percent adjustment or bend point effects those who worked less than 30 years. My Dad is retired FF. His SS was cut 50% due to WEP. After paying Medicare he pockets about $150. Where is his 90% replacement?? He has been getting peanuts from SS for 20 years. Explain that

[@Mack-bc4qo]

its not double dipping nor is it a windfall.

[@denised1971]

Yes it is. If you are collecting a government pension and they ALSO get to collect a spousal benefit it is absolutely double dipping. If a spouse is collecting their own social security they don't get to ALSO collect a spousal/or survivors benefit. They get only 1 benefit (whichever is greater.) Why should that be different for someone collecting a govt. Pension. It is absolutely double dipping.

[@Mack-bc4qo]

@@denised1971 Spouses can collect one or the other; spousal benefits, survivor benefits or their own earned social security. The fact that they worked for a government pension has nothing to do with the fact that their spouse worked for that survivor benefit. This impacts women the hardest many of whom worked part time who very modest government pension of their own. Their husband dies and she loses most of the survivor benefit her husband worked for is an injustice!

[@Mack-bc4qo]

@@denised1971 you don't know what in the hell you're talking about.

[@jenniferwojcik9856]

We PAY into our pensions. I think people are thinking we just “get” a pension.

[@whynotdoitanyways5466]

My wife was a nurse at a VA hOSPITAL and she did pay in SS tax but when she retired early due to health she filed for ssdi and was awarded that then they started withholding so much of her pension like 60%. Which i think is because of the bill. She is not sure if it affects her or not and i guess we just have to wait and see if she gets a check and her pay changes. If you read your comments could you please take a moment and chat with me about this.

[@abnmp7865]

I’m not effected by this since with my pension I also paid into SS. The Jane example would only work if Jane earned the same amount in 20 years that she paid into SS as the other guy earned in 30 years. That would be the only way she would get the same amount in SS when she retired. If I worked in a job that didn’t require SS and I took that money and invested it I could have a large retirement fund and not be affected by this. But that same job gave me a pension I’m affected??? WEP- My lifetime earning that I paid SS entitles me to a SS check. But since I got a pension I deserve less? Remember the 20-30 years working for the pension doesn’t count for SS. GPO- This is more complicated. Getting half of the spouses check because you don’t have higher lifetime earnings because you didn’t pay SS isn’t good. They should recalculate including the untaxed earnings and calculate from there. Same with the death of a spouse. If your actual lifetime earnings were less then ok. If not then the pension makes up for it. Honestly they need to eliminate jobs that don’t collect SS tax.

[@nicstevens6499]

Dumbest law ever. I policed for 18 years and my dad for 34 years. We both worked / currently worked in SS covered jobs. Our SS was reduced big time by WEP and for me GPO would take my spousal / survivor benefit to $0!? But if my wife had married a guy who never worked a day in his life he would not have had the GPO reduction? Are you kidding. Congress was dumb to pass this and let it ride for 40 years...

[@conspicobserver]

So Jane pays in less by 10 years but now gets the same? How is that sustainable?

[@zynxmynx69]

Exactly

[@todddunn945]

Survivor benefits don't require any work covered by social security.

[@zynxmynx69]

@@todddunn945 If ALL SS benefits were kept and maintained to be fair, then I believe that upon death of a spouse, the higher of the 2 estimated benefits would go to the remaining spouse. Lotsa math

[@zynxmynx69]

Prior to the WEP they were gaming the system and now they want to game it again.

[@billpawelczyk5855]

Iwould like what is owed to me. FIRE dept. 30 YEAR AN PRIVATE SECTOR AND MILITARY 1

[@BibleFellowship]

They need to remove the tax we pay on SS benefits when the senior earns income.

[@debscheider8520]

President Trump promised this

[@BibleFellowship]

@debscheider8520 need Congress to put a bill on his desk.

[@DFS4417]

Absolutely the best explanation and honest evaluation on the internet. You done great

[@penelope5500]

It's amazing to me that someone could work for an agency who didn't pay into SS & they didn't "realize" it.

[@mflong100]

That’s not what she said. The example of not realizing that they did not qualify was based on spousal death benefits. They didn’t realize they would get little to nothing of their spouse’s benefits based on GPO.

[@denised1971]

You only get one benefit when both spouses pay into social security. Why should they expect to collect their own pension AND a spousal benefit?

[@mflong100]

@@denised1971 when a spouse dies, SS provides a survivor benefit between 71-100% of the deceased spouse’s benefit. Under GPO, people who are getting certain pensions get it reduced while people without those pensions get the full benefit.

[@DonRicky.]

When the government went to the FERS system in the 80's(which pays into social security), the civil service employees were all briefed about WEP but were so happy to keep 2X the pension of new federal employees and not pay social security they would talk/walk with great delight. Now they feel cheated.

[@CombatEngineer1987]

@@DonRicky.good point! They rolled the dice on that one. Maybe they should now have a portion of their pension reduced since they got their cake and ate it too.

[@rarelycares8416]

Thanks for reporting on this. It affects my wife and I, but not for a few more years. I worked 36 years in the private sector, and my wife worked 25 years in a municipal job and 11 years in the private sector at a lower wage. Now I need to change our plans and will have her apply for her small SS benefit at 62 and I will apply at 67 (instead of the planned 70) so she can get the spousal benefit. I had always heard of this penalty, but never really understood it until you explained it.

[@user-yx3zl4kh8h]

Yeah, it always popular for politicians to give away more money. These people are now getting Social Security benefits for income earn with paying into Social Security fund. These people had their Unions lobby to received better pension benefits (COLA), and higher income to compensate for not getting Social Security.

[@Firefighter53]

But many/most of those have been taken away.

[@tonieplacide-oy4xx]

​@@Firefighter53nope! Not true

[@tonieplacide-oy4xx]

Im holding my breath Bidden doesnt sign that bill.

[@7884Chris]

You should really understand an issue before commenting on it! All of these people paid into the Social Security Trust Fund for decades and qualified for their monthly SS checks but are penalized up to 66% for also earning a government pension.

[@user-yx3zl4kh8h]

@@7884Chris Did you pay attention to Erin. They are getting the benefit of social security based upon income earned without paying their Social Security FICA taxes.

[@crawford323]

How is it double dipping when you paid into SS and you paid into a, in my case, a State Teachers retirement system. Our benefits are both calculated on what was paid in. How is this double dipping?

[@stevenpecos2756]

You're so AWESOME 👍

[@hjc4604]

Great video. I worked before I graduated High school, for 9 years in the Marines after high school, for the county radio shop full time for 3 years and various part time jobs after I transferred to the fire department so I fell under the WEP. Then last year , my wife, who we expected to outlive me by decades, was diagnosed with stage 4 duodenal cancer, so at 63 she applied for Social Security benefits. She had been working for about 47 years. The SSA called ME, and informed me that, if she died, I would not receive her benefits, due to the PBO. I had applied already myself since I am the one with health problems and figured I'd die long before her. Both my parents and 3 of my brothers passed away before they were eligible after working into their early 60s. My benefit, under the PBO is under $500/month. It just burns my bottom that had the 12.6 percent of all those incomes been invested in a retirement account vs the public Ponzi scheme, the heirs would still get some benefit. Social Security needs to be phased out and replaced with a retirement system that the politicians can't raid to buy votes.

[@doncox5727]

hopefully FJB takes a break from pardoning murders and rapists to sign this legislation.

[@JEWELALEE]

Does this apply only to people already receiving social security?

[@anobody2010]

The problem I have is that they didn't pay in for the time in public sector. I'll even lay those concerns aside. However, if we both made equal pay throughout our lives, they will end up with a higher benefit. Returning to them not paying in, they could have taken the money that was no subject to FICA and saved/invested it. They didn't. So they actually had more take home pay then those of us in the private sector. More money in their pocket then and now higher benefits. Something is not right here.

[@jenniferwojcik9856]

many if us have worked FT jobs X2 for the duration of our working lives …. and have paid into SS and our pensions. I am not sure why this is so challenging to understand. In terms of WEP, you’re only getting what you paid into.

[@anobody2010]

@jenniferwojcik9856 I understand that. Don't misunderstand me. I don't have an issue with allowing them to get social security. My issue is that when they do the formula if we made the same amount of money you would actually get more of a payment. And that's not right. If you made $50,000 a year and I made the same, I'm okay with you getting the same payment I got. But you should not be receiving more.

[@anobody2010]

@jenniferwojcik9856 I will add to that. Even though I worked in the private sector, I also work two jobs three jobs sometimes. Everyone assumes all government employees were low pay. We know the fireman's pension and the policeman's pension is considerably better than most social security recipients get. Not everybody gets pensions. So people want to use examples, stop talking about just teachers and talk about the higher paying government employees too

[@arthurbcccwright8726]

I worked for a public agency in 1983. Our employer asked us to vote if we wanted to contribute (as a group, not individually) to social security in addition to paying into our public pension system. The clear understanding at that time was that if we did not pay into the social security system, we wouldn’t receive a benefit. These changes are just another way to make the social security system more underfunded to justify radical cuts to the benefits in the future. The responsible approach would be to fund the benefit increases at the same as increasing the benefits.

[@ItsEverythingElse]

WEP and GPO have been around for over 40 years. Everyone knew what they were getting into when the took their jobs. I'd love it if the gubbermint just retroactively gave me more money by changing the rules decades later. Should we also be retroactively paying back this money going back 40 years? That would only be "fair", wouldn't it?

[@melaniemartin8460]

I can assure you that 30 year old me did not understand how my retirement would be affected by working as a teacher and having a spouse in the private sector, so I have to disagree that everybody knew this when they took their jobs.

[@brihm3869]

Teachers never were very educated.

[@soldierhobby2038]

@@melaniemartin8460I respectfully disagree. Ignorance of the rules excuses no one, especially for a college-educated adult.

[@zynxmynx69]

Sadly if the CAP never existed, there would be no need for WEP or GPO

[@melaniemartin8460]

@@soldierhobby2038 I am curious what course or life experience would have led me to understand in my twenties that if my husband died before me I would not get the expected amount because I worked in the public sector. I suppose if I had a family member who was aware of this from personal experience, but I did not. It was certainly not anything I learned in college in a personal finance or economics class.

[@whynotdoitanyways5466]

Now if they could give government employees the full COLA when it comes out. They take 1% from what the cola is. If 2.5% then she gets 1.5%. Fix that crap also. We get such a small amount and politicians try to give themselves a 40% pay. Raise. WTH

[@thomasmoquin2210]

Getting 90% back from Social Security for a few years paying in while also getting a Hugh public service pension is crazy. For those of us who paid the max in their entire career and get a percentage a lot less is crazy. These politicians keep buying votes. This country is going to financially crash. And we all stand around and allow it.

[@joelclaus288]

I have a pension and put money into SS for 27 years. I deserve what I contributed.

[@silentnot4812]

The bend points are the issue. Your smaller contribution will look like you were low income so you get a higher pay out from Social Security.

[@Wild1BillS]

@@joelclaus288 You missed his point by 1000%

[@Ebjr62]

@Thomas, you do not know what you are talking about. The "90%" that you are talking about is the first percentage of the bend point in the SS benefits calculations. Under current law, you are eligible to use the 90% in your benefits calculations. The people who falls in the WEP category have to use 50% for the calculations in the first bend point. So tell me how is that fair? I paid the same percentage of my income for 21 years into the SS system. The same as you and the other 97% of the SS recipients. My benefits should be calculated the same.

[@Just_forfun9140]

​​​@@Ebjr62Public pension amounts would have been a lot lower, when employer and employee had to contribute towards SS, which amounts to a current total of 12.40%. If you and all of your employers paid SS on every $ you earned, every year, upto the threshold, then you probably have a point, probably a rare case. I think after 35 years or so of SS payment, WEP don't apply as I understand it.

[@Po1itica11yNcorrect]

Some people and politicians are complaining about the repeal of the WEP and GPO costing $19.6 billion/yr. Meanwhile, the latest figures available show that SSDI costs $152 billion/yr (2023) and SSI costs another $57.1 billion/yr (2022).

[@davelewis4064]

I just feel screwed just like 68 million other retirees.

[@Daysleeper1000]

Just think how you would feel if 50% of your social security was stolen from you.

[@mikerieck306]

@@Daysleeper1000 No $hit!

[@Daysleeper1000]

Why doesn't congress raise FICA?

[@denised1971]

If I earn my own social security benefit that is equal to or more than my spouses benefit, then I get no spousal/survivors benefit. Why should that be different for people who have a government pension? It IS double dipping. Also most government pensions already replace a much higher percentage of your income than social security does. Then they will likely get a 90% replacement rate on their lower social security earnings. That high replacement rate is intended to protect low income earners in retirement. This is a "windfall" for them.

[@miragexl007]

I was thinking along the same lines.

[@michaelcrosby6071]

Nope.

[@AssfaultRode]

Why do youthink a government pension and social security is the same thing?

[@cherfromtn8225]

To understand the WEP, please read Report #98-35 from the Congressional Research Service (Updated Feb 28, 2024.) Go to crsreports.congress.gov The report is titled "Social Security: The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)" The problem is that the formula that Congress arbitrarily chose in 1983 was flawed. It assumed an average professional income of a public sector worker and calculated the 40% percentage from there. Now that we have digital data, we can see this formula withheld TOO MUCH of a person's SS benefit. This hit loser wage earners (like school bus drivers) especially hard. Social Security is set up to give lower wage earners a higher percentage of their SS benefits. The WEP formula assumed they were high wage earners and did not need as much of their SS. This is not true in many cases. Even teacher salaries vary widely among states and even among urban and rural areas. Some teachers split careers evenly between private sector jobs and public sector jobs. They are not vested in the public job long enough to get a big pension. This formula is a mess to try to fix, and it is complicated to apply and explain. I think they can create a new system to plug in salaries from non-covered employment into the SS spreadsheet. This tells you whether someone is a high or low wage earner. Then apply the regular calculation. No WEP formula needed at all. Many people have been underpaid for years. Now some will will be overpaid. Neither situation is fair. I do think the current WEP structure was not fixable. Better to trash it and start over completely. We now have digital data from the IRS to use. That was not available in previous decades.

[@timnichols3795]

…you’re exactly right! More people need to say exactly what you are saying. Pointing out that absurd scenario is the easiest way to help ordinary people figure out why this is such a bad law.

[@damienbates]

Best example based explanation I’ve seen so far! Thanks!

[@ErinTalksMoney]

Thank you!! 🙏

[@davelewis4064]

Nobody mentions that Government jobs also provide pension plans.

[@kevinw7560]

And ???

[@robloxvids2233]

Yep, not a single person has ever mentioned that. Thanks for your help, Boomer.

[@CharlesGrass-z7x]

Speaking as a government engineer for 30+ years, the government folk also earn much lower salary than their private sector counterparts.

[@Perly53]

Is there a calculator to figure out my aime?

[@recoveredconservative]

There's an incredibly easy fix for social security. Eliminate the income cap for social security tax, such that the ultra wealthy pay it all year, just like the other 95% of Americans. We pay a high price for allowing the ultra-wealthy to own our politicians.

[@penelope5500]

I agree w/ raising the cap. However, many of the ultra wealthy still wouldn't be subject to FICA b/c they are living off investments, dividends, etc.

[@CptTyred]

And then they would get a higher benefit proportional to what they earned.

[@norman8125]

You are 100% correct.

[@recoveredconservative]

@@CptTyred Would still make social security solvent into the next century.

[@CptTyred]

@ Did some quick reading, you are correct.

[@gcburkett]

The effect on me is that social security trust fund will run out sooner now. As they repealled it therefore increasing benefits without offsetting it with revenues. I would have rather had the taxation of social security repealed. The logic for taxing it is just as flawed or worse than the WEP or GPO logic especially the provisional income parts of it.