WEP and GPO Repealed: What's Next for Federal Retirees?

[@paulstein9258]

I immediately filed online. I get a CSRS pension and have only 20 Quarters of SS paid in. Not enough. I filed for the spousal. Within 3 days, I received a call from SS. They had all my information. I was asked specific questions and my wife also had to go on the phone. Within two more days, I received an email letting me know the exact dollar amount. Amazingly quick. No need to go down to any office.

[@shirleywells6622]

Thanks for sharing your information. Like you, I received a CSRS pension and only have 20 quarters paid into SS. This morning, I applied for spousal benefits from SSA. Hopefully, my experience will be as positive as yours.

[@susanbrooks9612]

Paul, thank you for the information. I wasn't sure if a CSRS annuitant has to formally apply for spousal SS benefits, or if SSA will pay the benefit automatically without an annuitant filing for it. Based on your information, I am going to file a formal application. Thank you again.

[@clarence43232]

I earned some Social Security benefits in private employment but was paying into CSRS when I began working for federal government. During my employment we were given the option of converting to Federal Employees Retirement system which would have collected Social Security taxes. I did not apply for that option. I have checked my records on the web site, no news on this yet

[@jfflan127]

Smart move I made the same choice.

[@farrellmcquiddy]

when i retired from gov employment i had the 40 quarters for social security i did get an annuity but it was cut by 2/3 because of my retirement since than i have worked 14 years more under the social security system just wondering what im going to wind up with. hopefully i ll get my 2/3 reinstated

[@billy30378]

Me tooooooo!

[@fjai2755]

You added new info. Thanks.

[@cdub1955]

interestingly, what i have read is it will take until Dec of 2025 for the US GOV to get new payments to retirees. How is that of efficiency...

[@pamm99]

I have not heard that. I’m thinking March.

[@cdub1955]

@@pamm99 Funny, did you listen to this guy. At 3:00 into his report he states clearly Dec 2025...

[@WilliamBavar]

@@cdub1955 maybe you should listen again

[@tkhorn53]

Give us link to that. If indeed it is the truth

[@pamm99]

@@cdub1955 yes, I listened. He just said “by Dec. 2025”, meaning it could be anytime this year. NO ONE, at this point, knows!

[@CA-hl4hi]

the law just got signed and SS is under funded and under staffed to handle this huge change quickly! Hang on- it will take a long time to sort out implementation

[@scottg5588]

I'm not holding my breath: I called the 800 number from the website; the way too long recorded answer included something about "due to decrease in personnel the average processing time will be 228 days..." I don't remember what exactly they were referring to but it was something they were already responsible for doing. I just hung up at that point. So the fact that they haven't got a clue how they're going to implement this, let alone how long it will take, does not send confidence soaring. Just sayin'.

[@tomsantella5538]

You will get a letter in the mail

[@TR6872-u1s]

You've made a significant mistake both in the title of this video and in your remarks. You keep mentioning "federal" employees, but the WEP affects very few federal employees - almost all of them are in the Social Security system. WEP impacts mostly state, county, and municipal employees who paid into a pension program instead of SS, and who also worked a job (and earned credit for at least 40 quarters) covered by SS. In my case, I worked for a county park district and retired with a (smallish) pension, and also earned a Social Security payment through other work. The WEP reduced my SS payment by about 50%.

[@beckaarrnondo8622]

No one ever mentions this, but you get put under WEP if you take a job in another country where that job gives you a pension. Thatś how they got me. :/ Can't wait until I get the lump sum ALL my SS money for a change. :)

[@Grammy52]

Federal CSRS retirees are affected. That’s anyone hired before 1983 and who chose not to switch to FERS. There are about 750K of us affected.

[@MaryLopez-em3rc]

Not true, most of the currently retired feds eligible for social security because they’re ver 62 were in the civil service retirement system (CSRS) and did not pay into social security unless they worked a second job. Most Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) employees are not of retirement age yet. I’m 63 and one of the few that opted back in the 80s to change over to FERS from CSRS, because I didn’t think I would be with the feds for decades.

[@TR6872-u1s]

@@Grammy52 But is that 750K the total number of federal employees who chose not to switch to FERS, or the number who choose not to switch and also qualified for SS with 40 quarters of work in a SS job?

[@jfflan127]

@@MaryLopez-em3rcSorry to hear you switched. I hope it worked out for you. I was one of the last ones in CSRS when I was hired in 1980. I was told by the majority of old timers I worked with to stay with CSRS. The only ones that I knew that switched over to FERS were guys that needed a number of quarters to qualify for SS. They already had their 30+ years of CSRS work. I am sure they became WEP victims and a lot of them are probably looking down and smiling for the rest of us. I am certainly happy and glad for all the former WEP and GPO victims. Thanks JOE for signing the SS bill into law. He even said and I quote "This is a really BIG DEAL"

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[@Grammy52]

According to the Congressman I just listened to, the new payment will be calculated as if the WEP or GPO never existed. Sounds like it won’t be a simple matter of recalculating a new payment for January, 2024, but going all the way back to your first benefit determination and refiguring it with all applicable COLAs each year to the present as well.

[@pamm99]

Don’t think COLAs apply. It’s my understanding that once your WEP amount is set it doesn’t change. If so, the calculation will be simple, just a lot of them!

[@beckaarrnondo8622]

Yes, but surely the SSA uses ... computers. All they have to do is patch the code to take out the code that figures in the WEP. Sorry, but I was in IT for 40 years, and they are not getting out a calculator and figuring out everyoneś's payment by hand. LOL! Anything being calculated is done by a computer, so I have a hard time believing they will take a year ... to figure out who gets what?

[@frankcuccaro4258]

I retired from the US customs in 1996 with a pension and discounted SSA benefits would i qualify for WEP thank you

[@gillyoh63]

I worked at the Veterans hospital and i got hurt and had to get federal disability retirement and I got ssdi ,so am I affected?

[@mohergenrader2113]

Do you have 10 years paid into SS?

[@secretmindset5379]

The word IMPACT sounds as if people will be losing their benefits. Who will lose out and I mean (suffer lower monthly payments) by this fairness act?

[@Grammy52]

No one is getting less.

[@pamm99]

No one!

[@Po1itica11yNcorrect]

The repeal of the WEP will increase my Social Security benefits by $49/month @ 62 yrs old, according to the WEP calculator vs the regular Social Security calculator.

[@JimmyTheGreek2000]

The $ 49 / month is the 2025 COLA of 2.5% (or 0.025 in decimal). It is in addition to the WEP elimination which could be as much as $ 590 per month back dated to January 1, 2024. This means that your Social security benefits are currently $ 1,975 / month ($ 1,975 x 0.025 = 49). The new monthly benefit for the year 2025 will be $ 2,024 per month after the COLA is added to your monthy SS benefits. After COLA is applied you will also apply the part that was subtractd for WEP which in you case will be the maximum or arouns $ 590 / per month or $ 2,614 / month ($ 2,024 + 590 = 2614). T,his is $ 31,368 for the year 2025 and the years after! Because WEP is eliminated from January 1, 2024 you will receive an one-time payment from SSA of about $ 7,080 for the year 2024 (590 x 12 = 7,080). This could be less than $ 590 per month depending on your situation with the second monthly benefit which was not covered by Social Security (did not pay social security contributions !). WEP is applicable or impacts only 2,5 MM people and not to the 74 MM which receives SS benefits 2024. In adition there are 800,000 people which were inpacted by GOP COLA is Cost of Living Allowence (aplicable to all) WEP is Windfall Eliination Provision (teachers, firefigters, and other State workers) GPO is the Goverment Pension Offset (US Government workers)

[@Po1itica11yNcorrect]

@JimmyTheGreek2000 Under the WEP calculator, I was projected to receive $1,429/month in Social Security benefits @ 62 years old. This is based on me reaching the Substantial Earnings threshold 28 years. I've actually paid into SS for 42 years, but with the WEP, the only years that mattered were those 28 that I reached the Substantial Earnings threshold. Those 28 years entitled me to 80% of my Social Security benefits. Under the regular Social Security calculator, I'm projected to receive $1,478/month @ 62 years old. This will be in 2028, so I'm not old enough to collect yet. These projections have already baked in COLA estimates between now and when I start collecting SS in 4 years.

[@jfflan127]

@@JimmyTheGreek2000 Lots of good points. However believe me when I tell you that WEP has impacted 100s of thousands of Federal retirees and I am one of them. 40 years Postal worker in CSRS and we got hammered by WEP and GPO.

[@cdub1955]

wrong