The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) permanently reduce Social Security benefits for retirees, spouses, widows, and widowers because they are entitled to a pension based on work that did not pay into Social Security (the jobs didn’t deduct Social Security taxes and instead they receive a pension from the employer). These offsets keep US citizens from receiving the money they DID pay into Social Security. These calculations are extremely unfair, are regularly miscalculated, and can mess up Medicare entitlements/premiums if the Social Security benefits don’t cover the complete premium amount. It’s also a massive waste of taxpayer dollars to offset these benefits. Pay US Citizens what they paid into Social Security without any offset.
I agree with the elimination of this. I just learned that H.R. 82 was just tabled by Andy Harris. Any help from President Trump to get this passed will be appreciated.
I was widowed six years ago, and I understand that this situation directly affects me, though it can be quite confusing. I receive a pension from my husband’s former employer, and while I’m not quite old enough to receive Social Security benefits yet, I know he also contributed to the Social Security system through his second job. I anticipate that I will receive some benefits from that, but I’m not sure
It’s important to note that many widows face challenges when their husbands, often the primary breadwinners, pass away. The lack of tax relief means I’m filing as single, which results in significantly higher taxes. This financial burden forces many widowed individuals to consider selling their homes or taking in roommates.
My Mother was widowed 2 years ago. Her SS was cut in half immediately. I’m not sure how women/ men are supposed to keep their homes after the passing of a spouse when they only receive SS and suddenly its cut in half.
Please eliminate the WEP provision!!! My SS was cut in half and Ive paid into it for 50 years…This is a terrible provision… Thank you for posting this @ConcernedCitizen13 !!!
You should not be subject to WEP or GPO because of your husband’s pension since the pension isn’t based on your own earnings. However, it’s extremely easy to get confused about these provisions especially for widows and widowers who have just lost a loved one. It would be best if these were completely removed so there is no possible confusion. You get the benefits you and your spouse worked and paid in. Period.
Widows/widowers benefits enable you to receive the higher Social Security benefit, however the assumption is that when the spouse dies half of the expenses go with them. What Congress isn’t understanding is that your food and other bills will decrease, but they are not cut in half.
We need to reconsider this widows calculation. In today’s economy, most husbands and wives are working full time instead of staying home with the children full time. It means that most households have two working adults receiving close to the average Social Security benefit. This dual income actually harms a widow instead of benefiting them as much as the calculations used to.
For example: husband gets $1,800 per month and wife gets $1,500 per month or $3,300 per month as a household. When the husband passes away, we’d increase the wife from $1,500 to $1,800 which would decrease the household income by $1,500. That’s a significant cut in your monthly income! Your household expenses will decrease by hundreds not over a thousand.