Yes, it certainly does appear you now qualify and will most likely also be due 6 months of reductive pay. You should simply apply online and bypass any phone calls or appointments. I'm in the same boat as you and I applied on January 6 and have already been approved. At some point they will require a copy of your marriage license along with SS Form SSA-3. All very easy.
Getting rid of WEP and GPO?
- Thread starter Texas Proud
- Start date
Yes, it certainly does appear you now qualify and will most likely also be due 6 months of reductive pay. You should simply apply online and bypass any phone calls or appointments. I'm in the same boat as you and I applied on January 6 and have already been approved. At some point they will require a copy of your marriage license along with SS Form SSA-3. All very easy.
youbet
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
OK, thanks.
Is this something related to the SS Fairness act or was it something previously in place? Is the benefit amount reduced if you take the six months retro payments?
It was previously in place. The benefit is not reduced if you are over full retirement age plus 6 months.
youbet
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Thanks Dreamer.
Soooo....... checking if my geezer mind is wrapped around this OK.......
DW applied for spousal in 2012 and the amount granted was zero due to GPO. She did get a very small WEP reduced benefit based on her own record. She talked to SS recently and they confirmed they have a record of that application and the results on file and told her to just wait until they get her case figured out, no additional application or paperwork needed. I'm thinking that whenever (likely many months from now) they get around to updating DW's situation, she'll get spousal back to 12/23 through that current date as retro. Does that sound right to you?
Someone who never applied before and is at least FRA will get spousal and up to six months retro.
December 2023 is the last month that WEP/GPO applied. So it sounds like she would be retroactive to 01/24.
I am in the same situation as your wife. I also expect that it will be many months from now.
Well I called in and they gave me a phone appointment for April 4. I'll look into applying online instead. BTW, I'm 70yrs 8months. Thanks for everyone's input. (Been dealing with BIL's estate for last 6 months, and finally see light at end of the tunnel)
Edited to add: Applied online (very easy), and cancelled April appointment. Benefits to start August 2024. Thanks again everyone
Edited to add: Applied online (very easy), and cancelled April appointment. Benefits to start August 2024. Thanks again everyone
Last edited:
youbet
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Thanks Dreamer.
DH had his appointment at the Social Security office this morning. He got there about 15 minutes early and all they did was make copies of his documents. He took in all kinds of things and they just copied everything. He had his passport, birth certificate, original SS card, certified marriage record and I filled out and signed a SSA-3 for the marriage. I don't know if he really needed all of that, but that's what he took in.
He said there was one other person waiting there and he was in and out before his appointment time! Quick and easy.
DH says he will call his SS contact in Plains. PA who sent the letter and leave her a message that he followed through with his appointment. I expect that the next thing is that his SS contact will get the copies that were made and that he will move from step 2 to step 3.
Note - On Jan 5, 2025 DH applied online for spousal benefits backdated 6 months to July 2024. A few weeks later he got letter in the mail to contact a specific person at SS. She told him he needed to go into a SS office and verify his identity and our marriage. That's what this appointment was for.
He said there was one other person waiting there and he was in and out before his appointment time! Quick and easy.
DH says he will call his SS contact in Plains. PA who sent the letter and leave her a message that he followed through with his appointment. I expect that the next thing is that his SS contact will get the copies that were made and that he will move from step 2 to step 3.
Note - On Jan 5, 2025 DH applied online for spousal benefits backdated 6 months to July 2024. A few weeks later he got letter in the mail to contact a specific person at SS. She told him he needed to go into a SS office and verify his identity and our marriage. That's what this appointment was for.
Last edited:
ronin
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2003
- Messages
- 1,341
Just received a call from the local SS office. She said that they received a W-4 to withhold from my wife's benefit, but she isn't receiving benefits. The application for spousal benefits was in the same envelop with the W-4. I had to bring that one up. Seems weird. She said we'd have to schedule a phone appointment to apply, they don't accept the paper app. OK, we were on the phone, but I need an appointment to talk over the phone. Again, OK. Fine, got the appt for Fri morning the 21st, several more days away. At least we will resolve this eventually.
I had my telephone interview with SSA today for spousal benefits. The SS rep told me that SSA had all the information they needed to process my application for spousal benefits as I was already receiving SS retirement benefits (though WEP reduced and continuing to be reduced as of my February 2025 payment today) and my spousal relationship was already documented in the system (since my wife had applied for spousal benefits -- under a restrictive application for spousal under my account in 2017). My situation, I was told, had to be manually processed and there was no timetable for when that would occur and when a lump sum payment for retroactive adjustments for 2024 (and for some periods in 2025 until the correct monthly payment figures are established and payments made thereof).
Here's the gist of the rep's take on my situation:
(1) I get a retroactive payment of the total amount due to me from 1/24 to 6/24 if WEP had not applied, minus the actual amount of payments (WEP'd) I did receive during that period. For instance, if, without WEP, I would have received $800 in monthly payments from 1/24 to 6/24 and my WEP reduced payments made to me were $400 for that period, the lump sum payment for removing WEP would be $2400;
(2) I start spousal benefits beginning on 7/24 (my filing for benefits was retroactive as of that date -- I actually filed on December 27, 2024); it's the same procedure as with WEP -- I get a retroactive payment of the total amount due to me from 7/24 to 12/24 if GPO had not applied, minus the actual amount of SS payments I did receive during that period. For instance, if, without GPO, I would have received $1000 in monthly payments from 7/24 to 12/24 and payments made to me were $400 for that period, the lump sum payment for removing GPO would be $3600. So if you add both WEP and GPO adjustments to my payments for 2024, using the examples above, I would get a lump sum payment of $7000 for 2024.
(3) Going forward in 2025, my SS spousal benefit payment in theory would be unaffected by GPO but since practically there is a stub period in 2025 when SSA has not removed GPO from benefit payments, there would be an lump sum payment/adjustment for that stub period.
(4) I took my SS retirement benefits at 63.5 so my WEP'd reduced payments were further diminished by my early taking of benefits; my wife took spousal benefits on my account when she reached FRA (she's 2.5 years older than me); my spousal benefits on her account are further reduced by my early taking of benefits.
(5) Should my wife predecease me, I would get a survivor's annuity from SSA equal to her retirement benefits, including her delayed credits as she collected on her retirement benefit record at age 70.
(6) The rep has no idea when SSA will actually process payments to reflect the changes in WEP and GPO. But he said to expect a letter from SSA detailing the lump sum payments and the new monthly benefit payments when every thing gets worked out.
Here's the gist of the rep's take on my situation:
(1) I get a retroactive payment of the total amount due to me from 1/24 to 6/24 if WEP had not applied, minus the actual amount of payments (WEP'd) I did receive during that period. For instance, if, without WEP, I would have received $800 in monthly payments from 1/24 to 6/24 and my WEP reduced payments made to me were $400 for that period, the lump sum payment for removing WEP would be $2400;
(2) I start spousal benefits beginning on 7/24 (my filing for benefits was retroactive as of that date -- I actually filed on December 27, 2024); it's the same procedure as with WEP -- I get a retroactive payment of the total amount due to me from 7/24 to 12/24 if GPO had not applied, minus the actual amount of SS payments I did receive during that period. For instance, if, without GPO, I would have received $1000 in monthly payments from 7/24 to 12/24 and payments made to me were $400 for that period, the lump sum payment for removing GPO would be $3600. So if you add both WEP and GPO adjustments to my payments for 2024, using the examples above, I would get a lump sum payment of $7000 for 2024.
(3) Going forward in 2025, my SS spousal benefit payment in theory would be unaffected by GPO but since practically there is a stub period in 2025 when SSA has not removed GPO from benefit payments, there would be an lump sum payment/adjustment for that stub period.
(4) I took my SS retirement benefits at 63.5 so my WEP'd reduced payments were further diminished by my early taking of benefits; my wife took spousal benefits on my account when she reached FRA (she's 2.5 years older than me); my spousal benefits on her account are further reduced by my early taking of benefits.
(5) Should my wife predecease me, I would get a survivor's annuity from SSA equal to her retirement benefits, including her delayed credits as she collected on her retirement benefit record at age 70.
(6) The rep has no idea when SSA will actually process payments to reflect the changes in WEP and GPO. But he said to expect a letter from SSA detailing the lump sum payments and the new monthly benefit payments when every thing gets worked out.
Received an "Application summary for wife's or husband's insurance benefits (SG-SSA-2)" in the mail yesterday, dated 2/18. Logged into my SSA account today and I've been approved for spouse's benefits (step 3 of 3). SSA didn't reach out for any supporting documentation.
What's odd is that the letter I received says that they spoke to me on 2/18 and completed my application, but they didn't contact me. Approved in less than 2 weeks! Fingers crossed
ronin
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2003
- Messages
- 1,341
We had our phone appt. this morning for my wife's spousal benefit. Went smoothly, only took around 15 min. with most of that time taken by the rep working on her computer. Very few questions, much less than on the paper application. No marriage certificate requested yet.
It appears that her benefit is based on my WEP reduced PIA. She said that once my benefit was adjusted up to remove the WEP hers would be adjusted up as well. So all in all, everything went fine. Her mySocialSecurity page shows that the phone app was received today and is under review.
It appears that her benefit is based on my WEP reduced PIA. She said that once my benefit was adjusted up to remove the WEP hers would be adjusted up as well. So all in all, everything went fine. Her mySocialSecurity page shows that the phone app was received today and is under review.
Koolau
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Great news. Thanks for sharing and keeping us up to date. Hope all goes well for you.
Update from SS website:
"Starting the week of February 24, 2025, SSA is beginning to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to people whose benefits have been affected by the WEP and GPO
If a beneficiary is due retroactive benefits as a result of the Act, they will receive a one-time retroactive payment, deposited into the bank account SSA has on file, by the end of March. This retroactive payment will cover the increase in their benefit amount back to January 2024, the month when WEP and GPO no longer apply.
Social Security benefits are paid one month behind. Most affected beneficiaries will begin receiving their new monthly benefit amount in April 2025 (for their March 2025 benefit)."
www.ssa.gov
"Starting the week of February 24, 2025, SSA is beginning to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to people whose benefits have been affected by the WEP and GPO
If a beneficiary is due retroactive benefits as a result of the Act, they will receive a one-time retroactive payment, deposited into the bank account SSA has on file, by the end of March. This retroactive payment will cover the increase in their benefit amount back to January 2024, the month when WEP and GPO no longer apply.
Social Security benefits are paid one month behind. Most affected beneficiaries will begin receiving their new monthly benefit amount in April 2025 (for their March 2025 benefit)."
Social Security Fairness Act: Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) update | SSA
Social Security Fairness Act: Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) update
Thanks for the update info. Great news!Update from SS website:
"Starting the week of February 24, 2025, SSA is beginning to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to people whose benefits have been affected by the WEP and GPO
If a beneficiary is due retroactive benefits as a result of the Act, they will receive a one-time retroactive payment, deposited into the bank account SSA has on file, by the end of March. This retroactive payment will cover the increase in their benefit amount back to January 2024, the month when WEP and GPO no longer apply.
Social Security benefits are paid one month behind. Most affected beneficiaries will begin receiving their new monthly benefit amount in April 2025 (for their March 2025 benefit)."
Social Security Fairness Act: Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) update | SSA
Social Security Fairness Act: Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) update
It's been over 2 weeks since DH went to his appointment to prove his ID and marriage. He's still in Step 2, nothing has changed. A few days ago he called his contact person in Plains, PA and left a voicemail message telling her that he had his appointment. Still no change. Just going to have to be patient.
Golden sunsets
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Jun 3, 2013
- Messages
- 2,551
Wow! I had mentally prepared to wait for a year for the recalculation. Now it appears that we could see this money much sooner.
Pending deposit on 3/3 for what must be 6 months retroactive benefits. SSA in Denver is on a roll
My wife just received an email from SSA saying that they are going to correct her WEP reductions, plus give her back payments, and what she needs to do is log onto her SSA account and verify her address and direct deposit information.
Looking good.
Looking good.
Accidental Retiree
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2012
- Messages
- 1,527
I got a similar email, asking for me to provide info on pension increase amounts from January 2022 to December 2023.
What is not clear is how I’m supposed to provide that info. I hope I can do it via secure messaging. I hope it’s not via phone call.
What is not clear is how I’m supposed to provide that info. I hope I can do it via secure messaging. I hope it’s not via phone call.
We will try logging on tomorrow (it’s very late here now) and if there is a secure messaging system can pass on her 2022 and 2023 SSA annual tax statements.
Irishgirlyc58
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2020
- Messages
- 1,271
I also got the email this afternoon about the WEP reduction being eliminated and the back payments.
The email initially went into my spam folder so be on the lookout for it although it’s really just informational.
The email initially went into my spam folder so be on the lookout for it although it’s really just informational.
Accidental Retiree
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2012
- Messages
- 1,527
Irishgirlyc58
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2020
- Messages
- 1,271
Wouldn’t they have to send something more official specifically to you to request that information?
How and where would you report that change?
I would also want to know why.
