The Impact of Pension Income on Social Security Benefits

by | Jul 21, 2023 | Spousal IRA | 17 comments




In today’s video we’re discussing How Pension Income Affects Social Security Benefits.

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You need a total of 10 years paying Social Security taxes to receive Social Security benefits at retirement. But if you receive a pension, do you get both?

It depends on if the pension is a government pension or a private pension, and if your employer withheld Social Security taxes.
If you or your spouse worked for the government and no Social Security taxes were withheld, your Social Security benefits (or your benefits on your spouse) may be reduced.

There are two scenarios where this would come into play, the Windfall elimination provision (WEP), and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).

Here’s the difference:
Windfall elimination provision (WEP)
If you worked for both: at least one employer that did withhold Social Security taxes and at least one employer that didn’t withhold Social Security taxes and that offers a pension,
If you receive both a pension and Social Security benefits, your benefits could be reduced by up to 50% of your pension amount.
Note: This reduces the “workers’ benefit.

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Government Pension Offset (GPO)
The government pension offset (GPO) could reduce your benefits if you worked a job that didn’t withhold SS taxes from your pay, and you claim your spouse or former spouse’s Social Security benefits.
The GPO could result in your not receiving ANY benefits at all on your spouse or former spouse.

Note: This reduces the benefit of a spouse or former spouse who claims spousal benefits.

There are some exceptions to the WEP reducing your benefits:
If you paid into 30 years of Social Security taxes
If you were hired by the government after Dec. 31st, 1983
If the only pension you receive is from a railroad.
If you are a military reservist receiving a reservist pension.
If you are a minister receiving a ministry pension.
These are very complicated cases that should be handled with the Social Security administration.

#HowPensionIncomeAffectsSocialSecurityBenefits #WEP #gpo…(read more)


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How Pension Income Affects Social Security Benefits

Pensions and Social Security are two common sources of retirement income for many Americans. However, it is essential to understand how these two sources interact and how one can affect the other. In the United States, the impact of pension income on Social Security benefits is determined by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions are designed to ensure fairness and prevent double-dipping in the social security system.

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) primarily affects retirees who have worked in jobs not covered by Social Security but have earned enough credits to qualify for benefits. These jobs often include positions in state and local government agencies or jobs in foreign countries. Under the WEP, a formula is applied to calculate the reduction in Social Security benefits based on pension income. The higher the pension income, the greater the reduction in Social Security benefits. However, the WEP does not eliminate social security benefits entirely; it only reduces the amount.

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The Government Pension Offset (GPO) applies to individuals who receive a pension from a federal, state, or local government job and are also entitled to spousal or survivor benefits from Social Security. The GPO reduces the spousal or survivor benefit amount by two-thirds of the pension received from the government job. This provision aims to prevent individuals from receiving a full Social Security benefit on top of a substantial government pension. Unlike the WEP, the GPO can entirely eliminate a spouse’s Social Security benefits.

It is important to note that not all individuals are subject to these provisions. These rules primarily affect workers who have significant pensions from non-Social Security-covered employment. For those with modest pensions or who have both Social Security-covered and non-Social Security-covered employment, the impact may be minimal or non-existent.

Understanding the WEP and GPO provisions is crucial for retirement planning. If you are affected by either provision, it is essential to account for the reduction in Social Security benefits when estimating your retirement income. Financial advisors, retirement planners, or Social Security administration representatives can help you navigate through these complexities.

To mitigate the impact of these provisions, one strategy is to maximize Social Security-covered employment. By working in jobs that contribute to Social Security, you can potentially earn higher benefits that are not subject to reduction due to pension income. Another option is to build additional retirement savings through individual retirement accounts (IRAs) or employer-sponsored retirement plans, which can provide a source of income that is not subject to WEP or GPO reductions.

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It is also worth noting that there have been ongoing discussions on reforming or repealing the WEP and GPO provisions due to perceived inequities in their application. Several bills have been introduced in Congress over the years to address these concerns, but no significant changes have been made as of yet. Therefore, it remains crucial for individuals affected by these provisions to stay informed and plan their retirement accordingly.

In conclusion, understanding how pension income affects Social Security benefits is crucial for retirement planning. The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) are designed to prevent double-dipping and ensure fairness in the social security system. By being aware of these provisions and their potential impact, individuals can make informed decisions about their retirement income and explore alternative strategies to optimize their benefits.

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17 Comments

  1. The Dolt

    WEP is a government rip off… Plain and simple

  2. Richard Coleman

    I served just over 30 years as an active duty US Marine. Are my benefits to be reduced or am I exempt from any reduction (during the video you appeared to say both).

  3. Beauty Rest

    I get two pensions from Germany worked there 23 years and worked 26 years in the US. At first they WEPED me.But because I qualify for an “old pension” ( that’s what it’s called in Germany) you need to have worked at least 45 years, and I have that COMBINED, I NO LONGER WILL BE DEDUCTED FOR WEP. They refunded me all the money they deducted. This formula is not known , but in Germany they told me that I may not fall under WEP. IF American periods of insurances are totalized, it constitutes an INTERSTATE pension claim, then WEP will not apply. If you don’t need the American working periods , it’s called an intrastate pension, then WEP applies!

  4. Blue Collar Bullion Baller

    I have a county pension when I retire.I pay ssi all of my jobs.When I take my pension and not ssi until later do they still take fica payments out of my pension paymets?If yes do they stop taking fica once I take ssi?

  5. Marcus Howard

    If my social security refund will be reduced, then my social security tax should be reduced.

  6. 3DLottoWIZARDph

    I'm a little lost.. Fidelity doesn't have answer.. I work 35 years for the airline I got disabled I'm on SSDI at 54 years old now im 55 I can retire from my company so I'm taking the
    Social Security Normal Retirement Age Level Income Annuity, meaning they will pay me up up until the age of 67 and then they will stop, so I'll be getting $1,300 on an estimate of $1,500 of social security retirement but my ssdi payments are considerably more than what is estimate for my retirement but they won't up my retirement pay?

  7. Pam Brauer

    MISSOURI TEACHERS BEWARE: Social Security will STEAL your benefits….especially….your SURVIVOR BENEFITS! Repeal: WEP & GOVERNMENT PENSION OFFSET. HR 82. S 597. My deceased husband PAID IN….and I DON'T get ANY of his larger benefit! Theft!!!

  8. David Melton

    I paid into SS for 46 years. I also paid state taxes in Kentucky for 46 years or more. State workers wanting SS because they paid in is like me asking for a state pension because my tax dollars funded the state pension system. Currently taxpayers are contributing 30% of salary to teachers' retirement in Kentucky. By their own logic I should get a public pension.

  9. Lisa C

    My pension is from the State of Alabama for the years 2001-2019. I have worked 22 years before and I know SS was taken and presently working. Will my pension make a difference in my social security monthly payment?

  10. John Minogue

    Windfall Elimination Provision is not necessarily a bad thing for each and every individual. First of all, please take a breath and resist the urge to grab a pitch fork and attack me. SS is socialism meaning it is geared toward redistributing wealth from higher wage earners to lower wager earners. If not for WEP then gov pensioners would be able to appear poorer than they actually are thereby receiving a higher benefit to contribution ratio and would be able to take unfair advantage of this SS wealth distribution scheme. One solution would be to audit each person and adjust their income accordingly, but SS does not do that. They instead have a blanket rule and based on that rule some people do better and some people do worse than if they were audited individually. The ones who do worse are those who are ACTUALLY POOR!!! Middle class people do better. Frankly, such people should keep their mouths shut take the money and run like hell because they were able to shelter a ton of income during their working years for a smaller reduction in benefits than they might otherwise see. OK, pick up your pitchforks. It’s time for ignorant people to comment and show just how ignorant they are. But seriously, I was under WEP but was able to get enough substantial earnings years to get out from under it. Nonetheless, co workers and union leaders told me for years how evil WEP was, and it was not until I researched it and crunched the numbers that I realized that was simply not true.

  11. layndretti13

    I have Military pension and paid social security for 20 years the Social security administration website says I have 40 work credits. Will they reduce benefits?

  12. Jason Pierce

    Got hurt on the job.
    Get a l&I pension.
    If I got social security how much more would I get a month?
    After trying to qualify for It years ago I gave up. What a joke you get hurt you proved you're hurt and then they deny you the benefits.
    Knowing I don't get taxed through l&I I believed it to be beneficial not to go after social am I wrong?
    Or am I missing out on a lot of benefits?

  13. christopher hennessey

    Began collecting pension from my County Hospital RN job at 55 .Claimed Social Security benefits at 62. That combo gives my finances a nice 1-2 punch. The extra money provided me by Social Security,helped me get out of debt within 9 months.

  14. Debra Daigle

    What about retired military? I retired from the military after 20 years service and I paid into Social Security the entire time. Will I get my full Social Security. Or will they consider my retired military pension a source of income and I will not be able to go over that 19500.00 Without being penalized by Social Security

  15. Beauty Rest

    Even if you worked in another country you also fall under WEP, which is not fair. I worked 23 years in Germany and 26 years in the US.

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