Q. The Windfall Elimination Provision states: “The only work you did where you did not pay Social Security taxes was before 1957, or you have 30 or more years of substantial earnings under Social Security.” Are these statements separate or combined? What does the year have to do with it? What is the formula for calculating substantial earnings? Take into consideration that at the time, single mothers with three dependents did not earn “substantial earnings.” By the way, how much is substantial? It seems to me that the date I began work eliminates the windfall, along with my almost 30…
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Q. I would like to know who is responsible for informing employees who work for the government of the windfall elimination provision. I was not told about the WEP until I went to the Social Security office to file for my Social Security retirement. My Social Security benefits were reduced by more than $1,000 per month. I worked hard all my life with two jobs for over 30 years. For what? Just to have my benefits go to someone who did not work but gets benefits. How are you to be informed of this law?
Q. I retired in 2006 under CSRS as an air traffic controller. I had 33 years of government service between the Air Force and the Federal Aviation Administration. I started receiving Social Security disability payments this month. I receive a periodic statement from the Social Security Administration stating what my benefits are and how much I would receive each month. The statement showed $1,200 a month. I receive $705 a month instead. I’ve earned enough credits working prior to and after my CSRS career. Why am I penalized when I have earned both benefits in my opinion?
Q. I am a retired GS-1811 (federal law enforcement) CSRS retiree (2005) with 25 years civil service and 7 years military I bought back. I’m 59 now and when I reach 62 or older and want to collect Social Security, I know my CSRS retirement will be reduced, but by how much? I used SSA.gov/estimator and got the figures, but there was no place to enter the fact I have a federal retirement. Do the figures I received on SSA.gov/estimator already factor my federal law enforcement retirement?
Q. I have “just missed the mark” for a couple of my years when I did not have substantial earnings. Is there any way to go back and purchase the year(s) or pay the difference?
Q. The following statement was made in an answer to a question ask about post-1956 deposit: “You can’t get a refund of the deposit you made for your active-duty service. What’s done is done. If you retire at age 62 and aren’t eligible for a Social Security benefit at that time, you’ll never have to worry about losing those years and having your annuity recomputed.” I will retire at age 60 and have paid in a post-1956 deposit. I am in CSRS and will have 41 years and eight months with the post-56 deposit (eight years, six months of military…
Q. I expect to retire with income from a state employee retirement, CSRS offset and Social Security paid while working other than the CSRS offset Social Security. To what extent will the windfall elimination provision apply? Since there are two Social Security eligibilities, does the WEP apply to both? Will the CSRS offset Social Security portion be reduced by the WEP as well as the Social Security earned when working for nongovernment employers? A. At age 62, your annuity will be reduced automatically by the amount of Social Security benefit you earned while a CSRS offset employee. If you have…
Q. I retired in 2011 with 30 years and three months employment with the Postal Service at the age of 56 years and six months with a CSRS pension. I had 32 quarters of paying in to Social Security when I retired. I worked part time from June 2012 to October 2012 for an insurance company and earned about $6,200. How many more quarters do I have to go to receive a supplemental Social Security pension, and is it also true that I will only receive about one-third of what I would normally be entitled to? A. You have already…
Q. I am 67 years old, employed as a federal civil servant with 35 years of service this year. Can I collect Social Security benefits? What effect will that have on my retirement? I was under CSRS until FERS came into existence. I switched to FERS, believing I would not stay in civil service and wanted to pay Social Security taxes. It worked out that I did stay in the government, so I should have a portion of CSRS (about eight years) and the rest under FERS when I retire. A. Because you have reached full Social Security retirement age,…
Q. I am a CSRS Offset GS14/10 employee who left Veterans Affairs Department employment in 1985 after 11+ years and returned to VA employment in 1991. I will be 66 years old in July and am considering retiring Jan. 3, 2014. At that point, I will have 24 years of offset employment, 30 years of Social Security contributions (including the 24 offset years) and 37 years of service (including sick leave). My wife is in a similar CSRS Offset situation and is also considering retirement Jan. 3, 2014, at age 61. She will not take Social Security benefits until age…