Social Security Fairness - WEP & GPO Explained

7/29/2019 Social Security Fairness - WEP & GPO Explained

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Presentation by Liz Curtis for

SSFAIRNESS.COM

For use by the public in fight to repeal GPO/WEPwhich unjustly penalize our public servants


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2

GPO & WEP

What can one person do?

Grassroots Movement

YOU


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GPO/WEP &workforce

More than 1/3 all educators at risk

More than 1/5 all public employees at risk


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What is Windfall EliminationProvision (WEP)? Since 1983

WEPaffects ones ownearnedSocial Security benefits.

For many a set formula willsignificantly reduce SS benefits.

You can lose up to half of yourexpected Social Security pension.

Held to a different standard


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WEP affects those who:

JOB 1

Entitles them to a pension fromstate/local govt work which does

not pay Social Security taxes.

JOB 2

Entitles them to a Social Securityretirement or disability benefit fromwork which does pay SS taxes.


Have had 2 careerswhen


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What is the GPO? Since 1977


The Government Pension Offset

The GPO affects:

SS Spousal & Survivor Benefits


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Who does the GPO affect?

Work(ed) for astate/local govt

in employment not taxed by SocialSecurity.

Entitled to dependent spouse orsurvivors Social Security benefits.

And are also


Persons who


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Normal dependent Spouse & Survivor benefits

Normallythe retired dependent spousereceivesan amount equal to 50%of earners SS. Whenearner retires, the couple receives 150% of theearner's amount if both are retired. A divorcedspouse gets the 50% if they were married for 10years or more.

Normally, a widow/eris awarded 100% ofSpouses Social Security pension.


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Benefit reductions due to GPO

GPO penalty: Social Security spousal &survivor benefits are reduced by 2/3 amountof the separate & independent pension earned

by ones spouse, if that pension plan did notpay Social Security taxes.

A pension of only $1,500/month can result in

total loss of needed survivor benefits.


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Occupations penalizedTeachers, police, firefighters, postal workers, air trafficcontrollers, customs agents, federal governmentemployees (hired before 1983 -CSRS), & state, county,local & special district workers are penalized. Even a

foreign pension can reduce Social Security benefits.

GPO & WEP = Heroes Penalties


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Federal workers penalized in allstates and overseas as well.

Air Traffic Controllers


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State, county, municipal employeespenalized in 26 states (in blue)

Largest populations: CA, CO, IL, LA, OH, TX


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Teachers in Alaska & 14 other states

Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Georgia, Kentucky,Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, RhodeIsland, Texas


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Notdouble dipping!

Weearned benefits from both.

Worked 2 jobs paying into 2 differentsystems, each for required time.

Should earn 2 partial retirements incomesindependent of each other.

Even Federal law taxes Social Security and

public agency pensions differently.


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Recruitment stifled

Current law not only makes it more difficultto recruit teachers, police officers and firefighters, but it penalizes the invaluablepublic servants who have already given somuch. SenatorDiane Feinstein


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Can a pensioner & familyaffordthis SS loss?

$500/month which equals.

$6,000/year which equals.$90,000 total lost in 15 years

OUCHGPO losses are oftensubstantially more!

WEP loss example

Ouch!


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Severe financial hardship

Many live below

federal poverty level.

Most widows get NO spousal benefits

Widows &divorcedwomen,& theaged.

Especially for


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Real people &GPO/WEP losses

GPO/WEP = Financial IN$ecurity

True stories:The following people or their

spousepaidthe full contributionto Social Security for 10 years andoften many more, but are deniedthe full benefit, due to GPO/WEP.


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Cheatedin Massachusetts

13 years in the military,served in war where Iearned:3 Bronze Stars for valor

Plus a Purple Heart

22 years in teaching

I am shocked to learn I willreceive virtually nothingfrom Social Security.Victim of WEP


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Penalizedin Texas

I worked both as a teacher& a registered nurse &have paid FULLY into both

Social Security & myteachers pension fund forretirement.

Must I retire inpoverty

because I worked hard inboth areas but will only befairly compensated for one? Victim of WEP


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Food stamps for teacher in Texas?

Husband in nursing home with huge copayments.

Annuity not adequate.

Full Social Security benefits would alleviate

serious need.

All because I taughtin two different states

Victim of WEP


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Facing poverty in Ohio ....Does anyone care?

A. Retire at$16,000/year.Choice

B. Work until73 forfullteachers pension.

Victim of WEP, worried about GPO

Worked 15 SS years &20 teaching years


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Trying to make ends meet in Massachusetts

However, the partial retirement Ireceive for the 16 years I taughtdisqualifies me from receiving anyof this earned dependent spousalbenefit which my husband paid for.As a divorcee I am finding it difficultto survive on a partial retirement.

Loses $1,000/monthVictim of GPO

In normal circumstances I wouldreceive Social Security benefits of$1,000/month for the 20 years Icared for my children and served as a

school/community volunteer.

Could you survive on a partial retirement?


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Dismal retirement in Illinois

My late husband & I worked a total of78professional years.

My annual retirement of$22, 392 is hardly

regal after 37years teaching.

Yet, this prevents me fromreceiving survivor benefits

from Social Security.

Victim of GPO


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Paid $90,000 in SS taxes

I will not even receive a bit ofinterestfrom this investment in my future.

Government invests my money


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Social Security is inequitable

Equity Inequity

We seek a fair system with an equal standard ofdistribution for all earned Social Security credits.


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Our GoalRepeal the GPO & WEP

Sponsor: Rep. McKeon,Howard P. Buck

116 cosponsorsin House

112th Congress

H.R. 1332To amend title II of theSocial Security Act to repeal

the Government PensionOffset & Windfall EliminationProvision.


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Cost of justiceThe cost torepeal the GPO & WEP is2% of the overall Social Security costspaid to recipients each year.

Only 2%

Information at http://www.ssa.gov/


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Why care

Financial planning

if retirement not in near future?

is part of life

Law to inform employees of GPO/WEP ONLY appliesto those hired after Jan. 1, 2005.


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Divorceis not uncommon in todays society.

Criticalto proper division of assets.

Knowledge of GPO/WEP


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Single lifestyle common

Today 1 in 4 households

Can she make end meet?


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Life is full ofsurprises

At some point, many lose their spouse. For

women, chances are high & if so, they will losemuch or all of their survivor benefits.

Is a precarious lifestyle what wewant for our family members?


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We need action now or .

GPO/WEP will continue another 30 years


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Whyshould other states care?

Todays society is mobile.

Many move from state to state &

job to job GPO/WEP affects people in every state.


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What is ssfairness.com?

A nation wide all-volunteer group ofactive & retiredpublic serviceemployees, working to REPEAL GPO/WEP.

TOGETHER, we can unlock the hold on our earned benefits.


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YOU can make a difference!Be the voice for change

and ..Do not give up!

Sign up on ssfairness.com for Action Alerts

Then.Talk, talk, talk, write, write, write!

Yes with YOUR


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Yes, with YOURHELPFairness can prevail

Togetherwe can do so much. Helen Keller

Alone we can do so little;


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Dedication

Produced byssfairness.comfor thebenefit ofallwho have dedicated theirlives to serving our country & deserve tobehonored, not demeaned for theirundying efforts. Hoping soon they willbe recognized and theirrights restored.

More than 1 million affected

Estimates vary according to source

Changes to PowerPoint Should be approved.

Documents

Social Security Fairness - WEP & GPO Explained