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For Federal Retirees affected by WEP and GPO - Government Executive
H.R. 82 – The Social Security Fairness Act – was signed into law earlier this week, eliminating Social Security’s Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions reduced Social Security benefits for anyone with a “non-covered” pension, such as pensions received by older Federal employees who retired under the previous Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Those who retired under “CSRS” will soon see their Social Security benefit (earned separate from their government employment) increase.
This is obviously great news for many who worked for the Federal Government for years and who also worked separately in a job where they also earned Social Security. The new law will remove the Social Security reduction to their current SS benefit, thus increasing their monthly Social Security payment. It’s important to note that this does not affect newer Federal employees who retire under the newer Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) – only older retirees under the CSRS program are affected (and for clarity, the Social Security Fairness Act also affects other state and local government retirees in a positive way). Nevertheless, many older Federal retirees stand to gain financially by elimination of the WEP and GPO provisions. In this special edition of the Government Executive, Tammy Flanigan explains how Federal CSRS retirees are affected by the this new law, and includes an informative Q&A section specific to affected Federal retirees. Click here to read this Government Executive article.
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If a federal CSRS retiree died after the law went into effect, will their heirs or estate get the offset lump sum payment they were due?
Loree,
The recent “Social Security Fairness Act” repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) rules of Social Security. If the CSRS retiree died after the new law was enacted on January 6, 2025, they may still be entitled to some retroactive benefits for a period of time prior to their death (the new bill provided additional benefits retroactive to January 2024). Those benefits would likely be available to the deceased person’s estate, in particular the decedent’s spouse. I suggest that the executor of the deceased person’s estate contact the Social Security Administration at 1.800.772.1213, provide the Social Security number and the decedent’s death certificate, to see how retroactive benefits for the deceased persons estate should be handled.
Russell Gloor
Certified Social Security Advisor
The AMAC Foundation
I am not eligible for survivor benefits due to HR82. I retired under CSRS system with 30 years of service. I do not have enough quarters of coverage under SSA on my own record to get anything. I filed for survivor benefits in January and was approved to GPO. I have been having Medicare Part B premium taken out of my OPM annuity and now covered under SSA. The claims rep from SSA said Medicare will taken out of SSA check.
Received my first SSA monthly check today and they withheld Part B deduction, and they also took Part B deduction out of OPM Annuity. I was told when I filed for survivor benefits under SSA, that they would withhold the Medicare premium. What should I do? I called the SSA field office and they said to call OPM and let them know what happened and tell them to no longer withhold from my OPM annuity since SSA will be doing that. Having trouble getting through to OPM.
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You may try to reach out to Medicare at 1-800-633-4227 to see if they must submit the paperwork to stop your Part B premium from being withheld from your OPM Annuity.
I am totally confused. I retired as a CSRS Offset employee. OPM reduced my federal pension NOT my Social Security benefits based on the WEP calculations. Will the Social Security Fairness Act impact my Federal retirement benefits?
Valrie
This is a question you have to ask OPM. I suggest you call OPM at 1-888-767-6738 or email them at retire@opm.gov.
If you have further questions or comments, please feel free to contact us directly at 1.888.750.2622, or email us at SSadvisor@amacfoundation.org. We look forward every day to assisting those with questions about Social Security.
Sharon Kleczka
Social Security Advisor
The AMAC Foundation
About time!!!