Thread: Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Social Security

Social Security and You: GPO and Social Security

Published 12:25 p.m., Friday, September 16, 2011

Question: My wife and I started receiving Social Security when we turned 66. She was still working for the school district at that time, but her employment did not count against her since she was already 66. She retired earlier this year, and she began receiving her Teacher Retirement annuity. Now her Social Security benefits as a wife have stopped. Can you explain this?

Answer: It sounds like your wife worked for a school district that did not pay into Social Security. The district only paid into the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) of Texas. Once she started receiving her TRS annuity, it affected the amount that she can receive as your wife. This is known as the Government Pension Offset (GPO).

The GPO can reduce and even stop the benefit that a wife can receive from her husband's Social Security record. This is because the Social Security benefit she receives as a wife is affected by an amount equal to two-thirds of her monthly TRS annuity.

For example, if she receives $900 a month from TRS, then two-thirds of that is $600. This means that $600 is subtracted from the benefit that she gets on your record. If she is receiving $500 as a wife, then it will stop because we have to subtract the $600 from it. Since two-thirds of the TRS is more than her Social Security as a wife, she no longer qualifies for the wife's benefit.

She can check back into this later if she becomes a widow. This is because she would be eligible as a widow, and the survivor benefit rate is higher than the benefit rate she can receive as a wife. We would still apply the two-thirds reduction because of the GPO, but the two-thirds would be subtracted from the benefit as a widow which is a higher amount than what is payable as a wife.

For example, suppose she can get $1,500 as a widow on your record. She still is receiving her TRS of $900 a month. We still subtract two-thirds of her monthly TRS, or $600 in this example, from the $1,500 benefit as a widow. That leaves her $900 in Social Security benefits as a widow. Therefore, she would receive a partial benefit as a widow.

You can read more about the GPO at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10007.html .

Q: How long does it take for your Social Security check to start after you file? Do you file six months before you decide to retire?

A: If you want checks to start as early as possible, then that is at age 62. If so, then you can apply as early as three months before the month you are 62. If you apply before you are 62, this helps to ensure that everything will be set up for the first month that you are 62 throughout the month.

If you are past age 62, then you should look into starting your benefits as soon as you are thinking about it. Otherwise, you could be losing possible benefits that you could have received. If you are older than age 62, benefits can start almost right away if you meet all the requirements.

Generally, it is a fast process to get your paperwork finalized. Some people do that on the same day they visit us to apply for benefits or shortly after they apply online or by telephone.

It all starts by going to our website at www.socialsecurity.gov or by calling 800-772-1213. You can call any Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. to make an appointment. It is best to call during the first or last hour. You will be able to select a day and time, usually within seven to 10 days from when you call, for your appointment. On the day of the appointment, you can wait for us to call you at home or work, or you can come into the office.

You may want to read the booklet, “Retirement Benefits,â€

Oscar Garcia is a public affairs specialist with the Social Security Administration. You can direct your questions to him at SSA, 411 Richland Hills Drive, San Antonio, TX 78245. You also can email him directly at Oscar.h.garcia@ssa.gov .


Hey Oscar Garcia how many illegals are getting social security ?