Federal Agency Estimates Over a Year for Execution of WEP and GPO Abolition
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has recently issued advice for individuals who are non-covered pension recipients and have not applied for Social Security survivor benefits. This advice comes as a result of the upcoming repeal of the government pension offset and the windfall elimination provision, which could potentially increase the benefits for some recipients.
The SSA anticipates that it will take more than a year to fully implement the Social Security Fairness Act, which includes the repeal of these provisions. The Act is retroactive to January 2024.
The government pension offset reduces spousal and survivor Social Security benefits in families with retired government workers. Similarly, the windfall elimination provision affects over 2 million retired public servants, reducing their Social Security benefits if they also have careers in the private sector.
Many beneficiaries see their entire benefit eclipsed by the government pension offset, while 750,000 spouses and survivors are affected. The SSA advises these individuals to file an application for survivors' benefits if they haven't already, and to review their mailing address and direct deposit information on file with SSA to ensure they receive their updated benefits correctly due to the repeal of the government pension offset.
The SSA's advice to file for survivor benefits sooner is based on the potential increase in benefits due to the repeal of the government pension offset. Some non-covered pension recipients who have not applied for Social Security survivor benefits may have never done so due to the government pension offset reducing or eliminating their benefits.
The SSA is currently operating under a continuing resolution, severely restricting hiring. This, combined with a 50-year staffing low, could potentially lead to delays in the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act.
The Federal Ministry of Finance (Bundesfinanzministerium) has also announced that it could take more than a year to implement the regulatory changes involving the abolition of two controversial tax provisions that have reduced the pensions of federal employees.
In conclusion, the Social Security Administration advises individuals who are non-covered pension recipients and have not applied for Social Security survivor benefits to consider doing so in light of the upcoming repeal of the government pension offset and the windfall elimination provision. The SSA also advises beneficiaries to review their mailing address and direct deposit information to ensure they receive their updated benefits correctly.
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