Social Security & Medicare Q&A: Why Didn't I Receive All of My Husband's Social Security Benefit?

Q:  I recently became a widow.  Although I receive a monthly $600 school teacher pension, I thought I would receive my deceased husband’s Social Security benefits.  His monthly benefit was $850, but I got just $450.  Why didn’t I get the entire amount?

A:  You are affected by a federal law that reduces a person’s Social Security benefits when you also receive a pension from a state or local government, the Government Pension Offset (GPO).  The GPO reduces a person’s Social Security spouse or survivors benefits (in your case the widow’s benefit based on your deceased husband’s account) by an amount equal to two-thirds of your own public pension.  Thus, two-thirds of your monthly $600 pension is $400.  Social Security subtracts $400 from your husband’s $850, leaving you with a widow’s benefit of just $450 per month, about half of what you were expecting.

As many as 90% of women whose spouses are still living lose their entire spousal benefit due to the GPO.  For example, if your husband were still living, you may have been eligible for a Social Security spousal benefit of $425.  But because of the GPO, it would have been reduced to just $25 per month.  This offset can be most harsh for those who can least afford it—lower income women.

Another type of reduction affects persons entitled to both a public pension from work for a state or local government and who also worked long enough under a job covered by Social Security.  The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) changes the formula used to figure benefit amounts.  While private sector retirees receive monthly Social Security benefits equal to 90% of their first $561 in average monthly career earnings, government pensioners are only allowed to receive 40%, for a penalty of $280 per month. 

To read about legislation that would change this inequity, see “Congressional Corner from Representative John Shimkus: Seniors Deserve Their Full Earned Benefits” at http://www.tscl.org/NewContent/101973.asp.

For more information about this and other questions you may have about your Social Security benefits, call Social Security’s Toll-Free Number 1-800-772-1213.  Call 24 hours a day, weekends and holidays.  To speak with a representative, call between 7am and 7pm Monnday-Friday.  TTY 1-800-325-0778. Internet: http://www.ssa.gov.

September 2003

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