I applied for both SS benefits and CPP to be effective Jan 1, 2023. Both were approved in January, and when CPP is subjected to WEP, however, the deduction in SS is higher by about $71US than one half of the CPP benefit after being converted to $US. This appears to be a result of SSA relying on the Web Calculator to arrive at WEP PIA, rather than simply subtracting 50% of the CPP in $US from the PIA.

Can you advise how to approach SSA to reconcile $71 a month difference in benefit? It is a substantial amount over the life time.

Thank you.

SS

Hi. The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) guarantee formula is more complex than simply subtracting 50% of your non-covered pension amount from your U.S. Social Security benefit rate. The specific calculations involved are outlined in the following section of Social Security's operations manual: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300605370.

With regard to the foreign exchange rate, if your first month of concurrent eligibility to CPP and U.S. Social Security was January 2023, Social Security should use the exchange rate in effect on January 1 2023. Links to the calculator(s) used can be found in part D of the following section of Social Security's operations manual: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300605372.

I can't tell you whether or not the math was done correctly in your case, but if you think that your benefit rate may have been incorrectly computed then filing an appeal would probably be your best recourse (https://www.ssa.gov/apply/appeal-decision-we-made).

Best, Jerry