Hello Mr. Kotlikoff,

Due to being an Educator in an affected state for 10 years, I "only" have 29 years of SS Substantial Earnings, meaning I'm subject to a low monthly WEP Penalty if I retire in 2021 until I pass. For this and some other reasons, I'm putting it off until 2022. I want my last year of working in 2021 (before Retirement) to be in a 1099 Independent Contractor-type of Job, specifically as a Courier. Two related questions, please:

I turned 69 years old on Oct. 8, 2020. I am not a US citizen, I have not worked in the USA, I am a resident outside the USA, my country has no social security agreement with the USA. I worked in my country as a teacher and has retired a long time ago. My husband died recently from a service connected disease so I qualify for the survivor benefit even if I am not a US citizen and Not a US resident. My question is whether my survivor benefit will still be affected by WEP and GOP given that my own retirement benefit was from my own government work.

My wife is retired and receives a pension from the County of Los Angeles. During her working years, she had a small business and contributed enough to qualify for Social Security. She started her Social Security benefit at 62 and it was substantially reduced by WEP. I am 60 and will retire within the next five years. My FRA is 67. I am retired from the USMC and receive a pension from the military. I know I will get my Social Security benefits when I retire from my current job but can my wife's benefit be increased based on the spousal benefit?

Hi,

Hello,
I will retire from teaching in a public school in Ohio with STRS after 35 years next year. My wife paid into social security for the past 40 years. I haven't paid much into SS so do not expect to receive any at age 65. However, I want to make sure my wife is able to recieve all of Social Security she earned through her own work. Am I correct to assume that WEP or GOP will not affect her own SS? Wiil she stop getting her own social security if I pass away and she becomes the beneficiery of my STRS pension?

I worked many years in Uruguay before moving to US. Now I get to the necessary age to retire there for those years.
Now I am a US citizen and I have worked here enough to get my SS retirement. Is my retirement amount in US going to be reduce since I have the one in Uruguay. I am a citizen of both countries.
thanks for your explanation

Hi,

Hello. I am a retired public safety employee whose employer had a 401K defined compensation retirement program but did not pay Social Security on my earnings. Previously I had 21 yrs of substantial earning giving me a monthly benefit. Initially I when I retired I did not draw against the 401K. The account contained amounts from my employer and from me above the amount that was required by the employer.

I worked in Canada for 14 years and receive a CPP pension; and, I've worked in the US and receive max SS pension available since did not apply for US SS until I turned 70 yrs. (NB: I'm a US citizen & Canadian Landed Immigrant.)

Hi Larry,
I have what I think is a simple question.
I have 30 years of work and paying into the government pension system in Belgium. I will receive the Belgian pension at age 66, this is set in stone and there is no way to start that earlier for me.
I also have 10 years of paying into US social security and can start collecting that at 62.
I no longer work in either country.

My wife's benefits were reduced due to her government pension. When she began to take the spousal benefit based on my records they reduced the spousal benefit also by 2/3. So in effect the WEP was taken on both benefits. Is that correct? I had used your program for years, but now don't have it since getting benefits but this issue came up.

Hi,