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Why Does My Canadian Pension Affect My Social Security Benefit Rate?

Hi Larry I will be turning 66 in March 2017 I went to the social security office where I live and applied for my social security, I was honest with my answers and when asked am I getting another pension from another country I said a small one from Canada, the agent said she would have to take that off what I am going to get I don't think that is fair seeing as though I have filed and paid taxes in both countries and paid into both Canada pension plan and social security for 36 years what can I do so they give me what I have put in

Hi,

Due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), if you receive a pension based on work that was exempt from US Social Security taxes, your Social Security benefit rate is reduced unless you meet one of the exceptions to WEP (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/wep-chart.html). You can appeal Social Security's determination to apply WEP in your case, but that's unlikely to help you unless you do meet one of the exceptions (https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf).

Best, Jerry

Posted: 
Jan 14 2017 - 6:45am
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