I just turned 70 and retired rrom ministry where I did not pay social security....i have been receiving small ss check for 3 years (590 a month) from work before seminary and pt job while in ministry. Does that ss check go down now that I receive minister retirement? Thanks in advance..

Hi,

Not if the pension you receive is based on services you performed as a minister. There's a Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) that can cause a person to receive a lower Social Security retirement benefit rate if they also receive a pension based on their earnings that were exempt from Social Security taxes, but pensions based on service as a minister are excepted from that provision (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300605362).

Best, Jerry