For additional information and information from the Social Security Administration: www.ssa.gov/gpo-wep

WEP / GFO Information

Last Update:

The Social Security Fairness Act of 2003 (HR 594) has been filed by Rep Buck McKeon and Rep. Howard Berman, both Democrats from California. This bill has 103 cosponsors with the number growing. (It is identical to HR 2638 from last congress) Senator Diane Feinstein (D-CA) has introduced the same legislation in the senate as SB 349. Now is the time to write to your congressperson expressing your thoughts on these bills. AK-REA thanks NEA/AK-R for the information in their newsletter, and for the effort they are putting forward to help alleviate this issue. More can be read at http://www.nea.org/socialsecurity  For latest update.  NOTE: Only Senator Lisa Murkowski is a co-sponsor for Alaska.

 FALL

Two laws exist that may reduce your Social Security benefits. If you worked for a federal, state, or local government where you did not pay Social Security taxes, the pension you receive from that agency may reduce the Social Security benefits for which you are qualified. One of them is the Government Pension Offset.

This Government Pension Offset (GPO) affects many retired public school and higher education employees and impacts any spousal benefits for which you may be qualified. The GPO reduces you spousal benefit by 2/3 of the amount you receive from your retirement pension.

The WEP effects the way your  own Social Security retirement or disability benefits are figured. For more information about  this Windfall Elimination Provision, contact Social Security for a fact sheet: A Pension From Work Not Covered By Social Security (Publication No. 05-10045).

Recently, California Representatives Howard Berman (D) and Howard "Buck"McKEon (R) introduced legislation that would completely repeal both provisions (HR 848). Representative John E. Baldacci of Maine is also actively supporting passage of legislation that will restrict or repeal both the WEP and the GPO.

Other groups  working for change in these laws are the NEA including NEA/Alaska, who at their 2001 Delegate Assembly adopted a new item officially opposing both the GPO and WEP. The delegate from Maine introduced it. The Alaska Chapter of AFSCME (American Federation of  State, County and Municipal Employees) is also involved in the fight.

The Coalition to Preserve Retirement Security has further information at http://www.retirementsecurity.org

After reviewing this information, interested individuals may want to write a letter to their U.S. Senators and members of the House of Representative and ask them to support a total repeal of the Government Pension Offset.

You can contact your Alaskan congressman at the following addresses or link to their individual WebPages via the State of Alaska page at www.state.ak.us. Click 'departments', then 'Congressional Delegation'.

Honorable Ted Stevens
senator_stevens@stevens.senate.gov
U.S.Senate
522 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, D.C. 20510
http://stevens.senate.gov

Honorable Lisa Murkowski                         NOTE: Only Senator Lisa Murkowski is a co-sponsor for Alaska,
email@murkowski.senate.gov               of The Social Security Fairness Act of  (HR 594)
U.S.Senate
322 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, D.C. 20510
http://murkowski.senate.gov

Honorable Don Young
don.young@mail.house.gov
U.S. House of Representatives
2111 Rayburn House Office Bldg
Washington D.C. 20515
http://www.house.gov/donyoung/

This is the Sample letter that has been sent to the congressmen by many Alaskan retired educators.

SAMPLE LETTER

Dear [Congressman],

        I am [name, address] and I am a retired Alaskan Educator living in [where you are] As such I have been denied my full Social Security benefits under the [offset or windfall] provisions of the law. Educators in thirteen other states are also penalized by those regulations as well as state employees, State Police and Federal Workers.

    [Tell your story briefly. Emphasize time worked OUT OF EDUCATION or to supplement a low teacher's income]

        Colleagues in other states are permitted both their teaching pensions and their Social Security. Persons who retired from private industry are allowed to draw on both, also. I respectfully request that you work to repeal the Offset and Windfall provisions of the Social Security Law and regain equity for the people retiring in the twenty-first century.

Sincerely,