Brief Update on Recent Social Security Changes
The following information was provided to the Lodge by The Retirement and Investment Group, LLC
The removal of the windfall elimination provision means officers will be treated the same as all others. Here are some of the key points:
- For people that had been subject to reduced benefits due to WEP, about 75% of retroactive benefits (back to Jan 2024) have already been paid out.
- If a retired officer is of SS age and has never filed for SS for their own benefits, or spousal benefits, they are eligible to receive 6 months of retroactive benefits when they are approved for benefits.
- If an officer does not have enough credits to receive SS benefits, they can still claim for spousal benefits (50% of the spouses PIA) if their spouse receives SS.
There are many nuances to social security benefits. It is best to go to a Social Security office to get the best answers.