Re: WEP/CSRS Offset

Look at it this way. If YOU were earning SS on the outside, you would be entitled to the widow's SS pension MINUS any SS payment that would be based your own employment. In other words, the widow's survival SS pension is offset dollar for dollar by any SS pension that is based on his/her own employment history. They only extended it to ALL non-Social Security covered employment including CSRS.

Re: Social security GPO

Do you really think that women who held low-salaried jobs and paid into SS for 35 years are NOT having to pinch pennies in their retirement? I have several elderly female relatives who retired in their 60's and lived to be in their 80's or 90's and were receiving less than $1,000/month in SS benefits (one was receiving less than $500/mo). They had spent their lives making do without the newest/latest/greatest and were able to save to supplement their retirement. Luckily, a couple of them worked as nurses and were able to draw pensions as well as SS.

Since most employers no longer offer pensions, it is up to the individual to save and use SS as it was intended - a supplement to their savings to fund their retirement, not as their sole source of funds during retirement. Even low-salaried folks can save if they are willing to make some sacrifices during their working years. GPO and WPO are not unfair - they just level the playing field.

Re: where do I find the substantial earnings threshold?

http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/10045.html

That link provides an informaitonal paper. Here are the substantial year numbers:

1937–1950 $900
1951–1954 $900
1955–1958 $1,050
1959–1965 $1,200
1966–1967 $1,650
1968–1971 $1,950
1972 $2,250
1973 $2,700
1974 $3,300
1975 $3,525
1976 $3,825
1977 $4,125
1978 $4,425
1979 $4,725
1980 $5,100
1981 $5,550
1982 $6,075
1983 $6,675
1984 $7,050
1985 $7,425
1986 $7,875
1987 $8,175
1988 $8,400
1989 $8,925
1990 $9,525
1991 $9,900
1992 $10,350
1993 $10,725
1994 $11,250
1995 $11,325
1996 $11,625
1997 $12,150
1998 $12,675
1999 $13,425
2000 $14,175
2001 $14,925
2002 $15,750
2003 $16,125
2004 $16,275
2005 $16,725
2006 $17,475

Re: UNFAIR LAW

If anyone worked in a job that deducted social security, just remember that paying into social security was not an option - they just (stole) took your money, and then will not give you anything in return. The joke is on us!!!!

Re: UNFAIR LAW

By this argument, only the people who contributed into SS should be able to draw SS, and then only to the extent that they themselves contributed. So, for a woman whose husband worked and contributed to SS while she stayed at home raising the kids, when her husband dies, she should not be able to draw anything, because she didn't contribute, right?

By the same argument, someone who pays into SS should only be able to draw out - at the maximum - the same amount they contributed. So, if you retire in your 60's (having contributed $50,000 over all your work years) and live into your 90's, you should only be able to draw out the $50,000 plus interest at maybe 3% APY. Of course it doesn't work like that. Some people die before they can ever draw a penny, and others live and continue to draw money long after THEIR contributions have been paid to them.

Be grateful your employer will have the funds to pay your pension as long as you live, and stop complaining.

Re: UNFAIR LAW

Join NARFE to repeal this law!