The Social Security Board and it's Ineptitude - Page 2

Jaspersmom · ‎06-08-2011

@phoenixbrd wrote:
School teachers are subjected to the "windfall" because they did not pay into social security while they were working.

I am a retired teacher and paid into social security. I'm in NY.

3suwm5 · ‎06-15-2016

I believe it has to do with paying into SS and the public (government) school system. Having worked with government contracts for many, many years - I'm not surprised at ANYTHING they say or do. Based on our experience, I don't believe - outside of a country-wide witnessed murder - they would be subject to any disciplinary action for a mistake.

Will you have to pay interest as well? That also wouldn't surprise me.

I feel for you, I know what it's like to try to work with those agencies.

Good Luck.

nomless · ‎03-10-2010

@Mmsfoxxie wrote:
Thanks, @nomless. I checked out the link. What I don't understand, though, is why it affects my benefit from the jobs that I did pay into. It's a penalty for working at a government linked job....and for what.

I guess an option is to an appt. with SSA, take a copy of the windfall rule, and sit down with them and ask questions. Before you can challenge the decision, you need to understand how and why it was made.

tansy · ‎01-02-2011

We followed the guidelines to dispute the amount of my husband's benefit and won. I'd make an appointment to discuss the matter.

After two years I am still amazed to see those SS deposits magically appear in the checking account

3suwm5 · ‎06-15-2016

Mmsfoxxie - for us, getting a name was useless. Everytime we got feedback and called to find out what the problem was this time. Guess what, there was another person working there, the last person left......on and on and on. If they tell you one thing, the next time you call, they tell you something else. Sometimes, it just doesn't matter who you talked with or what the discussion was about....I could go on for DAYS about government agencies.

Most of the time it is a no win situation, this is based on our experiences.

Feel so sorry for you dealing with this issue.

Mmsfoxxie · ‎06-19-2010

@3suwm5, I don't think there will be interest on it. I have to wait for the next 'letter' which is what legitimizes everything. But I paid taxes on it already!! Well, from July, 2015 to December 2015...six months. When I get my taxes done this year, I will discuss it with the tax preparer.

This is one of the reasons I worked past 65.....I liked getting a regular check, knowing you worked for it and no one can dispute that that money.

“You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore to be happy”. (By Nightbirde, singer of the song, It’s Ok)

3suwm5 · ‎06-15-2016

Mmsfoxxie - Yes, absolutely discuss with your tax accountant. Hopefully, they can do something on your taxes for 2016. Good luck getting that 'letter' this year.

Yes, indeed, why can all other 'businesses' figure it out so easily. It seems to be quite simple for most humans. MO

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

My father was a federal government employee and also worked at a second job as a waiter at a country club on weekends. his weekend job he paid into SS but his government job he did not . When he retired he was able to collect his government pension and he was eligible to collect 1/2 of what he was entitled to from SS for his waiter job. He could only get half because he was also collecting his government pension and the government considers collecting from 2 separate pensions to be a windfall.

When I retired I had worked at 2 separate employers over the 42 years of my career - I had a pension from both plus SS. I was aware of my Dad's situation so I was advised to take one pension as a full cash payout and the second one to go into an IRA and take it as a monthly payout. So that was what I did.The pension I took as a payout was all my money + what it had earned over the years it was invested. So I had paid the taxes on that money already when it was earned I only had to pay taxes on the profits it had earned. The money that I moved out of the retirement fund into an IRA was pre tax and so as it gets paid put each month it is taxed, as is SS.

While I do agree it is a rotten situation to only be eligible for half of the SS you have earned it is, in fact, the law and always has been.

Caffeina · ‎03-09-2010

@Mmsfoxxie wrote:
Thanks, @nomless. I checked out the link. What I don't understand, though, is why it affects my benefit from the jobs that I did pay into. It's a penalty for working at a government linked job....and for what.

@Mmsfoxxie, many others have felt exactly the same way for a long time, myself included. I'm a retired SSA claims examiner, and saw this happen a lot.

There are currently bills in Congress to repeal WEP and GPO. There's also a website, Social Security Fairness, The Committee to Repeal the Government Pension Offset & the Windfall Elimination Provision, www.ssfairness.com.

Kalli · ‎03-11-2010

@Jaspersmom wrote:
@phoenixbrd wrote:
School teachers are subjected to the "windfall" because they did not pay into social security while they were working.
I am a retired teacher and paid into social security. I'm in NY.

I believe some states do not take out for SS if you are teaching in the public school system. Other states do take out. PA does take SS out of public school employees paychecks.