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What is the Social Security Offset?

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) reduces the earned Social Security benefits of an individual who also receives public pension from a job not covered by Social Security. This affects people who worked both as public employees in jobs not covered by Social Security and in jobs where they earned Social Security benefits. WEP affects educators who do not earn Social Security from their jobs in public schools, but who work during the summer in jobs covered by Social Security. It also affects people who change careers, moving from jobs where they earned Social Security benefits to one where they do not. The WEP causes public employees outside the Social Security system to lose up to sixty per cent of their Social Security benefits.

The Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduces public employees Social Security spousal or survivor benefits by an amount equal to two-thirds of their public pension. Spousal and survivor benefits are available to any person whose retired or deceased spouse worked at a job in which he or she earned Social Security benefits. The GPO reduces or eliminates these benefits. Estimates indicate that 9 out of 10 public employees affected by the GPO lose their entire spousal benefits, even though their deceased spouse paid Social Security taxes for many years.

Congress can pass legislation to repeal the GPO and WEP.

To contact your lawmakers visit the CTA website: www.cta.org, click on "Politics and Legislation", then "Legislative Action Center", then "Write Your California Reps" link. Write to your representative or senator today!

Students Visit KTLA
A group of lucky students had the chance to visit KTLA television studios and appear on the morning news. The trip was organized by Carol Falin, SBTA Board of Directors-Elementary, whose son works for the station. The kids and The Cat in the Hat had an opportunity to see the behind the scenes workings of a television news studio and be part of the newscast. Everyone had a great day!