When I retire, my monthly Social Security benefit will be reduced approximately by two-thirds per month. The GPO allows Social Security to use a formula that eliminates the money I receive off of my husband’s Social Security record, and the WEP allows Social Security to use a formula that reduces the money that I receive off of my own Social Security record.
These reductions unfairly penalize Americans who worked in both a private- and public-sector job and paid into both Social Security and a public pension. Since Congress enacted legislation in 1977 and 1983 to reduce Social Security benefits to individuals through the GPO and the WEP, women with careers divided equally between private- and public-sector jobs have been severely affected.
Now is our opportunity to repeal these provisions. The Social Security Fairness Act of 2011 was introduced in the House of Representatives to repeal the GPO and WEP. If you are affected, contact your representatives.
Sandra J. Kidwell
Butler Twp.