Senate advances bill to eliminate some Social Security limitations for public workers

The Senate on Thursday advanced a measure to increase Social Security benefits for more than two million Americans by eliminating two laws that limit the payouts that state and local public workers receive.

The legislation repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which combined limit the retirement income of state and local government workers and their spouses who receive money from a separate public pension. These include police officers, firefighters, and teachers

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Senate advances bill to eliminate some Social Security benefits for public workers

The Social Security Fairness Act, if sign into law, would repeal provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for Americans who also receive pension income from jobs in the public sector.

justthenews.com

 

[1LoverofGod]

After Lying That Trump Wants to Cut Social Security, Dems Rush Bill That Will Cut Benefits – Need Biden to Sign Before Trump Arrives​

The Social Security Fairness Act aims to repeal provisions that reduce payouts to public sector employees like police officers, firefighters, teachers, and post workers. The Mail cites The Committee for a Responsible Budget in their article, and that group states this would make Social Security insolvent six months earlier than current projections by giving increased benefits to 3 million people who paid into their state or local pensions that did not pay Social Security.

The CRFB also states, “As a result, we estimate a typical dual-income couple retiring in 2033 would see their benefits cut by an additional $25,000 over their lifetime.”

The think tank says if Social Security runs out of money under this bill, as much as $400,000 in benefits would be lost for the average couple. CRFB states the cost for the bill over the next decade — citing the Congressional Budget Office — would be $190 billion.

Despite this appearing to be an expansion of Social Security, it is a short-term payoff for some that will ultimately be incredibly costly.
Under Democrats’ bill, cuts will be made, and insolvency will be sped up.

Complete Article

After Lying That Trump Wants to Cut Social Security, Dems Rush Bill That Will Cut Benefits - Need Biden to Sign Before Trump Arrives

After repeatedly accusing the president-elect of wanting to cut Social Security, Democrats new bill would do just that.

www.thegatewaypundit.com

 

[1LoverofGod]

Senate Passes Social Security Fairness Act, Impacting Millions of Public Servants​

In a landmark move early Saturday, the U.S. Senate approved the Social Security Fairness Act with an overwhelming bipartisan vote of 76-20. This legislation aims to repeal two long-standing provisions, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which have reduced Social Security benefits for nearly 3 million public service retirees.

The bill, which was put forward by outgoing Republican Congressman Garrett Graves of Louisiana, originally passed the House 327 to 75 (with one voting present). It now heads to President Joe Biden's desk.

What Changes with This Bill?​

The WEP and GPO provisions have historically penalized public service workers such as teachers, police officers, firefighters, and postal workers by limiting the Social Security benefits they or their families can receive if they also collect public pensions. According to the Congressional Budget Office, nearly 2 million beneficiaries are affected by the WEP, while around 800,000 are impacted by the GPO.

If signed into law by President Biden, as expected, the legislation will restore full Social Security benefits to these individuals and their families, effective immediately for benefits payable after December 2023. Proponents of the bill argue this correction is long overdue.

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https://redstate.com/joesquire/2024/12/21/senate-passes-social-security-fairness-act-impacting-millions-of-public-servants-n2183493

 

[Tall Timbers]

If I understand this correctly, they're going to give social security to people who didn't pay in to social security, or at least didn't during the bulk of their career. They didn't pay into social security because they had a public sector retirement plan that was quite good. I suspect there is some fowl play at work here.

 

[Ghoti Ichthus]

The Senate on Thursday advanced a measure to increase Social Security benefits for more than two million Americans by eliminating two laws that limit the payouts that state and local public workers receive.

The legislation repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which combined limit the retirement income of state and local government workers and their spouses who receive money from a separate public pension. These include police officers, firefighters, and teachers

More

Senate advances bill to eliminate some Social Security benefits for public workers

The Social Security Fairness Act, if sign into law, would repeal provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for Americans who also receive pension income from jobs in the public sector.

justthenews.com

I think there's a problem if someone's SS, that he or she paid into and earned from his or her job(s), is reduced because of a spouse's employment or retirement plan. Different story if giving benefits to people, who didn't pay for them.

and by the way . . . illegal immigrants/migrants . . .

 

[Hol]

Double dipping?

Rather than using SS as a welfare bottomless pit, why can’t we reduce authorization for withdrawals to only those who paid in?

 

[Tall Timbers]

Double dipping?

Rather than using SS as a welfare bottomless pit, why can’t we reduce authorization for withdrawals to only those who paid in?

If I'm understanding this bill correctly, which may have passed in Congress already, when a spouse dies who had a social security benefit, this bill provided the surviving spouse a higher level of social security than it did previously.. The surviving spouse would be a person who didn't qualify for social security because their employer was required to apply the social security tax because they offered a nice retirement package that the govmint accepted in lieu of social security. So the people this benefits in most cases already have a really nice retirement package and didn't have to pay into social security. Granted there are spousal benefits, but in these cases... I don't know.

 

[Hol]

If I'm understanding this bill correctly, which may have passed in Congress already, when a spouse dies who had a social security benefit, this bill provided the surviving spouse a higher level of social security than it did previously.. The surviving spouse would be a person who didn't qualify for social security because their employer was required to apply the social security tax because they offered a nice retirement package that the govmint accepted in lieu of social security. So the people this benefits in most cases already have a really nice retirement package and didn't have to pay into social security. Granted there are spousal benefits, but in these cases... I don't know.

Thanks for clarifying TT.

I have an elderly widow friend. She retired from the Post Office, her husband retired from working as an accountant. After he died she was angry that his SS was terminated. That was over five years ago and she’s doing very well.

I qualify to collect half of my ex-husband’s benefit now and 80% if I survive him. He is remarried so she’s entitled to 100% if she survives him. (I’m not certain if she could get 100%, but I think so). Should he die before us, SS would pay 180% of his monthly amount.

Personally I don’t think that’s fair, unless it’s on a case by case basis. For example, I have two neighbors who, like me qualify for their ex-spouse’s SS. Both men remarried and have died. Neighbor #1 didn’t have many years of gainful employment, and #2 had a career in the insurance industry. Both of my neighbors are collecting 80% and for #1, she needs it.

If SS had been limited to only paying out to individuals who paid in, people would have followed different strategies for things like death benefits or divorce. In my case I saved in my 401k and prayed lots because it is tough to retire as a divorced single. I’m not taking my ex’s SS.