Ebor24

That is true and is why I plan to file asap

Ebor24

Has anyone completed Form SSA-308 when declaring their U.K. State pension? It is critical to complete it correctly to ensure that only the non-covered years of employment are used to determine WEP.

"Enter the entire period(s) of employment or self-employment upon which your pension is based. Provide specific dates. Enter a "?" if some information is unknown"

The Statement of United Kingdom National Insurance bases your pension on the tax years which run from 4/6 to 4/5 of the next year. I find it difficult to remember exact dates of my employment in the U.K. I know the months but not the exact days. It was only 3 years from 1975 to 1978. Should I enter the tax year dates which would be 4/6/75 to 4/5/78. It seems to me to be more logical to use the tax years. Anyone have an opinion on this?

geoffrey.shipton

I think I have read this entire thread but I am still confused (it happens a lot recently)I am 67 and about to retire, I recently applied for both my UK pension and US SS Retirement benefits. I worked full-time in the UK until 1997 (32 years so I have all the needed credits there) - I have worked in the US full time for the past 18 years so in theory I also qualify here for full retirement benefits. On the (huge!) UK application I gave my US SSN as required and on my online SSA application I entered that was eligible and applying for my UK pension.Will I get both? Will I fall foul of the Windfall thing?Many thanks,Geoff

Westham

My understanding is that unless you have a recorded income you paid social security taxes on for a minimum of 30 years in the U.S. a % of your social security will be subject to being wepped due to reported UK state pension income.

lansbury

You will be subject to WEP on you SS pension. As you have 20 years or less SS contributions you will be subject to the maximum WEP. https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf

Ebor24

Its hard to describe the U.K. State pension as a a windfall but it can have an impact on social security benefits. As others here have indicated that proportion of the U.K. pension based on earnings is used in the WEP calculation unless one has 30 years of contributions to social security. Voluntary contributions such as Class 3 cannot be used for WEP. There is a WEP calculator which is useful.https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/anyPiaWepjs04.html.

adeelmbridgeUK

After having taken a few days to read through (currently) 69 pages of this very interesting thread I have decided to become member. Hello to all.
Excellent questions, and discussions posted, and very enlightening. So also my commendations to all.

My brief situation:
I am UK citizen and resident.
I was US resident 2001 -2014 and GC holder 2005-2014 (expatriated back to UK in 2014), so have about 13 qualifying years SS from employment in US during that time.
Reach UK pension age this May, entitled to respective full US SS in 2016 (when 66).

My question relates to the recent post below by lansbury ( I have added bold):

Question re above: please clarify is your spouse SS pension 50% of your wife's WEPed amount, or pre(without)WEP? If the latter how so? I thought spouse pension would be 50% of WEPed amount ( unless or until spouse is widow/widower of primary), or am I mistaken ?

I ask as in due course I will apply for SS and my wife will be entitled to spouse pension ( she does not have any eligible SS years of her own). This will be based on my SS years, and my SS pension amount will be subject to WEP when I take my UK OAP which comes from 30+ years of earned income while employed UK up to 2001. So I am very interested in the basis for the pension she will get ( and even more, so is she!).

lansbury

My pension is 50% less the WEP of the pension my wife would have received if she had waited until 66 to claim. She in fact claimed when she was 65.

My pension was not further subject to WEP after it was calculated based on my wife's contributions, and no account was taken of the UK pensions I receive.

austin98

Advice needed for a friend re UK Pension and US Social Security.

My friend moved from the UK to Fl some 2 years ago. She is a PR. She qualified for Social Security through her ex. She also receives UK pension. Social security and UK pension is her only income. She has yet to file her taxes. The key question is will her US/UK pension be subject to WEP on the assumption her total income is in the circa of $13,000. Any help would be appreciated.

durham_lad

The WEP applies to the person who earned the US SS so I do not believe your friend will not be subject to her spousal SS being reduced by WEP. See Lansbury's post just above where his spousal SS is not subject to WEP, even though his wife's is.

austin98

Thanks durham for a speedy reply. I will relay the info to her.

theOAP

I am a USC and also a UKC. I have lived in the UK for many years. I have 18 years of US SS. I started taking US SS 8 years ago. My wife is a UKC only, and never lived or worked in the US. She is, however, entitled to a US SS spousal pension, and has been receiving it for several years.

My US SS pension is WEPed. Her spousal benefit is 1/2 of my WEPed pension amount.

durham_lad

You are welcome. My SS will be WEP'ed when I take it but by wife will be able to claim spousal SS at 50% of my WEP'ed amount, assuming the rules are the same in 7 years time.

adeelmbridgeUK

Thanks very much for your experience/information which fully answers my question -very helpful.

adeelmbridgeUK

Thanks for quick answer -also likewise answered by durham_lad #1033; ie spouse pension 50% of primary's WEPed ( for spouse at FRA, would be less for younger).
For me I may need to do a few scenario/spreadsheet calcs over several years on respective ages taking SS/UK OAP. Probably break evens will end up fairly similar so decision more down to personal needs of when these incomes needed.
nb there was spreadsheet on this theme that was posted on earlier page by someone, I forget who, but I previously downloaded it, so this will be useful.