WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
Sep 16th 2018, 9:14 pm
#1
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 6
WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
Hello,
It's been a while since I visited the forum, but I am hoping that someone may have sorted through a similar situation to my own. I am British by birth and married to an American, I have lived in the U.S. for many years and was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2000. I also retroactively paid my National Insurance stamps and am currently collecting my British pension (not liking the exchange rate BTW). I have also qualified for U.S. Social Security (SS) benefits, but I am still working and have not applied for them. I understand the effect of WEP on my SS benefits, but my question is would WEP be applied to my SS benefits if I were to collect them as Spousal Benefits, based on my husband's benefits? The spousal benefits are significantly higher than my own, even before the WEP decrements are applied. Getting answers from the SS Administration has proven difficult, but we have been told verbally that Spousal Benefits are not "WEP'd." We do not want to make a decision based solely on verbal assurances. A related question is if I were to retire and collect a WEP-reduced benefit, when my husband retires and I switch to the Spousal Benefit, would the WEP go away? Or would we have be stuck with it?
In advance, thanks for any help any of you may be able to provide. Our predicament is surely not that unique . . .
Regards,
Sandra
It's been a while since I visited the forum, but I am hoping that someone may have sorted through a similar situation to my own. I am British by birth and married to an American, I have lived in the U.S. for many years and was naturalized as a U.S. citizen in 2000. I also retroactively paid my National Insurance stamps and am currently collecting my British pension (not liking the exchange rate BTW). I have also qualified for U.S. Social Security (SS) benefits, but I am still working and have not applied for them. I understand the effect of WEP on my SS benefits, but my question is would WEP be applied to my SS benefits if I were to collect them as Spousal Benefits, based on my husband's benefits? The spousal benefits are significantly higher than my own, even before the WEP decrements are applied. Getting answers from the SS Administration has proven difficult, but we have been told verbally that Spousal Benefits are not "WEP'd." We do not want to make a decision based solely on verbal assurances. A related question is if I were to retire and collect a WEP-reduced benefit, when my husband retires and I switch to the Spousal Benefit, would the WEP go away? Or would we have be stuck with it?
In advance, thanks for any help any of you may be able to provide. Our predicament is surely not that unique . . .
Regards,
Sandra
Sep 16th 2018, 11:49 pm
#2
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukie, Oregon
Posts: 9,965
Re: WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
I get spousal benefit and it is not subject to WEP. There is a slight difference in my situation in that my wife, the USC, also has a UK pension so her SS was reduced by WEP. But spousal benefit isn’t.
As to your second question about claiming first on your own account I don’t know what happens in those circumstances. I take it you don’t have 30 years of qualifying SS contributions?
As to your second question about claiming first on your own account I don’t know what happens in those circumstances. I take it you don’t have 30 years of qualifying SS contributions?
Last edited by lansbury; Sep 16th 2018 at 11:53 pm.
Sep 18th 2018, 6:47 pm
#3
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 6
Re: WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
I get spousal benefit and it is not subject to WEP. There is a slight difference in my situation in that my wife, the USC, also has a UK pension so her SS was reduced by WEP. But spousal benefit isn’t.
As to your second question about claiming first on your own account I don’t know what happens in those circumstances. I take it you don’t have 30 years of qualifying SS contributions?
As to your second question about claiming first on your own account I don’t know what happens in those circumstances. I take it you don’t have 30 years of qualifying SS contributions?
Sep 18th 2018, 7:21 pm
#4
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,383
Re: WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
When I retired my husband's social security benefits were increased due to claiming on mine that portion was not affected by WEP
Sep 19th 2018, 4:31 pm
#5
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 78
Re: WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
Don't mean to hijack this thread from the original poster but also interested to learn about WEP as been meaning to ask for a while. Dual Citizen, receiving US SS(have not worked for 30 years) . I get $1090 and wife $590 per month.
Contacted UK Pensions and they sent me an estimation of what I could receive and going back last year it stood at roughly £172.00 per week and they also told me that my wife also qualifies for 60% of what I get.
My question is, can you please tell me on the figures that I have given you what SS here will deduct from my $1090.00 or will they deduct the combined amount(my wife's as well?)
Thx.
Contacted UK Pensions and they sent me an estimation of what I could receive and going back last year it stood at roughly £172.00 per week and they also told me that my wife also qualifies for 60% of what I get.
My question is, can you please tell me on the figures that I have given you what SS here will deduct from my $1090.00 or will they deduct the combined amount(my wife's as well?)
Thx.
Sep 19th 2018, 9:30 pm
#6
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukie, Oregon
Posts: 9,965
Re: WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
Don't mean to hijack this thread from the original poster but also interested to learn about WEP as been meaning to ask for a while. Dual Citizen, receiving US SS(have not worked for 30 years) . I get $1090 and wife $590 per month.
Contacted UK Pensions and they sent me an estimation of what I could receive and going back last year it stood at roughly £172.00 per week and they also told me that my wife also qualifies for 60% of what I get.
My question is, can you please tell me on the figures that I have given you what SS here will deduct from my $1090.00 or will they deduct the combined amount(my wife's as well?)
Thx.
Contacted UK Pensions and they sent me an estimation of what I could receive and going back last year it stood at roughly £172.00 per week and they also told me that my wife also qualifies for 60% of what I get.
My question is, can you please tell me on the figures that I have given you what SS here will deduct from my $1090.00 or will they deduct the combined amount(my wife's as well?)
Thx.
If you google the WEP calculator which is on the SSA web site, you can work out the exact amount. You really need to do this for all the factors to be taken into account
You haven’t given enough information to fully answer you questions. Does your wife have her own SS account and/or will one of you be claiming spouse benefits of the others accounts?
Last edited by lansbury; Sep 19th 2018 at 9:36 pm.
Sep 19th 2018, 10:13 pm
#7
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 78
Re: WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
Thx Lansbury,
Apologies for the incomplete info...I made 18-19 years of contributions. My wife didn't make any contributions but has her own SS account and therefore wont be claiming off me but gets the spouse allowance. Thx.
Apologies for the incomplete info...I made 18-19 years of contributions. My wife didn't make any contributions but has her own SS account and therefore wont be claiming off me but gets the spouse allowance. Thx.
Sep 20th 2018, 2:30 am
#8
Joined: Apr 2005
Location: Milwaukie, Oregon
Posts: 9,965
Re: WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
If your wife has a separate SS account, and is not claiming a spouse benefit from your account, I fear she my be subject to WEP separately. If she has 30 years counting contributions in SS no problem, but less than that her UK pension might well bring WEP into play. If she is claiming a spouse benefit based on your SS, then that is not subject to WEP.
Here is the link to the WEP calculator https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/anyPiaWepjs04.html
While I had my own SS account it did not qualify me for a SS pension. I claimed a spouse benefit and that is paid to me but under my wife’s SS number.
Sep 20th 2018, 4:39 pm
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 78
Re: WEP/U.S. Spousal SS Benefits
Thx Lansbury. Best. Bran.
