social security & military pension

hello need more information on the 100 $ extra on ss. I called the ss office here in Enid Ok and they said no such thing. I have already sign up and getting ss, age 65 and couple months.
Im still working as wife wants to work another year or so. Then it will be time to get on the move, not full time, but will do some traveling unless gas/diesel gets to high, but will try to work around that by staying at cheater place. Anyway can someone help me out on this extra $$$ for military time, had 22 years in Air Force... I would include my e-mail address. --- [email protected] --- Thanks

I believe this what is talked about here:

When you apply for Social Security, military pay was not included in your "years worked" and counted when SS calculates benefit because military pay did not decuct and contribute to Soc Sec. But, now, when they do the calculation, you get credit for time worked as $100 per month for the months of active (or reserve) time. So, it is not $100 a month on your Soc Sec, it is factored into the calculation that gives the amount you receive each month.

I'm not positive about this, so someone may over-rule me. But, it's something like this, it's not just an added amount.

I believe this what is talked about here:

When you apply for Social Security, military pay was not included in your "years worked" and counted when SS calculates benefit because military pay did not decuct and contribute to Soc Sec.

Hmmm, that is a strange statement. All my military pay was taxed for Soc. Sec. and is included in my annual statement from SSA on projected benefits. I've paid into SS every year I worked, including my Navy days. I joined the Navy in 1966. Maybe prior to then military pay was not subject to SS deductions but it has been every since then. Now my brother had many years he did not pay into SS because he was a federal civilian employee and only in recent years were these folks required to pay into SS.

nO. Absolutely not. No chance. Nope. That's a negative.

Unless Congress passes a new law.

In fact, you will even get a little more SS pay than a civilian with the same earnings record would get as you are credited with an extra $100 per month that you didn't actually get.

And when you finally get around to it, remember that you can apply up to 4 months before the month in which you turn 62. Apply on line. They will ask you to send an original birth certificate and DD-214 to a PO box in Colorado--do. It sure beats standing in line at the local office.

You're gonna like being a "double dipper". I'm a triple because I also get VA disability pay.

Glenn

Wow, am I in the same country. My Dear Husband had his 62 BD in March, went to SS 3 months earlier, and was told to come back 3 week before he could collect.

Now for the the other shocker. DH was a DOD employee on the old retirement system, which meant SS was not taken out of his pay. SS was taken our of his reserves for 39 years, and we knew we could collect on that. His original SS statement, said he should receive about $660. They said, because he was a DOD employee in the old system, his SS would be reduced. Now remember he paid SS while in the reserves, so imagine ours shockto see, his new payment would be $380.00. Several weeks later we received a letter stating, he was being penalized for about $40.00, because he did not "buy back" his active duty time. I'm afraid to open anything else from SS, because I'm afraid the next time we will owe them. Though we were not happy about the $40.00 deduction, a friend who worked with him, not only was reduced because of his DOD time, but they took an extra $100 out of his SS, because of him not buying back his time.

Now if anyone can make sense out of this I would be glad to know. They said, it was done by certain calculations. I'm sorry, but I see someone at a desk flipping a coin, and coming up with a number.

Though I was a homemaker, a good part of our marriage, I worked long enough to get SS. The shock now is that I will be getting more than my husband. > :'(

Not sure if I'm exactly accurate about the Soc Sec deductions -- but it does figure into the calculations some how, I believe it is not a direct $100 a month benefit if you are ex-military.

I'm meeting with Soc Sec this month on other 'business" so will ask that question directly and see what it says. Although, I've discovered not all answers one receives from Soc Sec are accurate.

It's called the Windfall Elimination Program (WEP) and applies to people who retire from Civil Service under the old Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). It applies to folks who retire from CSRS and also worked enough time in another job to be eligible for Social Security. There are formulae used to calculate it but basically your SS can be reduced by $2 for every $3 you earn from Civil Service retirement. I believe WEP cannot reduce your SS to less than $355 a month or something like that. I do not think it is quite fair, particularly for lower grade civil service personnel, but it is the law.

My wife is a retired GS-5 secretary under the old CSRS system and afterwards she worked in the real world long enough for qualify for a little over $300 a month SS. After the WEP is applied she will only get $90 a month SS. If I die first and my wife draws SS based on my earnings the amount will be reduced, probably by even more, under another little quirk called the Government Pension Offset (GPO) which may reduce her SS to $0.

I do not claim to understand the exact formulae they use to compute the amounts, I just know there are two programs that apply to CSRS retirees and possibly to their spouses if their spouses draw a retirment from a job where they did not pay in to Social Security. The programs are the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO.

www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/wep.htm

www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/10007.html

If you worked for Civil Service under the new FERS retirment system you paid SS and would be entitled to full SS. I retired from the Army after 20 years, did 21 years in Civil Service under FERS and will draw my Army retirment, Civil Service retirement, small VA check (withheld from my Army retirement), and full SS when I am eligible. I guess that makes me a Quad dipper.