If my government pension is suspended or reduced, will my Social Secur...

If my government pension is suspended or reduced will my Social Security benefits increase

The answer to this question depends on what type of Social Security benefit a person is receiving. If a person is receiving a retirement benefit, based on his or her own record, benefits are reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). Benefit reduction from the WEP is calculated as of the first month you are entitled to both Social Security and your non-covered pension. Subsequent changes in the pension amount generally do not affect the Social Security benefit. However, if your government pension ceases and you are no longer entitled to it, Social Security may be able to increase your benefit.

If a person is receiving a spousal or survivor benefit, benefits are reduced by the Government Pension Offset (GPO). The GPO reduces benefits by 2/3 the amount of the government pension they are receiving, so if the benefit is reduced, the Social Security benefit can go up. As always, we recommend you contact the Social Security Administration for specific answers to your questions.

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