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Can you receive social security while also getting a pension?
Posted on 3/17/25 at 11:57 pm
Posted on 3/17/25 at 11:57 pm
My mom started collecting my dad’s pension after he had passed away. I was shocked when she told me today that she’s ineligible for social security because of this. I thought anyone who pays into social security is eligible for receiving the benefit at retirement.
This post was edited on 3/18/25 at 12:09 am
28
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:00 am to TJG210
You can collect both a pension and SS at the same time.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:02 am to TJG210
Unless your dad's pension was like 15k/month i don't see why she would be disqualified.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:06 am to windmill
That’s what I thought as well. My wife upon retirement is eligible for a pension (private sector) and when we met with our financial planner a few weeks ago I could have sworn he had social security figured into our plan.
Long story short, my mom has been having some health issues and any extra money would be good for her. My sister who has been helping with financial things since my dad passed was told that she could either receive his pension or ss, but not both (roughly 20yrs ago).
One of her friends was telling her today about a new law passed under Biden that allowed her dad to get both, but it only applies to workers in the public sector.
Long story short, my mom has been having some health issues and any extra money would be good for her. My sister who has been helping with financial things since my dad passed was told that she could either receive his pension or ss, but not both (roughly 20yrs ago).
One of her friends was telling her today about a new law passed under Biden that allowed her dad to get both, but it only applies to workers in the public sector.
This post was edited on 3/18/25 at 12:08 am
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:14 am to TJG210
This is what her friend was referencing,
This wouldn’t apply in my mom’s situation, I guess it’s possible that whoever told my sister that she could get both was wrong. Do you have to apply to collect social security? I guess I assumed the government started sending a check at some point.
quote:
The Social Security Fairness Act repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), significantly increasing Social Security benefits for public-sector retirees and their families.
This wouldn’t apply in my mom’s situation, I guess it’s possible that whoever told my sister that she could get both was wrong. Do you have to apply to collect social security? I guess I assumed the government started sending a check at some point.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:19 am to TJG210
Thanks Trump.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:20 am to TJG210
You must sign up for SS in order to receive a check. Sign up for acct online-fairly standard stuff and easy to do. Good luck.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:21 am to PhilipMarlowe
quote:
Thanks Trump.
That above law was under Biden
quote:
This Act was introduced by Louisiana representative Garret Graves, has been passed by both the House and the Senate, and was presented to President Biden for signature last Friday. We expect this to be signed into law in the coming days. Key Provisions Likely To Be Repealed • Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP): Enacted in 1983, WEP reduced Social Security benefits for individuals who earned pensions from non-Social Security-covered jobs, such as state or local government roles. Its repeal will increase payments for many retirees. • Government Pension Offset (GPO): Enacted in 1977, GPO reduced spousal and survivor benefits by two-thirds of a retiree’s government pension. The repeal will restore full benefits to affected spouses and survivors.
More info from the document she had
This post was edited on 3/18/25 at 12:24 am
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:22 am to TJG210
You can get a private sector pension and social security at the same time.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:27 am to Furious
quote:
You can get a private sector pension and social security at the same time.
That’s crazy if my mom/sister was in fact told the wrong thing….my dad’s pension was through a railroad and she was told she could either have the pension or social security and took the pension because it was larger. Could the company had something to do with only being able to take one?
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:36 am to TJG210
If your father paid into social security, she is absolutely entitled to receive that benefit and the pension. One has nothing to do with the other, as long as it is private sector. Not sure in government…
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:39 am to TJG210
quote:
That’s crazy if my mom/sister was in fact told the wrong thing….my dad’s pension was through a railroad and she was told she could either have the pension or social security and took the pension because it was larger. Could the company had something to do with only being able to take one?
The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law on January 5, 2025, eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), which previously reduced the Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits of railroad workers, spouses, and survivors who also received public pensions from work not covered by Social Security
Posted on 3/18/25 at 12:50 am to TJG210
quote:
my dad’s pension was through a railroad
Then he likely didn’t pay into social security. The railroads are/were exempt.
If she worked in the private sector - and got all of her quarters - the the SSFA applies to her and she can collect both.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 2:00 am to BigBinBR
quote:
The railroads are/were exempt.
Even the private ones like Union Pacific? I thought the only one associated with the government is Amtrak.
quote:
If she worked in the private sector - and got all of her quarters - the the SSFA applies to her and she can collect both.
She did, but what do you mean by quarters?
Posted on 3/18/25 at 2:13 am to windmill
quote:
You can collect both a pension and SS at the same time.
Yes you can. I am retired and receiving both. If I die before my wife, she will continue to receive my (private sector) pension until she passes.
This post was edited on 3/18/25 at 8:39 am
Posted on 3/18/25 at 2:15 am to TJG210
quote:
what do you mean by quarters?
You have to work a certain length of time with SS taken out of your pay to collect SS. (Edited to add: You need to earn 40 credits which is 1 per quarter [3 months] and this adds up to ten years of work. It doesn'thave to be earned consecutively).
This post was edited on 3/18/25 at 2:23 am
Posted on 3/18/25 at 2:17 am to TJG210
Railroad workers only get their pension. They never paid into SS.
I know because my grandfather and grandmother worked for railroad.
I know because my grandfather and grandmother worked for railroad.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 2:20 am to TJG210
quote:
Even the private ones like Union Pacific? I thought the only one associated with the government is Amtrak.
Yes. My grandparents worked for Illinois Central Gulf. Only railroad pension were allowed. Prior to Reagan they could get both. But he ended that since rail workers didn’t have to pay into SS.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 2:21 am to Red Stick Tigress
I believe it’s 40 quarters required to qualify for SS.
Posted on 3/18/25 at 2:24 am to Rebel
You earn 1 credit for every 3 months worked and can earn 4 per calendar year. Have to have 40 credits to get SS.
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