WEP elimination HR82 impact on Canadians in USA

[nelsona]

Ok, looks like you were right.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem like we will be getting the increase anytime soon, as they have left themselves a LOT of wiggle room to work on this, so we can add each month for this year (plus cola) starting with our February payment, until we get it.

maybe we can start a pool as to when the first of our posters will receive the adjustment. ;o)

Let me start: It will come on with the deposit I get in October 2025!

[MaggieA]

I like the idea of the poll! Since SSA has said "more than one year" I'll pick February 2026.

(I'm hoping for better, but figure this way I risk less disappointment).

Do you think we'll get the adjustment and arrears all at the same time? I have no basis for a guess on that.

About the 11 versus 12 slices, I had insight from having started SS in 2022, then CPP in Jan 2023. I was surprised to get the full 2022 SS payment plus the huge 2022 COLA increase as my Jan 2023 payment, then the big WEP reduction starting with my February payment. That's what made me pretty confident the WEP repeal would play out the same way, after carefully reading the actual text of the Act.

[nelsona]

Good question. I'm going to assume adjustment first, follwed by arrears, only because that delays payout, for budgeting purposes.
I picked Ocober, as that is the beginning of the 2026 federal fiscal year, but on closer reading, it might be October 2026!

[bc075259]

I've been hearing that a least some people have already received SSA letters indicating they will see a HR82 increase in May (not I yet sadly). I saw a YouTube update on this, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBy2icDsR3A, we'll see, apparently the SSA is at their lowest staffing ever with the highest (baby boomer retirees) workload

[MaggieA]

That's good news if true, bc075259. With DOGE now turning its attention to SSA and the acting administrator forced out because she refused access to sensitive data, I've been feeling like we'll be lucky to avoid disruption to existing benefits. Ever seeing the HR82 increase feels like a pipe dream.

[formerpatriot]

There is a very encouraging update dated February 25 on the SSA website.
Among other things, it says the following:

"Starting the week of February 24, 2025, SSA is beginning to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to people whose benefits have been affected by the WEP and GPO

If a beneficiary is due retroactive benefits as a result of the Act, they will receive a one-time retroactive payment, deposited into the bank account SSA has on file, by the end of March. This retroactive payment will cover the increase in their benefit amount back to January 2024, the month when WEP and GPO no longer apply.

Social Security benefits are paid one month behind. Most affected beneficiaries will begin receiving their new monthly benefit amount in April 2025 (for their March 2025 benefit).

Anyone whose monthly benefit is adjusted, or who will get a retroactive payment, will receive a mailed notice from Social Security explaining the benefit change or retroactive payment."

[bc075259]

Yes, this seems to be moving along. I received a "Good News from the Social Security ..." email today indicating they may owe me additional benefits, etc. :-) Not much too specific but they said they are starting the complete process for 3 million will be in several stages starting end of February.

[bc075259]

Yikes, I received a large chunk of cash deposited into my account from the SSA today, I assume this is the WEP amount from 2024. Hard to to believe after all this, it's actually happening. The info I have is that the official mailing will be a few weeks later.

[nelsona]

great news. Hope we all get it before SSA gets Musked.

[exPenn]

Just received the lump sum retroactive payments for my wife's Social Security and my Spousal Benefit, deposited in our bank accounts in Canadian Dollars. The good news is they were both within a few dollars of what I had calculated. The bad news is we will now have to pay 2025 tax on them, but that is another discussion.

[MaggieA]

Thanks very much for sharing that you received retroactive payments, @exPenn and @bc075259. I'm particularly heartened to read exPenn's update because his situation is very similar to mine. I too get my SS deposited to my BMO account in CAD. So I'm heartened to learn that in his case, the Canadian angle isn't causing any particular delay. Also like exPenn (and in fact, thanks to some previous posts of his on the topic), I'm very well acquainted with the byzantine details of how WEP was calculated (going back to ELY), and believe I know exactly how much to expect, both for the retroactive payment and the updated monthly payment. I've been pessimistically worrying about what to do if I disagree with SSA's new figures. But since exPenn says "within a few dollars of what I had calculated" I'm encouraged that perhaps I'll get the right amount.

My spouse gets a Spousal Benefit too, and his is deposited to our US bank, in USD. Spouse has not to date received the "Good News" email from SSA. I'm hoping that's just because he wasn't directly affected by WEP.

Like exPenn and spouse, we will have to wrestle with the income tax impact in 2025. However, this is of course a privileged problem to have.

As nelsona wrote, we just have to hope that our payments come through before SSA is devastated by Musk.

[MaggieA]

Payments on the way: I logged into my SSA account and found that my benefit amount is updated, and when I downloaded my Benefit Verification Letter, it also shows the revised monthly benefit for January through November 2024. All figures exactly what I had calculated.

I got the idea of checking my SSA account from the Facebook group "EXECUTION of the Social Security Fairness Act". People there report that the bank deposit for retroactive pay usually follows next day.

I then got my husband to log in to his SSA account, and it also shows his updated spousal benefits, exactly matching my calculations.

[formerpatriot]

Lump sum deposit for my wife who was subjected to the WEP.
I am surprised that it took so little time.

[bc075259]

MaggieA wrote:
> Payments on the way: I logged into my SSA account and found that my benefit
> amount is updated, and when I downloaded my Benefit Verification Letter, it
> also shows the revised monthly benefit for January through November 2024.
> All figures exactly what I had calculated.
>
> I got the idea of checking my SSA account from the Facebook group
> "EXECUTION of the Social Security Fairness Act". People there
> report that the bank deposit for retroactive pay usually follows next day.
>
> I then got my husband to log in to his SSA account, and it also shows his
> updated spousal benefits, exactly matching my calculations.

Great to hear some good news these days

[MaggieA]

Wrapping up my bulletins, husband's payment deposited in USD in our US bank on Friday, mine in CAD in our Canadian bank today. Exchange rate 1.4421.