WEP & GPO Public Pension Impact & Fairness Act Modeler
Review how WEP and GPO historically reduced benefits for public employees, apply the 30-year substantial earnings phase-in, and estimate the monthly restoration produced by the Social Security Fairness Act now in effect.
Part 1: Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
Part 2: Government Pension Offset (GPO)
Social Security reduces your spousal check dollar-for-dollar by 2/3 of your non-covered government pension.
⚠️ 100% Wiped Out: 2/3 of your pension ($1,600) exceeds your spousal entitlement ($1,500).
Monthly & Lifetime Loss Breakdown
Gross $1850 reduced to $1237/mo (-$7,356/yr).
Spousal $1500 reduced to $0/mo (-$18,000/yr).
Pension ($2,400) + Net SS ($1,237).
Social Security Fairness Act Current-Law Restoration
The Social Security Fairness Act is now law. It repealed WEP and GPO for benefits payable after December 2023, so this section shows the monthly and annual benefit amount that would be restored for affected public retirees, spouses, and survivors:
Official SSA 30-Year Substantial Earnings Phase-In Scale
How years of Social Security-covered work restore your first bend point factor from 40% back up to 90%.
| Years of Substantial Earnings | 1st Bend Point Factor | Reduction Severity | Max Monthly Reduction | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 or fewer | 40% | 50% | $613/mo | Active Tier |
| 21 years | 45% | 45% | $552/mo | Phase-in Tier |
| 22 years | 50% | 40% | $490/mo | Phase-in Tier |
| 23 years | 55% | 35% | $429/mo | Phase-in Tier |
| 24 years | 60% | 30% | $368/mo | Phase-in Tier |
| 25 years | 65% | 25% | $307/mo | Phase-in Tier |
| 26 years | 70% | 20% | $245/mo | Phase-in Tier |
| 27 years | 75% | 15% | $184/mo | Phase-in Tier |
| 28 years | 80% | 10% | $123/mo | Phase-in Tier |
| 29 years | 85% | 5% | $61/mo | Phase-in Tier |
| 30+ years | 90% | 0% (Exempt) | $0 (Full SS Benefit) | Full SS Exemption |
3 Key Legal Rules for Public Employees
1. The 30-Year "Substantial Earnings" Shield
If you have 30 or more years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security (e.g. from second careers, military service, or private sector work), you are 100% exempt from WEP. However, GPO does not have a 30-year exemption shield.
2. The 50% Pension Guarantee Cap
By law under 42 U.S.C. § 415(a)(7)(B), the WEP reduction can never exceed 50% of your non-covered monthly pension amount. This protects retirees with modest public pensions from disproportionate cuts.
3. GPO Spousal Wipeout Risk
Unlike WEP (which only reduces the first bend point of your own benefit), GPO cuts spousal and widow benefits by two-thirds of your entire pension. In over 70% of cases, this completely eliminates the Social Security spousal check.
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Official Primary Data Sources
Verified against federal statutes, agency publication manuals, and Federal Reserve rules.
Official annual disbursement schedule detailing 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Wednesday delivery dates.
Federal statutory regulation governing staggered Wednesday payments based on beneficiary birth dates.
Standard banking holidays (Title 5 U.S.C. 6103) governing prior-business-day deposit shifts.
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners used for statutory COLA calculations under 42 U.S.C. § 415.