To: The United States House of Representatives
Eliminate Government Pension Offset
The way this offset is set up: The SSA reduces benefits paid to wives if they also receive a government pension based on their own work. They reduce the benefit by two-thirds of the amount of the pension. If a retired persons' benefit is less than two-thirds of the amount of the pension, you receive nothing.
This is so unfair. Wives who were never employed or worked for other companies are eligible to collect their spouses', Social Security. Wives who worked for the government are unfairly penalized. In many cases, women who never worked collect Social Security and we women who worked two jobs (raised our children, worked out of the home) get no retirement. Since women are not paid at the same level that men are, when the government pension offset is computed, there is no money left to pay the retiree.
Worse still, if your husband dies before you do. I understand you are not eligible to collect his Social Security as the surviving spouse. With the cost of living skyrocketing, this creates a grave hardship for the surviving spouse.
This is so unfair. Wives who were never employed or worked for other companies are eligible to collect their spouses', Social Security. Wives who worked for the government are unfairly penalized. In many cases, women who never worked collect Social Security and we women who worked two jobs (raised our children, worked out of the home) get no retirement. Since women are not paid at the same level that men are, when the government pension offset is computed, there is no money left to pay the retiree.
Worse still, if your husband dies before you do. I understand you are not eligible to collect his Social Security as the surviving spouse. With the cost of living skyrocketing, this creates a grave hardship for the surviving spouse.
Why is this important?
I am affected by this. I have several medical conditions that require lots of care, expensive drugs, and medical supplies. I don't know how I will manage without my husband's Social Security. My health insurance will double since I have the plan through his ex-employer.