Watch Expert Explain Social Security Offsets
November 18, 2009
Social Security Offsets are an issue which raises a lot of questions for many retired teachers and teachers approaching retirement.
CEA-Retired members found out more about Social Security Offsets and health care issues of concern to retired teachers at their Fall Issues Conference in September.
Watch selections from presentations by an NEA expert and members of the State Teachers Retirement Board below. Click here to find out more about CEA-Retired and why you should join.
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When are the laws preventing CT teachers who have honestly earned their Social Security quarters, but who will not reap the full benefits, going to be repealed? The GPO and WEP laws are outrageously unfair to our CT teachers who have worked at other jobs, had social security deductions taken from their paychecks, and can expect little from these efforts. It is additionally unfair for these teachers to be prohibited from receiving spousal benefits. If we work and earn these credits we deserve to have them given in full. The NEA and CEA as well as legislators claim to know about these laws, but consistently put their repeal on the back burner. That’s because their retirement benefits are set for life.
Why isn’t the CEA fighting the Social Security Offsets? As a newly retired CEA member, I am receiving @ 30% of the social security I am entitled to. I paid in before CT, but because I retired here, I am not allowed to collect what our Congressmen can. Where do you stand CEA??
@Hedy & @Frank:
NEA has been working for years with the goal of completely removing the GPO and WEP. Al Campos, NEA Lobbyist who came and spoke to CEA Retired members, also talked about all that NEA has done and continues to do to repeal these Social Security amendments. His entire presentation was far too long to include on the blog however.
In October 2008, NEA was able to get then candidate Obama’s support in a letter in which he stated, “Nobody should be penalized for serving our children, and that’s why I support repealing the GPO/WEP and will work to do so as President.” The NEA was also able to get the issue into the 2008 Democratic National Platform.
Currently there are bills before Congress, H.R. 235 and S. 484, which would completely repeal GPO and WEP. The House Resolution has over 300 cosponsors and the Senate Bill has 29. The bill especially needs more support from Senators.
NEA members need to contact Senators and Representatives and urge them to cosponsor S. 484/H.R. 235 – the Social Security Fairness Act – if they have not already done so. Tell all members why this issue is so important and that they need to support including repeal of the GPO and WEP in any comprehensive Social Security reform package.
Congress is busy with health care reform at present, but they still need to hear from NEA members about this issue. Go here http://www.nea.org/home/16494.htm to find out more about NEA’s position and to contact your representatives in Congress.
@Frank: If you aren’t a CEA retired member yet, consider becoming one so you can attend presentations about important issues like this one, and find out more about what NEA is doing.