Windfall & government Pension Offset

June 12, 2009 by Guest

I receive a government pension. The amount that I could receive monthly if I had not taken a lump sum amount was $150. That amount is not based on my earnings but is a minimum amount given for 5 years of service. Your brochure says, "General, your SS benefits as a spouse will not be reduced if you are receiving a government pension that is not based on your earnings." My pension would have been around $82.00 a month if not for this guarantee.

As I understand it, you are figuring my offset penality on the guarantee and not my earnings. Now that I am getting ready to draw off of my husband I am being penalized $99.20 a month on that benefit on top of the
$75 or more penality against my earnings. These penalities total more monthly than even the guarantee amount of my government pension. The penalities total wipe out my pension but also takes away some of my SS benefits. How can this be?

If I were to wave my rights to my government pension/not receive it, then what would my SS benefit be?

As if this were not bad enough, this penality goes on for the rest of my life which will cause me to pay up to 5 or more times the SS owen on my government earnings. Please tell me how this could be!