I’m doing a premature happy dance over the news about the Social Security Fairness Act. I fervently hope that our teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public servants get a Social Security gift very soon. (1)
How?
Are you aware that retired public servants have been blocked from collecting all or part of their Social Security? While many have dual entitlement, their social security benefits are reduced because of a pair of 1980s-era federal policies called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).
To make matters worse, these offset provisions also affect the widows or widowers of affected workers. Survivors see either reduced benefits or perhaps none at all. 83% of those impacted are female. (2)
Every time I see this, I get angry. Why are we penalizing the people who help us the most?
Hopefully, that’s about to change!
Louisiana Republican Rep. Garret Graves sponsored the Social Security Fairness Act that will end this unfair treatment. If the two provisions are lifted, both primary employees and their surviving spouses could receive full Social Security benefits under new legislation.
Yay!!!!
Will it pass?
The bill cleared the House of Representatives on a vote of 327-75 in November and easily cleared its first Senate committee hurdle on Wednesday. The legislation now requires a simple majority vote in the Senate to send the bill to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature.
“More than 60 senators support our Social Security Fairness Act. The heavy lifting is done. The path to victory could not be clearer,” Graves said in a statement.
I hope we will be applauding this victory soon!
No matter how you celebrate, I wish you all a very happy and safe holiday season.
Warmest wishes,
Barbara
- https://www.fa-mag.com/news/
bill-giving-millions-of-muni- workers-social-security- benefits-headed-for-senate- vote-80771.html - https://crsreports.congress.
gov/product/pdf/RL/RL32453? ftag=MSFd61514f
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