Social Security Fairness Act of 2023

Social Security Fairness Act of 2023

This bill repeals provisions that reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive other benefits, such as a pension from a state or local government.

The bill eliminates the government pension offset, which in various instances reduces Social Security benefits for spouses, widows, and widowers who also receive government pensions of their own.

The bill also eliminates the windfall elimination provision, which in some instances reduces Social Security benefits for individuals who also receive a pension or disability benefit from an employer that did not withhold Social Security taxes.

These changes are effective for benefits payable after December 2023.

Bill 118 hr 82, also known as the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, aims to address issues related to Social Security benefits for certain individuals. The bill specifically targets the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which can reduce Social Security benefits for individuals who receive pensions from non-covered employment.

The WEP affects individuals who have worked in jobs not covered by Social Security, such as certain state and local government employees. Under current law, these individuals may see a reduction in their Social Security benefits due to the WEP. The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 seeks to provide relief to these individuals by modifying the WEP calculation to ensure that their benefits are not unfairly reduced.

Similarly, the GPO affects individuals who receive pensions from government employment not covered by Social Security, such as teachers and public employees. The GPO can reduce or eliminate spousal or survivor benefits for these individuals. The bill aims to address this issue by adjusting the GPO calculation to provide more equitable treatment for affected individuals. Overall, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 seeks to ensure that individuals who have worked in non-covered employment are not unfairly penalized when it comes to receiving Social Security benefits. By addressing the WEP and GPO provisions, the bill aims to provide greater financial security for these individuals in retirement.