<p>My kids have been incredibly blessed to have been the recipients of the energy, creativity and support provided by other moms in their classes. Also dads. Both working outside the home and not. My husband was the lunch dad for years because he worked nights. I was the library mom for years, as well, because I used my vacation days and comp time to be at school every Wednesday. Parents with jobs outside the home can be as deeply committed as parents who are at home. It’s all about the choice.</p>
<p>^very well said, zoosermom. I feel the same – my town is populated by a lot of well educated women who choose to stay home with their kids, and their efforts at fund raising and volunteering have made our school a better place for my kids. I tried to get H to volunteer since he works from home, but he never did. I actually found it a great way to meet other parents (since I worked full time). It’s amazing how quickly you get to chatting when you’re selling brownies or monitoring the teen dance.</p>
<p>Agree totally, zoosermom, that parents with jobs outside the home can be as reply committed as parents who are at home. And my admiration for and awe of those parents is unending. Sorry if my post sounded snotty. My intent was not to belittle choices others have made, nor their efforts and devotion to their kids. Rather, it was to point out that staying at home was not a life of leisure and in fact I did rather go out of my way to take on volunteer responsibilities that were a bit above and beyond (according to my dh, at least), because I never ever forgot how hard it was for me to work full time AND be a parent. And I wanted to make it a bit easier for those parents who were doing that.</p>
<p>This is a very interesting and enlightening discussion. I, too, am a teacher in a state that does not collect SS. I pay 10% into the state teachers retirement system. I worked under the SS system for 16 years before becoming a teacher. I have taught for 15 years and hope to make it to 20 . . . and would love to make it to 25. (This is mostly due to the fact that I love my job. :)) </p>
<p>I was under the impression that I could not collect any SS benefits because it would be considered “double dipping.” I will not receive a full retirement from teaching because there is no way I will make it to 35 years. I think I should be able to collect something from SS. Looking at the link that was posted, I think I might get something! I’ve been pretty upset thinking I would get absolutely nothing after contributing for 16 years.</p>
<p>Another teacher here. California school districts do not pay into SS for their teachers, so the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) applies to us. </p>
<p>I believe there is a cap on the maximum amount per month that can be deducted from your SS. Last year it was $381 per month.</p>
<p>WEP primarily hurts teachers who worked many years prior to becoming a teacher, and will never receive a generous teacher pension. It is especially hurtful to teachers who only work a few years as teachers, since they can no longer can receive any spousal SS benefits solely because of the few years that they worked as teachers. I agree with Thumper, the elimination of the spousal benefit does not seem right!</p>
<p>^^^So, if my husband dies, I can’t collect SS benefits because I am a teacher?</p>
<p>^ Sportsmama, yes that is my understanding. I have friends who are very angry about this. They were always SAHMs, then in their 50s decided to get a teaching credential and teach a few years. BIG financial mistake. They will only qualify for a very, very small pension, yet they can no longer collect spousal SS benefits should their husbands die before them.</p>
<p>Camathmom,
It’s upsetting that your friend can’t decide whether she PREFERS other forgo her pension and instead take the SS spouse’s benefit, as the latter is significantly higher. For us, my SS will be fairly low and S has not ever contributed much to his SS, so it’s not a major issue that he is not entitled to any spouse benefit. I would be very upset if my taking a job that happened to have a pension would make my benefits greatly shrink.</p>
<p>My mom worked in the postal service so gets civil service and my dad was a carpenter. Because he collected his annuity as single (bad planning and didn’t understand the consequences) my mom lost his pension and didn’t get any SS either. She just lost all the income. I think she got a bump of $40 a month the year he died, but is not able to get and SS.</p>
<p>If nonworking spouses were not permitted to get a portion of the working spouse’s SS benefit, many nonworking spouses would be living in poverty. Sharing the benefit makes the assumption that the working spouse, during his/her lifetime, supported the nonworking spouse. So the SS benefit – into which the working spouse paid – continues that support.</p>
<p>My mom worked her whole life contributing to SS. But when the time came, she collected on her husband’s because doing so made her social security check higher. Her husband had a higher income. She was never a SAHM or a non- working spouse.</p>
<p>H and I are both teachers. I also have self-employment business income now. I worked for many years paying into SS. Additionally, H has had either business income or a second job for many years. Believe me, we have paid and continue to pay into SS, for more than 25 years, but we will be punished for also having been teachers.</p>
<p>Edit: Actually, there is a “substantial earnings” provision that might kick in for us, I’m researching that now. I’m not sure I understand this table:
<a href=“Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) | CSRS Social Security Adjustment”>Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) | CSRS Social Security Adjustment;
<p>but I do think that perhaps my husband won’t be docked, just myself.</p>
<p>Question-- Thumper mentions 6 states where teachers don’t pay into social security. What are those 6 states (I think they include TX, CT, CA, RI)? From what I found online, it looks like everyone who has a govt pension may have social security reduced, is that right? I have worked for years and was thinking of switching into public education as a 2nd career and this would be a critical part of the decision.</p>
<p>I’d suggest you make an appointment and talk with the folks at Social Security, to get a DEFINITIVE answer (preferably in writing), so you’re not given incorrect information in making your choices. The written rules are helpful, but it is also good to TALK with their paid staff to be sure you have a good understanding of your options and how they may affect any benefits to which you are entitled. Good luck & please post what you learn, as there are quite a few folks considering some of these issues.</p>
<p>Told a relative to consider these matters as she’s currently contemplating starting work in her mid-50s for the state government as a public school teacher. I suggested she research how that may affect her SS benefits as a spouse (since she hasn’t paid much, if anything to SS). Good to base choices on SOLID written info.</p>
<p>Soprano:</p>
<p>See my post #45.</p>
<p>2collegewego: HImom gives good advice. Check this out before you go into public school teaching! </p>
<p>I believe that if you have 30 years of SS “substantial earnings”, you will not be affected by the WEP pension reduction, but I am not sure whether or not you would be subject to the loss of spousal SS benefits regardless. </p>
<p>I am quite sure however that if you have LESS THAN 20 years of significant earnings under SS, you WILL be subject to the WEP and the loss of spousal SS benefits. (I know this because I fall into this category with only 15 years of substantial earnings.)</p>
<p>Here’s the phone number to contact social security–very nice person spoke with me on the phone & answered my questions.</p>
<p>1-800-772-1213</p>
<p>If you worked in both jobs that paid into SS and job that didn’t, you’ll be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision, unless you had substantial earnings paid into SS for 30 years. Anything less that 20 years of substantial SS earnings will cause your first tier of income (currently $767), to be reduced to 40% of that amount versus the normal 90%. Anything between 20 and 30 years of substantial SS earnings is reduced on a graduating scale.</p>
<p>If you worked jobs that did not pay into SS while your spouse did, your spousal SS benefit will be reduced by the Government Pension Offset. GPO will reduce your spousal SS benefit by 2/3 of your pension. For instance, if your pension is $900 and spousal SS benefit is $1,000, your GPO SS benefit would be $400. I haven’t researched what would happen to survivor benefits under GPO.</p>
<p>Be aware that your full government pension may not be part of the 2/3 reduction. For instance, my wife will fall under GPO. Her employer keeps the portion that would have gone to SS in a separate fund from her pension, so only the amount in that separate fund will be counted.</p>
<p>Between H’s SS, my portion of his SS and his NYS pension, I think our income will be greater than what he earns now.</p>
<p>Does anybody know if and when the spouse can collect if she was a homemaker her whole life and is now 66 but her husband is only 55? Does she need to wait until he can collect or can she collect now? It wouldn’t be too much of an issue but they are getting divorced and this would be her only income.</p>
<p>Also, can a green card holder be eligible for medicare? They have lived in the U.S. over 20 years.</p>