Who are those that have never NOT paid in, and are they the ones trying to collect benefits?

I had a relative that was a career Teacher, not elgible for SS. He found a school district that had a scam going where teachers could come there and be hired as janitors. They paid a fee to the district. They would earn 1/4s so that they could get SS. This was long ago, and I don't recall enough of the details and he wasn't too eager to share info with me since he knew I though it was total horse shi--. He was shady as hell in every way. Anyone else heard of such a scam?

I draw SS and a government pension, but I had enough years paying into SS to be exempt from offset for me. I hustled earn enough private sector dollars to prevent the offset. I planned for Mrs LJ retirement knowing of the survivor offset. From my viewpoint the offset is not totally unjust.

But, in all fairness, if your income is garnished at 100% value your benifits should be 100%.

If you have 20 years of qualifying SS contributions you get 40 percent. If you have 25 years of substantial earnings you get 65 percent. Over 30 years of substantial earning contributions. You get 90 percent.

It’s generally pretty hard these days to qualify for a pension somewhere and get 30 years of qualifying SS contributions.

The simplest example is if a young lady wants to be a teacher and does 15 years. She will get 35 percent of say 75000. Her contributions to the pension will get her 26k at age 65.

She then wants to go in private sector for 20 years. She accumulate a 1500 a month SS benefit. She then realizes that 1500 is reduced to 600 a month, 60 percent penalty.

This is the opposite of my wife’s scenario, private sector first for 15 years, then public education for 27 years. Still a victim of the WEP penalty.

Got 73 Senate votes. Trumps support yesterday got some undecided.

We are very close.

Cornyn actually voted for it. Cruz did not.

I think JD Vance voting for it brought more republicans to the table.

What’s the latest word on this issue?

Cornyn's long response to me made it clear he did not support this bill. Cruz ignored me. Cruz may be cutting his own throat on this issue especially now that Trump is showing support for it. The voting block WEP and GPO effects is large and organized. They will never vote for Cruz again if this does not pass. I had wondered if Cornyn might change his mind if Trump came out for it. That and the last time I looked at his facebook page every unrelated post was getting blown up with comments supporting this bill.

This page says it continues this morning, but who knows. https://trta.org/senate-vote-on-h-r-82-now-scheduled-for-thursday-december-19/

[/quote]
Who are those that have never NOT paid in, and are they the ones trying to collect benefits?

I had a relative that was a career Teacher, not eligible for SS. He found a school district that had a scam going where teachers could come there and be hired as janitors. They paid a fee to the district. They would earn 1/4s so that they could get SS. This was long ago, and I don't recall enough of the details and he wasn't too eager to share info with me since he knew I though it was total horse shi--. He was shady as hell in every way. Anyone else heard of such a scam? [/quote]

I knew 2 teachers that did it (it was probably 10-15 years ago i think) and they had paid into SS for years before becoming teachers later in life and didn't realize how drawing TRS would effect their SS benefits from their spouse. It wasn't technically a "school district" scam, but from what i remember there were a few school districts in Texas that actually paid into social security, for whatever reason, and if you worked for and retired from them, then you could draw both (not sure how that worked). Someone figured out you could pay the school district to come work for them for a day and then retire and draw both...think there were actually a few colleges that did it as well. Seems like that was going on about the same time we started all the "retire/rehire" stuff but not sure... I'm sure they fixed that loophole pretty quick

I knew 2 teachers that did it (it was probably 10-15 years ago i think) and they had paid into SS for years before becoming teachers later in life and didn't realize how drawing TRS would effect their SS benefits from their spouse. It wasn't technically a "school district" scam, but from what i remember there were a few school districts in Texas that actually paid into social security, for whatever reason, and if you worked for and retired from them, then you could draw both (not sure how that worked). Someone figured out you could pay the school district to come work for them for a day and then retire and draw both...think there were actually a few colleges that did it as well. Seems like that was going on about the same time we started all the "retire/rehire" stuff but not sure... I'm sure they fixed that loophole pretty quick
[/quote]

That makes no sense.
Paying into a pension for one day is in no way going to allow someone to be vested into that kind of retirement system. A pension is basically an annuity funded by the amount of money the participant paid in during a career. Paying into SS one day will get no one SS either. Only those who contributed 40 quarters which would take at the least 10 years of contributing to SS to do same as anyone else. If they worked and paid their 40 quarters, they are only wanting the same benefits as anyone else that paid 40 quarters into SS. It is probably not as nefarious as your making it sound. It more likely is just people who are close to 40 quarters when they retire on a pension and obtain a job just long enough to cover the length of time required to obtain the additional quarters to bring them to 40.

Supposed to vote tonight. Cruz and Manchin trying to add amendments. Cruz argument was shallow, said it would make SS insolvent 6 months early. Don’t seem like a real time issue.


Republicans are all over the place.
For. Trump. Vance. Rubio. Scott. Cornyn. Several others.

Against. Cruz. Manchin (D), Romney.

I have 19 quarters paid in. Went to work for a school district at 22 yrs old 34 yrs and retired. No S.S had to piggyback off of my wife to get Medicare Ins and that cost $555 a quarter

I have been checking web to see if the vote comes up

Current vote

This sounds like motion to proceed. Before a debate and final vote.

My understanding the amendments such as what Cruz has introduced are an attempt to kill the bill. If an amendment is approved, the bill then has to go back to the house for another vote. There is no time for that so the bill would expire.

Cruz is definitely trying to sabotage it. He wants his bill from 2017 introduced. Today’s vote got 73 votes, the same as before. His speech got nowhere.

Evidently Texas needs both senators replaced.

Yes, both need to be replaced


Dear John:

Thank you for contacting me with your suggestions regarding efforts to repeal the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). I recognize the time and effort that you are dedicating to actively participate in the democratic process, and I appreciate having the benefit of your comments on this matter.

As a strong supporter of Social Security, I understand the impact both the GPO and the WEP have on educators, police officers, firefighters, and other public employees who have dedicated their lives to public service. Millions of retired Americans have worked many years and contributed their hard-earned money with the expectation Social Security will be available when they retire. They depend on Social Security to help pay their monthly expenses, and the federal government should live up to its obligations.

In the 116th Congress, I cosponsored the Equal Treatment of Public Servants Act (S. 3401), introduced by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) on March 5, 2020. S. 3401 would have phased in a new funding formula for determining benefit amounts under the WEP. This new formula adjusts an individual's total lifetime earnings based on the proportion of those earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes, and would have applied to individuals who became eligible for Social Security benefits in 2022 or later. Individuals becoming eligible between 2022 and 2060 would receive the higher of their benefit under either the current-law WEP or the new formula. According to the Social Security Office of the Chief Actuary, this legislation would have no significant effect on the long-range actuarial balance of the Social Security Trust Fund. Unfortunately, this bill did not pass, but please know that I will keep your thoughts in mind should this legislation be reintroduced.

Without Congressional action, the impending retirement of the Baby Boomer generation and other demographic factors will bankrupt the Social Security Trust Fund in the near future. The Social Security and Medicare Boards of Trustees' 2024 Annual Report shows the programs face massive permanent cash-flow deficits and will continue to grow substantially faster than the economy over the foreseeable future. For example, the Social Security Trust Fund, which covers benefits to retirees, workers' survivors, and people with disabilities, will be able to pay full benefits only until 2033.

Given these challenges, comprehensive Social Security reform is necessary. Therefore, repealing the GPO and WEP should be considered in the context of a complete and fundamental overhaul of the current system. Simply repealing these two provisions without comprehensive, meaningful reform would further damage the long-term solvency of Social Security. The Congressional Budget Office projects that eliminating the GPO and WEP without making other changes to the program would cost over $196 billion over the next ten years and increase the Social Security Trust Fund deficit by more than four percent. This would make it more difficult for America to deal with the ongoing retirement of the Baby Boomer generation. I will continue to support proposals improving Social Security benefits received by Social Security participants in a fiscally responsible way and without placing additional burdens on future generations.

I am honored to represent Texas in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,
JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856
http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

Cornyn did vote for it.

I just read it needs to clear 2 more votes

In the Senate there has not been a vote for or against the bill yet. Only for cloture and then Motion to Proceed. We can only hope his yea vote for both indicates a change of heart. We shall see when it comes time to vote down the amendments and the final vote.

If you have not sent Cornyn an email encouraging him to vote for the bill, please do so now. Do let us know if the boilerplate response has changed this time. His reply to me was on the morning of Friday the 13th. I sent both an email generated through the IAFF and a direct email on the evening of the 12th.
https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/share-opinion/
https://www.votervoice.net/iframes/IAFF/Campaigns/119731/Respond