Illinois Alliance for Retired Americans

The House Ways and Means Social Security Subcommittee heard testimony Tuesday from Social Security experts about how the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) unfairly harm many public servants and their families. Witnesses identified how the outdated formulas used to calculate the WEP and GPO create unfair outcomes for beneficiaries affected by one or both policies.

The Alliance provided a statement for the record, stating that the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) affects over two million public sector retirees with public pensions from a job not covered by Social Security, while the Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduces by two-thirds the spousal or survivor benefits of nearly 800,000 retirees who collect a public pension from a job not covered by Social Security.

“The WEP and GPO are outdated provisions that deprive public employees of the benefits they have earned and the secure retirement they deserve,” said Joseph Peters, Jr., Secretary-Treasurer of the Alliance. “Moreover, the WEP and GPO disproportionately affect lower-income workers. 83% of those subject to the GPO are women. We must repeal the WEP and the GPO.”

The Alliance continues to urge Congress to pass H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act introduced by Reps. Garret Graves (R-LA) and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA), and H.R. 4583, the Social Security Sacred Trust Act, introduced by Rep. John Larson (D-CT). Both of the bills repeal the WEP and the GPO.

Do you need a notary?

Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias announced that Illinois Residents can now get electronic notary signatures.

47 other states allow E-notary and now Illinois does too!

See the Secretary of State website for more details

🚨PUBLIC EMPLOYEE ACTION ALERT
In 2010, a “Tier 2” of lower pension benefits was created for public employees over the opposition of your union. Since then, benefits for new workers do not keep up with inflation, meaning retirees can’t keep up with rising costs. Will you join our Week of Action to tell lawmakers they must take action to fix Tier 2 pensions? Click the link below or dial 507-497-1665.