WEP and GPO Repeal: What Changed for Connecticut Teachers

Why Connecticut teachers were affected

According to the CT Office of Legislative Research, Connecticut public school teachers aren't covered by Social Security for their teaching service. Teachers and school districts don't pay Social Security tax on that pay, and the state provides retirement benefits through the Teachers' Retirement System instead. Connecticut is one of several states with this kind of independent teacher system.

Many teachers still qualify for Social Security from other work (summer jobs, a career before or after teaching) or through a spouse. Those benefits were the ones WEP and GPO used to reduce.

What WEP and GPO did (before 2024)

Example from the OLR report: a teacher with a $2,000 monthly TRS pension and a $1,000 spousal benefit had a GPO offset of $1,333, so the spousal benefit was eliminated. With GPO repealed, that offset no longer applies to benefits for January 2024 on. (Other rules still apply, such as the reduction for claiming before full retirement age.)

What the law changed

• WEP and GPO don't apply to benefits payable for January 2024 and later.
• SSA began adjusting monthly payments on February 25, 2025. Most affected people got the new amount starting in April 2025 (for March 2025).
• People already getting reduced benefits received a one-time payment covering the increase back to January 2024.
• SSA mailed notices explaining each change; some people got two.
• WEP and GPO still apply to months before January 2024, so SSA may still ask about your pension for those months.

Who gets an increase, and who doesn't

• Yes: people with a pension from work not covered by Social Security (such as a CT TRS pension) who also get Social Security from other work or as a spouse or surviving spouse.
• No: public employees whose job was covered by Social Security. SSA says about 72% of state and local employees are in covered jobs and weren't affected.
• The size of the increase varies a lot. SSA says some increases are very small and others are over $1,000 a month.

What to do now

• Already getting benefits? Make sure SSA has your current mailing address and direct deposit, through my Social Security or 1-800-772-1213.
• Never applied because of WEP or GPO? You may need to file. Retirement and spouse applications can be made online; surviving spouse applications are by phone. The application date can affect when benefits start, since back payments are generally limited to 6 months (12 for some disability claims).
• Paying Medicare premiums directly? Keep paying the bill until SSA tells you the premium will come out of your benefit.
• Watch for scams. SSA never charges to start or increase benefits.
• Thinking about when to claim? See the claiming age guide and calculator.

Taxes on the increase

• Higher benefits can make more of your Social Security federally taxable. See Is Social Security taxable in CT and NC?
• A retroactive payment for earlier years is reported on Form SSA-1099 for the year you received it. IRS Publication 915 has a lump-sum election worksheet that can figure the taxable part using the earlier years' income, which may lower the tax.