Yes, you can receive both a pension and Social Security, but the amount you get from Social Security may be reduced

Most people who have both a pension and Social Security can collect from both sources. However, two federal rules can lower your Social Security payment if you also receive a pension from work that was not covered by Social Security taxes. These rules are called the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision. Whether either rule affects you depends on what type of pension you have and how you earned it.

The key question is whether your pension came from a job where you paid Social Security taxes. If it did, both rules usually do not apply. If your pension came from a job where you did not pay Social Security taxes — common for federal employees, some state and local government workers, and some teachers — one or both rules may reduce what you receive.

Key Takeaways

  • You can collect a pension and Social Security at the same time in most cases, but your Social Security amount may be reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision or Government Pension Offset.
  • The Windfall Elimination Provision reduces your own Social Security benefit if you have a non-covered pension; the Government Pension Offset reduces spousal or survivor benefits if your pension is non-covered.
  • A non-covered pension is one from a job where you did not pay Social Security taxes, such as certain federal, state, or local government positions.
  • You can contact Social Security directly to learn which rule applies to your specific pension and benefit combination before you claim.

How the Windfall Elimination Provision works

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) reduces your own Social Security retirement or disability benefit if you receive a pension from work not covered by Social Security. It does not eliminate your benefit entirely, but it changes how Social Security calculates what you are owed.

Social Security normally uses a formula that gives you a higher percentage of your early earnings. The WEP applies a different, less generous formula if you have a non-covered pension. The reduction is roughly 50% of your monthly pension amount, up to a maximum reduction. The exact maximum changes each year based on national wage levels; in 2024 it was $895 per month, but you should verify the current year's amount with Social Security.

You are not affected by WEP if your non-covered pension is very small, if you have 30 or more years of substantial earnings under Social Security, or if your work history includes at least 30 years of substantial earnings in jobs covered by Social Security. Social Security has a list of what counts as "substantial earnings" for each year, which you can request.

How the Government Pension Offset works

The Government Pension Offset (GPO) is different from WEP. It reduces benefits you receive as a spouse or survivor, not your own retirement benefit. If you receive a pension from a non-covered government job and you are also may have access to to a spousal benefit or survivor benefit on someone else's Social Security record, the GPO reduces that spousal or survivor amount.

The GPO reduction is two-thirds of your monthly non-covered pension. For example, if your pension is $1,500 per month, two-thirds of that ($1,000) is subtracted from any spousal or survivor benefit you would otherwise receive. This can reduce your spousal benefit to zero or below, meaning you receive nothing from that source.

The GPO does not affect your own retirement benefit based on your own work record. It only affects benefits you claim based on someone else's earnings record.

Which pensions trigger these rules

A pension triggers WEP or GPO only if it comes from a job where you did not pay Social Security taxes. This is most common for federal civilian employees hired before 2014, employees of some state and local governments, and some teachers in states that do not participate in Social Security.

If you worked for a private employer, a state or local government that participates in Social Security, or the federal government after 2013, your pension likely does not trigger either rule. You can check your Social Security statement online at ssa.gov to see whether Social Security has a record of non-covered work.

Some people have both covered and non-covered work. If you worked 30 years in jobs covered by Social Security and also have a non-covered pension, you may not be affected by WEP. The rules are specific to your individual work history, so Social Security's records matter.

How to learn about these rules affect you

The most direct way is to contact Social Security before you claim benefits. You can call 1-800-772-1213, visit your local Social Security office, or create an account at ssa.gov to view your earnings record and benefit estimate. When you contact them, tell them you have a non-covered pension and ask whether WEP or GPO will reduce your benefit.

Social Security can show you an estimate of your benefit with and without the reduction, so you can see the actual dollar impact. This is worth doing before you claim, because the reduction is permanent once you start receiving benefits. Waiting to claim later does not change the reduction amount, but it does increase your base benefit, which can sometimes offset the WEP reduction.

You can also request a detailed earnings record from Social Security to verify that all your covered work is recorded correctly. Errors in your record can affect whether you meet the 30-year threshold for WEP exemption.

Strategies if a rule reduces your benefit

If WEP or GPO will reduce your Social Security, you have limited options to avoid the reduction itself, but you can plan around it. Delaying your Social Security claim increases your monthly benefit amount, which can help offset the WEP reduction. For every year you delay past your full retirement age, your benefit grows by about 8% per year, up to age 70.

If GPO affects your spousal benefit, you cannot claim a spousal benefit at all if the reduction would wipe it out entirely. In that case, you would receive only your own retirement benefit based on your own work record, if you have one. Some people in this situation find it makes sense to claim their own benefit and ignore the spousal benefit.

There is no way to avoid WEP or GPO if you meet the conditions for them, but understanding the rules early lets you make informed decisions about when to claim and what to expect.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive my non-covered pension and Social Security at the same time?

Yes. You can receive both payments at the same time. The question is whether your Social Security amount will be reduced by WEP or GPO. The pension itself is not affected — you receive the full pension amount. Only your Social Security benefit may be reduced.

Does the Windfall Elimination Provision apply to my spouse's benefits?

No. WEP affects only your own retirement or disability benefit. If your spouse has their own work record, their benefit is not affected by your non-covered pension. The Government Pension Offset is the rule that can reduce spousal benefits.

What if I worked for a state government and also for a private employer?

If you have substantial earnings in both covered and non-covered work, you may still may have access to for the WEP exemption if you have 30 years of substantial earnings in covered work. Social Security looks at your entire work history. Contact Social Security to review your specific record.

Does waiting to claim Social Security reduce the WEP penalty?

Waiting does not reduce the WEP reduction itself, but it increases your base benefit amount. Since WEP is roughly 50% of your pension (up to a maximum), a larger base benefit can mean a larger net payment to you even after the reduction is applied.

How do I know if my government job was covered by Social Security?

Check your Social Security statement at ssa.gov or call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213. They can tell you whether your employer reported earnings to Social Security for each year you worked. If no earnings appear for a government job, that job was likely not covered.