SSA RETIREMENT BENEFITS

[gware318]

For nine and one half years I have gotten SS retirement benefits and for those nine and one half years I have received a letter from social security stating a different problem or decreasing my benefits.  I have cooperated with them and have given them any and all information they have requested from me.  During that time my benefit amount has changed about at least nine times.  I have consulted an attorney, written letters to congressional representatives, D.C. Social Security Admin. and whomever I felt could help through this. Today I received yet another letter stating that there is no information concerning my pension and how they don't have my award letter nor any other information.  The information would have been included in my initial interview with all paperwork. 

I've called attorney's but no one will help because SSA will not cover attorney fees.  if anyone is having a similar problem please advise me how you handled this.  

[GailL1]

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@gware318 wrote: Today I received yet another letter stating that there is no information concerning my pension and how they don't have my award letter nor any other information.  The information would have been included in my initial interview with all paperwork. 

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Just one question -

Is this a government pension?  Presumably one for which you did not pay into the Social Security system?

[gware318]

If you red the statement Gail yes it is a government pension and I have paid into Social Security for many years. If this was not work benefits I would have mentioned that.  

[Tonster521]

@gware318 I have read and reread your initial post and did not see any mention of a government pension. So, it appears that your SS benefits are affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). I am including a link to the WEP.  https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10045.pdf If my copy and paste was not successful, you can search for the document at ssa.gov. Because you did not indicate the reasons for the nine (9) letters from the SSA, I am unable to guess at a answer other than to contact the SSA or your Representative's office. Sometimes there is a savvy administrative person who may provide an answer quickly. Good Luck.

[GailL1]

Many years ago, I worked with a person that had an erratic Social Security benefit that related to his government pension and was more complicated than normal.  He had worked for a school system for many years (no Social Security), but then he also had several years employment with the federal government (sorry don't remember whether FERS or CSRS).  All the while, he had a side sole-prop. business under which he paid into the Social Security system for 30 - 35 years.  He had gotten a refund of pension contributions from the federal government.  I believe that refund was part of the problem.  He did get a pension from the school system. 

His benefits, like yours, kept being "adjusted".  He had much of the paperwork - pay records, periods of employment, refund of pension documentation, school system pension award - with all of this, he did finally work through his Congressman's office to get it straightened out - was it right???   However, his SS benefit did stabilize and he is keeping this documentation just in case it ever comes back up again.

I am gonna say that this sort of situation is unusual and it is because of the [individualized] particulars involved.   

I will assume that your benefits might have some [individualized] particulars - if that is true, the only way to reconcile is to try to secure the documentation and work with them or see if they have what you have submitted -  I think what you might need is ONE knowledgeable person that can work through this with you - step by step.  I know that might be hard now since many of the local offices are still closed.

I read the Reddit - Social Security discussion board and there seems to be some government (SSA) professionals over there - they might be able to help you more if you can give more of the details and describe any potential [individual] particular - in general; you are still anonymous.   

Sorry, can't help more - hope you can get it worked out; I know it is frustrating.

Good Luck