PRESENTATION by Liz Curtis for

1. PRESENTATION by Liz Curtis for ssfairness.com For use by public in fight to repeal GPO/WEP

2. GPO & WEP YOU What ONE PERSON can Do? 2

3. GPO/WEP & WORKFORCE More than 1/5 all public employees at risk More than 1/3 all educators at risk

4. What is Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)? Since 1983 WEP affects one’s own earnedSocial Security benefits. For many a set formula will significantly reduce SS benefits. You can lose up to half of your expected Social Security pension. Held to a different standard

5. WEP affects those who: JOB 1 Entitles them to a pension from state/local gov’t work which does NOT PAY Social Security taxes. JOB 2 Entitles them to a Social Security retirement or disability benefit from work which DOES PAY SS taxes. Have had 2 careers when… Held to a different standard

6. What is the GPO? Since 1977 The Government Pension Offset The GPO affects: SS Spousal & Survivor Benefits Held to a different standard

7. Who does the GPO affect? Work(ed) for a state/local gov’t in employment not taxed by Social Security. Entitled to dependent spouse orsurvivor’s Social Security benefits. Persons who: And are also… Held to a different standard

8. Benefit reductions due to GPO NORMALLY the retired dependent spouse receives an amount equal to 50% of earner’s SS. When earner retires, the couple receives 150% the earner's amount if both are retired. A divorced spouse gets the 50% if they were married for 10 years or more. NORMALLY, a widow/er is awarded 100% of Spouse’s Social Security pension. GPO PENALTY: Social Security spousal & survivor benefits are reduced by 2/3 amount of separate & independent pension earned by one’s spouse, if that pension plan did not pay Social Security taxes.

9. OCCUPATIONS penalized Teachers, police, firefighters, postal workers, air traffic controllers, customs agents, many federal government employees, & many state & local workers are penalized: GPO & WEP have been called the “Heroes’ Penalties”

10. Where do federal workers live?All over the U.S. and overseas as well. Air Traffic Controllers

11. State, county, municipal employees 26 STATES (in blue) Largest populations: CA, CO, IL, LA, OH, TX • 26 States

12. TEACHERS in Alaska & 14 other states Red = States affected

13. NOTDOUBLE DIPPING • Worked 2 jobs paying into 2 different & independent systems, each for required time. • Should earn 2 partial retirement incomes INDEPENDENT OF EACH OTHER WeEARNED benefits from BOTH.

14. Recruitment STIFLED “Current law not only makes it more difficult to recruit teachers, police officers and fire fighters, but it penalizes the invaluable public servants who have already given so much.” Diane Feinstein Social Security benefits should be EQUITABLE FOR ALL

15. Can a pensioner & family afford this SS loss? WEP AND YOU • $500.00/month which equals…. • $6,000.00/year which equals…. • $90,000TOTAL LOSTin 15 years GPO LOSSES ARE OFTEN SUBSTANTIALLY MORE ! OUCH! OUCH

16. SEVERE FINANCIAL HARDSHIP Especially for… Widows & divorced women,& theaged. Many live below federal poverty level. Most widows get NO spousal benefits

17. REAL PEOPLE &GPO/WEP LOSSES • Inthe following stories, the people or their spousePAID in the FULL Social SecurityCONTRIBUTION for 10 years and often many more, but are DENIED the full benefit, due to GPO/WEP. GPO/WEP = IN$ecurity

18. CHEATEDin Massachusetts 13 years in the military, served in war where I earned: 3 Bronze Stars for valor Purple Heart 22 years in teaching. “I am shocked to learn I will receive virtually nothing from Social Security.” VICTIM OF WEP

19. Penalizedin Texas “I worked both as a teacher& a Registered Nurse & have paid FULLY into both Social Security & my teacher’s pension fund for retirement.” • “Must I retire inpoverty because I worked hard in both areas but will only be fairly compensated for one?” VICTIM OF WEP

20. Food Stamps for teacherin Texas? Husband in nursing home with huge copayments. Annuity not adequate. FULL social security benefits would alleviate SERIOUS NEED. ALL BECAUSE I TAUGHT IN 2 DIFFERENT STATES VICTIM OF WEP

21. Facing POVERTY in Ohio Does ANYONE CARE? Worked 15 SS years & 20 teaching years CHOICE • A. Retire at$16,000/year. • B. Work until73 for FULL teacher’s pension. VICTIM OF WEP, WORRIED ABOUT GPO

22. DISMAL retirement in Illinois “My late husband & I worked a total of 78 professional years.” “My annual retirement of $22, 392 is hardly regal after 37 years teaching.” “Yet, this prevents me from receiving survivor benefits from Social Security.” VICTIM OF GPO

23. CONFUSED WIDOW in California “While I continue to teach, I will receive survivor benefits of $25,000/year.” • “When I retire, I WILL NOT receive a dime of survivor benefits.” VICTIM OF GPO THIS MAKES NO SENSE

24. Paid $70,000 in SS taxes Government invests my money I will NOT EVEN receive a bit of INTEREST from this “investment” in my future.

25. Social Security is inequitable Equity Inequity We seek a FAIR SYSTEM with anEQUAL standard of distribution for earned Social Security credits for ALL.

26. Our GoalREPEAL THE GPO & WEP Social Security Fairness Act of 2009 Pass H.R. 235 and S. 484 325 cosponsors in House 31 cosponsorsin Senate 111th Congress

27. COST OF JUSTICE The cost toREPEAL the GPO & WEP is 2% of the overall Social Security costs paid to recipients each year. Moneylong overdue Years beyond due date Only 2% According to the Estimated Trust Fund information at http://www.ssa.gov/

28. Why care… FINANCIAL PLANNING if retirement not in near future? IS PART OF LIFE Law to inform employees of GPO/WEP ONLY applies to those hired on or after Jan. 1, 2005.

29. DIVORCEis not uncommon in today’s society. CRITICAL to proper division of assets. Knowledge of GPO/WEP

30. SINGLE LIFESTYLE Today 1 in 4 households Can she MAKE ENDS MEET?

31. Life is full of SURPRISES At some point, many LOSE THEIR SPOUSE. For women, chances are high & if so, they will lose much or all of their survivor benefits. Is a precarious lifestyle what we want for our family members?

32. THIRTY YEARSof GPO/WEP We need ACTION or … GPO/WEP will continue another 30 years

33. We APPEAL to you, brothers & sisters EVERY STATE,not only those with penalties. • “One nation, with liberty & justice for ALL”

34. Whyshould other states care? Today’s society is mobile. • MANY move from state to state & job to job • GPO/WEPaffects people in every state.

35. What is ssfairness.com? A nationwide grassroots volunteer group ofactive & retired public serviceemployees, working to REPEAL GPO/WEP. Sign up on SSFAIRNESS.COMfor POLITICAL ACTION ALERTS so we can unlock the hold on our earned benefits.

36. Coalition to Assure Retirement Equity (CARE) 43 national, state & local organizations Supporting & connecting groups across the country, working toREPEALGPO & WEP. Is your professional association working with CARE? Be a part of the action!

37. What can ONE person do? • EDUCATE yourself- read • WRITE letters/emails • SHARE widely • MOTIVATE others • PERSEVERE

38. FAIRNESS CAN PREVAIL YES, with your help YOU Changes to PowerPoint should be approved

39. DEDICATION Produced byssfairness.comfor the benefit ofALLwho have dedicated their lives to serving our country & deserve to beHONORED,not demeaned for their undying efforts. Hoping SOON they willbe recognized and theirRIGHTS RESTORED. 1-4 million lives affected Estimates vary according to source

40. EVERYONE EVERYWHERE SHOULD CARE! Photos used are not of actual individuals affected. Individual stories are those of real people hurt by GPO/WEP. EVERYWHERE!

41. YOU can make a difference!BE THE VOICE FOR CHANGE! • First, Sign up on SSFAIRNESS.COM For Political Action Alerts. Then…. TALK,TALK,TALK! WRITE, WRITE, WRITE! AND….. DO NOT GIVE UP!