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Senator Cantwell on the Social Security Windfall Tax
- By Jerry Taylor
- Published 09/20/2009
- Social Security Info
Dear Mrs. Newsom,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Social Security Fairness Act of 2009 (S. 484). I appreciate hearing from you on this issue and sincerely regret the delayed response.
As you may be aware, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) was enacted in 1983 as part of a large reform package designed to shore up the financing of the Social Security system. The windfall benefit provision reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who also receive pension benefits from other employment not covered by Social Security, such as the Federal Civil Retirement System. Public employees often have salaries that are lower than those in the private sector, and the windfall reduction makes it more difficult to recruit employees into these positions. The WEP threatens the financial viability of public-employee retirees and their spouses.
You may be pleased to learn that I am a cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act of 2009 (S. 484), which was introduced on February 25, 2009. If enacted, this bill would eliminate the WEP and allow qualified government workers to receive the full benefits they deserve. This bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee, of which I am a member, for further review. Please be assured that I will continue to work with my colleagues to pass this important legislation.
Thank you again for contacting me to share your thoughts on this matter. You may also be interested in signing up for periodic updates for Washington State residents. If you are interested in subscribing to this update, please visit my website at http://cantwell.senate.gov. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
For future correspondence with my office, please visit my website at
http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html
Thank you for contacting me regarding the Social Security Fairness Act of 2009 (S. 484). I appreciate hearing from you on this issue and sincerely regret the delayed response.
As you may be aware, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) was enacted in 1983 as part of a large reform package designed to shore up the financing of the Social Security system. The windfall benefit provision reduces the Social Security benefits of workers who also receive pension benefits from other employment not covered by Social Security, such as the Federal Civil Retirement System. Public employees often have salaries that are lower than those in the private sector, and the windfall reduction makes it more difficult to recruit employees into these positions. The WEP threatens the financial viability of public-employee retirees and their spouses.
You may be pleased to learn that I am a cosponsor of the Social Security Fairness Act of 2009 (S. 484), which was introduced on February 25, 2009. If enacted, this bill would eliminate the WEP and allow qualified government workers to receive the full benefits they deserve. This bill has been referred to the Senate Finance Committee, of which I am a member, for further review. Please be assured that I will continue to work with my colleagues to pass this important legislation.
Thank you again for contacting me to share your thoughts on this matter. You may also be interested in signing up for periodic updates for Washington State residents. If you are interested in subscribing to this update, please visit my website at http://cantwell.senate.gov. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future if I can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Maria Cantwell
United States Senator
For future correspondence with my office, please visit my website at
http://cantwell.senate.gov/contact/index.html
4 Responses to "Senator Cantwell on the Social Security Windfall Tax" 
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said this on 07 Jan 2010 8:52:06 AM PDT
Thank you for your work and effort in eliminating this unfair act that effects so many retires!
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said this on 16 Mar 2010 10:25:13 AM PDT
I strongly agree with your reply. I'am a retired Detroit Police Officer and had thirty years of service. Since retirement I have worked for the past ten years and have obtained enough credits for social security only to find out that I will be penalized thirty percent. Any further information you could share about the elimination of the SS Windfall Tax would be appreciated.
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said this on 04 Jun 2010 10:21:26 AM PDT
To: Maria Cantwell
United States Senator The retirement i get from another agency comes nowhere close to keeping up with my monthly expense, and my social security due to this windfall tax was cut just about in half. Every so often, i must find a part time job to make ends meet. I full agree, this is an unfair act, and please continue to fight for it to be eliminated. Otis Blanson. |
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said this on 24 Jun 2010 8:04:37 AM PDT
I am a widow who recieves survivors ss and a va pension as my deceased husband was a veteran.. I worked in the Ohio public schol system for 15 years.. I left this money with them to let it grow for a nest egg for me and my husband.. Now that I want to take it the ss people tel me I will lose 67 percent of what it amount to off my ss. So I decided to retire . Ohio says I can tekw a lump sum of about $44000.00 So after I pay income tax,25 percent, which I am ok with the ss wants to take 67% which will leave me with about $3500.00 . So I would have been better off not going to college and getting my degree, not teaching for 15 yrs in public schools and 10 years in the private sector.. Congress is killing the American Dream
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