The Commissioner of Social Security gives notice that SSA intends to add a new calculator to its online Benefit Calculators suite. The Retirement Estimator will allow authenticated individuals to calculate estimates of potential retirement benefits in real-time, based in part on their SSA-maintained records and in part on user-entered information, such as the last year of Social Security earnings. In addition to quick estimates of retirement benefits at specific points such as full retirement age, users may also submit a number of ``what if'' scenarios based on information they provide regarding future earnings and retirement dates. The estimates can be printed and saved. The initial release of the Retirement Estimator will not reflect offset due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), or Government Pension Offset (GPO)....
The Retirement Estimator will be released to the public on July 19, 2008.
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May 13, 2008
Why Did This Go In The Federal Register?
From today's Federal Register:
This is actually a good idea--first of all, there is insufficent staff in the FO's to allow the public to use up precious appointment slots to discuss "what if" scenarios with claims reps. This will allow us to tell the public to go home and use the interactive comp tool, on the strength of the Commissioner's having posted the process in the Federal Register. FO staff cannot be accused of dissing the public when we can show that it is the Commissioner's baby.
ReplyDeleteActually, it lets everyone know that we are doing this, puts the privacy community on notice, gives Congress a formal heads up and no one can complain that SSA did something and screwed up by not giving people advance notice.
ReplyDeleteGet real. After working 16 years under Social Security, I receive only 40% of what I should receive. The WEP was enacted the year of my retirement, after I had planned on it. Shameful of our Congress! $119.00 per month! The GPO is no better. Learn about these two provisions of the SSA. They could also seriously harm you.
ReplyDeleteContact YOUR Congressman.