Your $2,747 SS Benefit Could Drop to $1,660 with WEP

How the Windfall Elimination Provision cuts Social Security for workers with non-covered pensions

The Details

Most affected workers discover WEP only after claiming benefits. The SSA website's calculator shows $2,747 until you manually enter pension data — then it drops to $1,660. Running both scenarios before retiring could prevent a $13,000 annual surprise.

What this means for you

Retirement decisions compound — getting one of these details wrong can cost tens of thousands of dollars over a retirement. The good news: most of these mistakes are completely avoidable if you understand how the rule actually works.

Next step

If you want to see how this applies to your specific situation, take the free Retire Ready Score — a 2-minute assessment that scores your current plan across income, taxes, healthcare, and protection.