Information you can use when explaining about the WEP and GPO:

Current retirees affected now: 
2,665,089

Current employees who will be affected by the offsets when they retire (est. as of 2015): 6,400,000

Retirees can be affected by both penalties.

Both penalties affect low income retirees more harshly than those with larger pensions and/or higher Social Security benefits.

Current Windfall Elimination Provision Statistics by state

(link) CRS Report Feb. 2021 (See pages 5-6 for state stats)

Current Government Pension Offset Statistics by state

(link) CRS Report Feb. 2021 (See Pages 8-9 for state stats)

WEP Facts:

  • 3% of all Social Security beneficiaries are affected
  • 1,948,427 retirees are affected now
  • Among them 56% are men
  • Penalty is decreased for people with “(Substantial) SS Covered Earnings”. 2021 Substantial Earnings is $26,550.

GPO Facts:

  • 1% of all Social Security beneficiaries are affected, 
  • 716,662 retirees were affected (2019). 
  • 83% are Women
  • 71% of those affected lose ALL their Social Security benefits
  • 53% have their spousal benefits affected
  • 47% have their Widow’s or Widower’s benefits affected