Local 600 gets ‘Social’ with
SSA Specialist Carl Robinson
Following an overload of questions from retired members about misconceptions regarding Social
Security and its relationship with pensions, Local 600 State Delegate Jim Toma recently sat down with
Carl Robinson, a Public Affairs Specialist for the Social Security Administration with 41 years of
experience who oversees 24 field offices across the state, for a Q&A to open a dialogue to benefit all retired
officers in New Jersey. Here are the highlights:
Jim Toma: Two of the areas most applicable to law enforcement are the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Pension Offset. Would you briefly explain these two provisions and how they apply to members who did not pay into Social Security during their pensionable employment?
Carl Robinson: The Windfall Elimination Provision potentially
applies to your members who receive a pension based upon work for an
employer (such as state or local government) who does not withhold
Social Security taxes from their salary. Individuals who qualify for Social
Security retirement or disability benefits may have their benefits reduced
according to this provision. The Government Pension Offset provision
may cause a reduction/suspension of benefits for members who are eligible for Social Security as a spouse or widow(er) if they receive a pension
from a federal, state or local government based upon work where they did
not pay Social Security taxes.
JT: How about the people who did pay into Social Security during their law enforcement careers?
Would they have any reduction in their benefits upon receiving Social Security and would these
provisions apply to them?
CR: The above provisions apply only to individuals who receive pensions based upon earnings where
Social Security taxes were not taken out of their pay. If the pensions are based solely upon Social Security- covered earnings, these provisions do not apply. If your members have any doubt, they should contact their human resource department for clarifications.
JT: Can you briefly explain disability benefits and survivor benefits?
CR: One of the basic concepts of Social Security is that it provides benefits to replace lost earnings
of the worker, not only due to retirement, but due to disability and death as well. The definition of disability is that a person is so disabled that he or she cannot perform “substantial gainful activity” for a
period of a year or more, or that the disability is expected to result in death. Individuals filing for disability
benefits must have a current connection with the workforce.
JT: I have to ask the impossible question, can you explain the “when to start receiving benefits”
dilemma most of us have? What age to apply? And how that changes the amount you will receive?
CR: Your last question is truly an impossible question to answer! There are many issues to discuss
such as spousal strategies, and the ability to file and suspend for benefits in certain situations. As to what
age and when to file, these are individual decisions that vary according to each individual’s set of circumstances. For instance, one can still file for retirement benefits as early as age 62. By delaying filing for benefits until Full Retirement Age (age 66 for individuals born in the years 1943-1954) an individual would
receive their full benefit. By delaying their filing for benefits until age 70, an individual would receive the
highest benefit possible, an increase of 32 percent between ages 66 and 70. The time to start planning
options is probably now, and certainly well in advance of the time one is first eligible to claim benefits.
By being fully informed, one can make choices that are best for themselves and family members.
JT: How can members stay up to date?
CR: By visiting our website, www.socialsecurity.gov, they can file for retirement, disability, spouses and
Medicare benefits. We encourage all individuals aged 18 and over to create an online my Social Security
account, which is located on our website home page. By creating this account, you can obtain your Social
Security statement to check your lifetime earnings and get benefit estimates. It is important that workers
check their earnings yearly for accuracy since benefits are computed based upon lifetime earnings. If you
are receiving benefits, it is also important to establish a my Social Security account. You will be able to access
online services, including printing a benefit verification letter, 1099, and change of address and direct
deposit. Additionally by establishing an account, it prevents someone from fraudulently redirecting checks
from your account into another bank account. We also encourage individuals to consult with their trusted
financial advisor. Your advisor is aware of other investments and issues involving your finances. We at Social
Security can provide Y