Social Security Overview
LASERS members do not participate in Social Security and are not eligible for Social Security benefits through LASERS-covered employment. However, some members may have been affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO), which were repealed in 2025.
The Social Security Fairness Act (H.R. 82), enacted in January 2025, eliminated these federal provisions that previously reduced or eliminated earned or spousal benefits for individuals receiving state government pensions.
These changes apply to benefits payable after December 2023.
Since the WEP and GPO were federal provisions, all questions about benefit reductions or calculations for payments after December 2023 should be directed to the Social Security Administration (SSA). You can find more information on the SSA’s webpage about the Social Security Fairness Act here.
It’s important to note that your LASERS benefit was not affected by these federal offsets or their repeal.
Social Security FAQs
Why were my Social Security Benefits reduced?
Most LASERS members do not pay Social Security tax. If you qualified for Social Security benefits—either from private-sector work or as a spouse/widow(er)—your benefit may have been reduced due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO). Your LASERS benefit was not reduced.
Louisiana did not opt into Social Security for public employees, and WEP/GPO were federal laws that adjusted Social Security payments for individuals also receiving a public pension. The amount of the reduction depended on the type of Social Security benefit you were eligible for.
- Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP): Reduced Social Security retirement or disability benefits for individuals who also received a pension from work not covered by Social Security, such as LASERS.
- Government Pension Offset (GPO): Reduced spousal, widow, or widower Social Security benefits for individuals receiving a pension from a job where they did not pay Social Security taxes, such as LASERS-covered employment.
How do I know if I was impacted by the WEP and GPO?
Only the Social Security Administration (SSA) can answer that question.
Is the repeal of of the WEP and GPO retroactive?
The changes are effective for benefits payable after December 2023.
What is the timeline for implementation of the repeal?
After initially estimating that implementation could take up to a year, the SSA announced in February an accelerated timeline:
- Retroactive Payments: Most eligible beneficiaries should have received a one-time payment in March 2025.
- Monthly Benefit Increases: Beneficiaries should see increased monthly Social Security payments starting in April 2025, reflecting the repeal of the WEP and GPO.
How do I contact the Social Security Administration and learn more?
The Social Security Administration now requires appointments for visits to local offices. To find your local office’s phone number and schedule an appointment, please click here.
For more information, you can also visit the SSA FAQs webpage here.
General SSA Contact Information:
🌐 Website: www.ssa.gov
📞 Phone: 1-800-772-1213