The GPO applies to a spouse’s benefit for any month the spouse receives a pension
based on his or her government employment not covered under Social Security.
The GPO applies for the month the pension is payable for, not the month the spouse
actually receives the payment. For GPO, the pension payments may be periodic, in a
lump sum, or a combination of both.
The GPO applies only to the portion of the pension based on government employment
for pensions based on a combination of government (not private) and private (non-government)
employment. For information about pension payments that may be based both on government
and private employment, see GN 02608.400C.2.
If the adjustment of the GPO adversely affects the beneficiary’s benefit, please refer
to GN 00206.001 to discuss the option to withdraw the application.
a. Pension not paid monthly
If payment is made in a lump sum, proration applies as though it is received monthly
over a lifetime, or if applicable, over a specific period as explained in GN 02608.400D.
c. Windfall elimination provision may apply
If the spouse is entitled to retirement (RIB) or disability (DIB) benefits on his
or her own social security number, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) may be
applicable to the computation of the primary insurance amount (PIA) on his or her
RIB or DIB record. For more information about WEP, see RS 00605.360.