Delays At The SSA?

I am already in receipt of 2 foreign pensions plus UK State pension (OAP)

Ah OK.  I took my US state pension as soon as I could and before any of my UK pensions.  I've delayed taking my UK company pensions a couple of times - partly because I don't really need them just yet but also because it'll result in another WEP adventure.  Mind you, given the recent budget I'll probably revisit my plans regarding pensions.

Ah OK.  I took my US state pension as soon as I could and before any of my UK pensions.  I've delayed taking my UK company pensions a couple of times - partly because I don't really need them just yet but also because it'll result in another WEP adventure.  Mind you, given the recent budget I'll probably revisit my plans regarding pensions.

I’ve delayed my SS until 70 as a sort of life insurance so my wife will get a higher SS after I die.

It looks like my application is going through the FBU despite me applying online.  But I never did hear back from the FBU from my contact through the US Embassy.

It looks like my application is going through the FBU despite me applying online.  But I never did hear back from the FBU from my contact through the US Embassy.

Please keep us informed on the progress! Interested to see phrases like "typically" and "for most people" in terms of timelines. Should add "but not always" and "but not all people".

Hopefully, they are still maintaining quality standards at this point in the process. I can't imagine being someone who really needs to, and expects to, start receiving SS on their retirement date and then waiting for a year after the relevant start date.

Please keep us informed on the progress! Interested to see phrases like "typically" and "for most people" in terms of timelines. Should add "but not always" and "but not all people".

Hopefully, they are still maintaining quality standards at this point in the process. I can't imagine being someone who really needs to, and expects to, start receiving SS on their retirement date and then waiting for a year after the relevant start date.

I’ll be sure to post updates.

 It was disappointing that the online application asked about the presence of foreign pensions but did not ask about value. I know from using the SS site to estimate pensions after WEP that my 2 private pensions take me to the max WEP, adding OAP did not change anything so I don’t see that there should be any need for an interview by a UK staff member.

But, I have applied 3 months before my 70th birthday so it may work out okay time-wise.

I’ll be sure to post updates.

 It was disappointing that the online application asked about the presence of foreign pensions but did not ask about value. I know from using the SS site to estimate pensions after WEP that my 2 private pensions take me to the max WEP, adding OAP did not change anything so I don’t see that there should be any need for an interview by a UK staff member.

But, I have applied 3 months before my 70th birthday so it may work out okay time-wise.

I remember when I was interviewed I was asked about other pensions, but not about the amount. There is a form I had to fill in later, documenting other pensions when that time came (when I started receiving them) ... Form SSA-308 Modified Benefit Formula Questionnaire — Foreign Pension, in case you haven't been asked to complete it as part of your online application - if not, might be worth completing and sending to FBU now so it's already on file. It can be pretty complicated, and I had to type up an addendum because there was so much additional detail of the following periods:

Section 3: Periods of employment or self-employment on which the [other] pension is based. Provide specific dates.

Section 4: Periods of employment or self-employment from item 3 above used to determine your pension which was after 1956 and which was not covered by US Social Security. Provide specific dates.

Section 5: Specific periods of voluntary contributions or other non-employment based credits included in the computation of your pension.

I also had to include the "award letter" for my UK state pension - I presume a similar evidence would be needed for whatever other pension you might need to include.

You say you will be maximally WEP'ed ... could be worth messaging FBU to ask, can you voluntarily accept maximal WEP without having to provide all the additional information. Logically, it should be neither here nor there to them, but with governmental agencies, you never know. Worth getting all this documentation all ready just in case.

I remember when I was interviewed I was asked about other pensions, but not about the amount. There is a form I had to fill in later, documenting other pensions when that time came (when I started receiving them) ... Form SSA-308 Modified Benefit Formula Questionnaire — Foreign Pension, in case you haven't been asked to complete it as part of your online application - if not, might be worth completing and sending to FBU now so it's already on file. It can be pretty complicated, and I had to type up an addendum because there was so much additional detail of the following periods:

Section 3: Periods of employment or self-employment on which the [other] pension is based. Provide specific dates.

Section 4: Periods of employment or self-employment from item 3 above used to determine your pension which was after 1956 and which was not covered by US Social Security. Provide specific dates.

Section 5: Specific periods of voluntary contributions or other non-employment based credits included in the computation of your pension.

I also had to include the "award letter" for my UK state pension - I presume a similar evidence would be needed for whatever other pension you might need to include.

You say you will be maximally WEP'ed ... could be worth messaging FBU to ask, can you voluntarily accept maximal WEP without having to provide all the additional information. Logically, it should be neither here nor there to them, but with governmental agencies, you never know. Worth getting all this documentation all ready just in case.

Good thoughts, I will complete and send in SSA-308.  When my wife was interviewed by the FBU a few years ago she didn’t need to complete this form, but she only had OAP.

Good thoughts, I will complete and send in SSA-308.  When my wife was interviewed by the FBU a few years ago she didn’t need to complete this form, but she only had OAP.

I've sent a few of these since I started taking US state pension.  The first was to tell them when I expected to received my UK pension(s).  I was planning on taking one of those pensions at age 65, and sure enough, not long after my 65th birthday they sent me SSA-308 to complete.  As it turned out, I deferred that pension so I just had to update the expected receipt dates.  FYI, they don't like it if you don't reply to that form.

Interesting re your wife.  UK OAP is WEPable (that's all I receive), so why did she not have to complete a SSA-308?

You say you will be maximally WEP'ed ... could be worth messaging FBU to ask, can you voluntarily accept maximal WEP without having to provide all the additional information. Logically, it should be neither here nor there to them, but with governmental agencies, you never know. Worth getting all this documentation all ready just in case.

Interesting comments - I took my US SS on entitlement at 66 years and 2 months (3 years ago now), by which time I'd started taking my UK OAP. My interview with the FBU asked about other pensions and I told them about my UK OAP but not the amounts. I'd already accepted that I would be subject to maximum WEP as I only had 40 credits on my US SS - maybe that ws the trigger, I don't know.


@dunroving - I note your previous location list - I also managed to clock up some time in the Bahamas (1982-87 - then to the US) - no pensions from the Bahamas however - national insurance contributions @$2 per week as I remember - irrespective of earnings!

I've sent a few of these since I started taking US state pension.  The first was to tell them when I expected to received my UK pension(s).  I was planning on taking one of those pensions at age 65, and sure enough, not long after my 65th birthday they sent me SSA-308 to complete.  As it turned out, I deferred that pension so I just had to update the expected receipt dates.  FYI, they don't like it if you don't reply to that form.

Interesting re your wife.  UK OAP is WEPable (that's all I receive), so why did she not have to complete a SSA-308?

The agent told her that DWP would confirm her record to them when they requested it - how many years due to work versus voluntary contributions.  At the time they were still working from home due to Covid and the Embassy was closed which may have been a factor.

However, I will definitely complete my own SSA-308 now and send it in.

Interesting comments - I took my US SS on entitlement at 66 years and 2 months (3 years ago now), by which time I'd started taking my UK OAP. My interview with the FBU asked about other pensions and I told them about my UK OAP but not the amounts. I'd already accepted that I would be subject to maximum WEP as I only had 40 credits on my US SS - maybe that ws the trigger, I don't know.


@dunroving - I note your previous location list - I also managed to clock up some time in the Bahamas (1982-87 - then to the US) - no pensions from the Bahamas however - national insurance contributions @$2 per week as I remember - irrespective of earnings!

If you were in the Bahamas for that long, you should be eligible for a pension grant (single payment). You may already know this but if not, send me a PM and I'll send you further details. I was there for 7 years and received over £8,000 one-time payment.

(Edited to add: I was in the Bahamas from 1983-1990, worked at QC and played rugby for the Buccaneers ... )

Today I sent into the FBU 3 SSA-308 forms for each of my UK pensions plus a covering letter plus screenshot from my SSA account showing that my return is with the FBU in London for processing.

So ... finally, on the eve of 2025, I received today a letter from SSA regarding my WEP. It's a miracle the letter was inside, because the envelope had been opened by someone along the way (maybe someone in USPS hoping to find a cheque?)

Quite ironic considering it seems that WEP will be repealed soon. However, the letter is a bit confusing. General points are below:

You have an overpayment of $1,542 (OK, take their word for the amount)

You received $956 04-2023 to 11/2023 (Actually, I have been receiving $986, but never mind - I definitely should have been WEP'ed since 04/2023, i.e., the past 20 months).
You should have received $697 04-2023 to 11/2023

By my calculations, that's an overpayment of £259 for 20 months, so should be $5,180, not £1,542. So, that's the first point of confusion.

On the next page, it says I will receive $737 from 12/2024. Which is my second point of confusion. If I should have been paid $697 since 04/2023, why will I now be paid $737?

Completely confused, but hopeful that if/when WEP is repealed, this may simply be forgotten ... <<crosses fingers>>

So ... finally, on the eve of 2025, I received today a letter from SSA regarding my WEP. It's a miracle the letter was inside, because the envelope had been opened by someone along the way (maybe someone in USPS hoping to find a cheque?)

Quite ironic considering it seems that WEP will be repealed soon. However, the letter is a bit confusing. General points are below:

You have an overpayment of $1,542 (OK, take their word for the amount)

You received $956 04-2023 to 11/2023 (Actually, I have been receiving $986, but never mind - I definitely should have been WEP'ed since 04/2023, i.e., the past 20 months).
You should have received $697 04-2023 to 11/2023

By my calculations, that's an overpayment of £259 for 20 months, so should be $5,180, not £1,542. So, that's the first point of confusion.

On the next page, it says I will receive $737 from 12/2024. Which is my second point of confusion. If I should have been paid $697 since 04/2023, why will I now be paid $737?

Completely confused, but hopeful that if/when WEP is repealed, this may simply be forgotten ... <<crosses fingers>>

I haven't looked at your figures in detail but if it's anything like my situation - they reduce the amount you should be paid because of WEP, then reduce it further to recoup the money they've overpaid (spread over 28 months in my case) but of course there's COLA, which increases it.  Hopefully this will all be consigned to the dustbin once Joey Biden gets his pen out.

So ... finally, on the eve of 2025, I received today a letter from SSA regarding my WEP. It's a miracle the letter was inside, because the envelope had been opened by someone along the way (maybe someone in USPS hoping to find a cheque?)

Quite ironic considering it seems that WEP will be repealed soon. However, the letter is a bit confusing. General points are below:

You have an overpayment of $1,542 (OK, take their word for the amount)

You received $956 04-2023 to 11/2023 (Actually, I have been receiving $986, but never mind - I definitely should have been WEP'ed since 04/2023, i.e., the past 20 months).
You should have received $697 04-2023 to 11/2023

By my calculations, that's an overpayment of £259 for 20 months, so should be $5,180, not £1,542. So, that's the first point of confusion.

On the next page, it says I will receive $737 from 12/2024. Which is my second point of confusion. If I should have been paid $697 since 04/2023, why will I now be paid $737?

Completely confused, but hopeful that if/when WEP is repealed, this may simply be forgotten ... <<crosses fingers>>

Wow, how confusing!!