Social Security Benefits for (Texas) Teachers

[tbyg52]

My addendum:

Not only this, but a few years ago we got a letter saying that if my husband dies before I do, I get either 55% of his military retirement, or SS, but not both. This, after we've taken a reduced payment for years so that I would have that 55%.

Not that I'd get more than a tiny fraction of the SS I'm entitled to, on MY OWN work quarters, because I'm a teacher!

It's really infuriating that I'm considered a "double dipper," when the jerks that ran the economy into the ground are walking off with millions and billions.

Please help thousands of TX teachers, receive the social security benefits they are currently denied, but are entitled to.

You may say, "This doesn't apply to me," or "I don't have time right now," but teachers are counting on you for support.
Here's why:

1) Do you know that the moment you enter the TX teaching system you forfeit the full amount of social security benefits you had coming to you previously? So if you worked a job prior to becoming a teacher, where you paid into social security, you will not be able to collect the full social security benefits that you should be entitled to?

2) Do you know that if you work a second job while teaching, and put into social security for that second job as required by law, you will not be able to claim the full social security benefits you should be entitled to? They regard it as double-dipping because you are a teacher under the STRS retirement plan.

3) Do you know that if your spouse has always paid into social security through his/her job, and you outlive your spouse, you will not receive your spouse's full survivor benefits because you are a teacher?

In most other jobs, and in most other states, this injustice would not be the case. But because you contribute to TRS in TX., the government says your contributions to social security on any other jobs cannot be fully counted.

The new Social Security Fairness Act H.R.235 was reintroduced in the House two weeks ago with only 80 cosponsors.
We need to build the cosponsor list as quickly as possible. This new bill will repeal two bills that are currently unjust:

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) reduces an educator's EARNED Social Security from previous employment.

The Government Pension Offset (GPO) eliminates an educator's Social security benefits from a deceased spouse.

Link to where I got the above:
http://kmmcclatchy.spaces.live.com/blog/cns!12ACDADCC1F7067A!328.entry

Link to petition/rep contact/more info on NEA site:
http://www.nea.org/home/16491.htm