Colleen Mellor

How WEP, loss of COLA and the SS offset affected this retiree



I taught English and journalism in Cranston, RI secondary schools, for 30 years, retiring at 51, at a salary of $43,000. I’d been widowed at 43 (2nd marriage) and because my husband and I were married only 8 years (instead of required 10), I could not collect any of his Social Sec benefits.



But because I was raising two children as sole breadwinner, I took on many other jobs—waitressing, tutoring, census taker…poll worker… besides teaching.



When I considered retiring, I was extremely careful about my decision-making and met with actuarial people to make sure I’d be “all right, financially.”. That was important since I had no benefits from my deceased husband and our children were in college. The COLA would help me keep pace with inflation. After all, it was a contractual obligation, so I never feared the COLA would be taken away.



Two years after I retired from teaching, I became a realtor and within three years, I began making a six-figure salary, enjoying perks and benefits that go along with jobs in the private sector: I wrote off client luncheons, gas and events. I learned of the benefits of private sector employment, and I paid a hefty share of my income in taxes. That, combined with all the taxes I paid over my many years of other jobs meant I had more than paid my fair share into Social Security.



After 8 years, I left real estate, due to the fact I’d dealt with breast cancer. I determined to live on my pension and pursue the career I’d always wanted-- as writer (my website is colleenkellymellor.com). In doing so, my income declined significantly.



But then the rules of the game changed: In 2011, we municipal workers lost the contractually-promised COLA.



When it came time for me to collect Social Security, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) kicked in and cut my SS benefits to one third what I was owed.



I consider those of us who have lost their rightful Social Security benefits due to WEP and SS offset significantly discriminated against and I hope Congress redresses this wrong imposed on so many of us for so long.



Thank you.



Sincerely,



Colleen Kelly Mellor (teacher in Cranston, RI, 30 years)





***Writer, author, former feature writer and monthly columnist for Prov Journal who is a retired public school teacher of 30 years.

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