Page 16 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JAnuARy 10, 2025 Windfall Elimination Provision Repeal T he United States Senate this past December passed H.R. 82, The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 with a vote of 76 in favor and 20 not in favor. This landmark legislation repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Off set (GPO). Both the WEP and the GPO have served to greatly reduce Social Security benefi ts for public servant retirees who had worked as a fi refi ghter, teacher, police offi cer, or in any other city or state employment position. This bill was previously approved by the House of Representatives on November 12, 2024 by a 327-75 margin. President Biden signed this legislation into law on Sunday, January 5, 2025. These public service positions are not covered by Social Security. The WEP was fi rst introduced in 1983 during the Reagan administration resulting in a signifi cant reduction of monthly Social Security retirement benefi ts for those retirees who did contribute to Social Security during a portion of their working years but who worked most of their career in the state public sector thereby becoming eligible for a state pension upon retirement. The GPO resulted in a signifi cant reduction in a surviving spouse’s Social Security retirement benefi ts as a result of the predeceased spouse having worked in the public sector thereby receiving a state pension. The surviving spouse would be collecting the deceased spouse’s state pension under a joint and survivor election option made by the deceased spouse. The predeceased spouse would have settled for a lesser monthly retirement benefi t knowing that his or her surviving spouse would be entitled to collect that state pension for the remainder of his or her life. What this new legislation essentially means is that state workers will be entitled to 100% of their Social Security retirement benefi ts based upon their work history in the private sector and contributions to the Social Security system. This also means that your surviving spouse will receive 100% of your Social Security monthly benefi t upon your death, regardless of whether or not your surviving spouse is also receiving a state retirement benefi t either under her own state retirement benefi t or her spouse’s state retirement benefit. The marriage must have lasted at least 10 years to collect under a predeceased spouse’s work history. The surviving spouse will of course receive the higher Social Security monthly benefi t based either upon her own work history or her spouse’s work history. Retirees will also receive retroactive payments for benefits lost after December 31, 2023. There could be as many as 2.5million retirees that have been aff ected by the WEP and the GPO acts. Massachusetts is one of the states where state workers have been signifi cantly impacted. The expected cost to the federal government by eliminating the WEP and the GPO legislation approximates $200billion over the next decade. The impact on the health of the Social Security Trust Fund would be an acceleration of the time in which the fund would be depleted. Congress will undoubtedly either cut other benefi t programs, foreign aid, contributions to global causes such as World Health Organization, etc., or increase payroll taxes, in order to sustain the Social Security Trust Fund for future retirees. I don’t see our federal government ever jeopardizing Social Security benefi ts for our seniors. Far too many Americans depend upon those benefi ts just to meet their minimum monthly expenses. Joseph D. Cataldo is an estate planning/elder law attorney, Certifi ed Public Accountant, Certifi ed Financial Planner, AICPA Personal Financial Specialist and holds a masters degree in taxation. W ith today’s edition, [insert name of newspaper] begins coverage of the 2025-2026 Massachusetts legislative session with our weekly Beacon Hill Roll Call report. This feature is a clear and concise compilation of the voting records of local state representatives and senators. Beacon Hill Roll Call provides an unbiased summary of bills and amendments, arguments from fl oor debate on both sides of the issue and each legislator’s vote or lack of vote on the matter. This information gives readers an opportunity to monitor their elected officials’ actions on Beacon Hill. Many bills are reported on in their early stages, giving readers the opportunity to contact their legislators and express an opinion prior to the measure being brought up for fi nal action. The feature “Also Up on Beacon Hill” informs readers of other important matters at the Statehouse. Beacon Hill Roll Call is written and provided by Bob Katzen, a former Boston radio talk show host at WRKO, WITS and WMRE. Bob has been providing this feature to hundreds of newspapers across the Bay State since 1975. Fun fact: Bob invented the “Bagel Route” when he was 10 years old. It’s like a paper route but Bob took pre-orders from neighbors and delivered bagels every Sunday morning. GET A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO MASSTERLIST: Start off following the 2025 Legislature with something that you will read every weekday morning. There aren’t many things out there that are free and valuable. But MASSterlist is a rarity. Join more than 22,000 people, from movers and shakers to political junkies and interested citizens, who start their weekday morning with MASSterList—the popular newsletter that chronicles news and informed analysis about what’s going on up on Beacon Hill, in Massachusetts politics, policy, media and infl uence. The stories are drawn from major news organizations as well as specialized publications. MASSterlist will be e-mailed to you FREE every Monday through Friday morning and will give you a leg up on what’s happening in the blood sport of Bay State politics. For more information and to get your free subscription, go to: https:// MASSterList/subscribe/ THE HOUSE AND SENATE: Last week was full of activity on Beacon Hill. The Legislature approved and sent to Gov. Maura Healey several bills passed on voice votes, without roll calls, prior to the end of the 20232024 session on Wednesday, January 1. The Legislature also convened the 2025-2026 session that same day. Much of the day’s activities were ceremonial including the swearing-in of state senators and representatives. The only roll call votes were on the election of a speaker of the House and Senate president. REP. RON MARIANO RE-ELECTED SPEAKER The House re-elected Rep. Ron Mariano (D-Quincy) as speaker of the House and Rep. Brad Jones (R-North Reading) as Republican minority leader. Mariano received the votes of all 132 Democrats who voted. Jones fended off a challenge from Rep. Marc Lombardo (R-Billerica) for the GOP top spot. Jones received 21 votes to Lombardo’s four votes. “Just as the Legislature acted to protect our residents during the fi rst Trump administration, it will once again be our responsibility to step up when we can in the face of federal management changes and decreased federal support,” Mariano said. “It will be imperative that we rise above the infi ghting and partisan politics that continue to plague Congress, a goal that I know Gov. Healey and Senate President Spilka remain committed to.” “I am truly grateful for the overwhelming vote of confidence and support I received from my colleagues this morning,” said Jones. “They were able to see through the divisive rhetoric and meaningless noise generated by outside special interests, extremist groups and others leading up to today’s vote. As we begin a new legislative session, I am honored to have the opportunity to continue to lead the House Republican Caucus over the next two years and will continue to work alongside my colleagues to advocate for responsible policies that are in the best interests of our cities and towns and the state’s taxpayers.” “Today wasn’t a loss,” said Lombardo. “Today was the culmination of starting a conversation within the caucus and with the voters of the commonwealth about how they want the Republican Party of Massachusetts to operate, how they want the House caucus to operate. They want transparency, they want a strong Republican voice, and we haven’t had that.” Rep. Joseph McGonagle Voted for Mariano SEN. KAREN SPILKA RE-ELECTED SENATE PRESIDENT The Senate re-elected Sen. Karen Spilka (D-Ashland) as Senate president and Sen. Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) as Republican Minority Leader. Spilka received the votes of 34 of the Senate’s 35 Democrats while all fi ve Republicans voted for Tarr. Sen. John Keenan (D-Quincy) voted “present.” “What an exciting day to kick off 2025,” posted Spilka on Facebook. “Today I had the distinct honor of being sworn in as the Senator representing Middlesex and Norfolk and re-elected President of the Massachusetts Senate. The privilege and responsibility to serve the Senate and our commonwealth is not one I take lightly. I’m so thankful for my family who was able to be here today and those supporting me from afar. I’m forever grateful to my colleagues in the Senate and look forward to all we will tackle together in this coming year as we fi ght like hell for the great people of our commonwealth.Sen. Tarr posted on Facebook, “Thank you [Senate BEACON | SEE PAGE 17
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