Full question: I am 71 years old. My school district at the time I taught did not allow me to pay Social Security. I did pay it through side jobs I worked at in summers and after school, but I’m not allowed to collect the full amount I actually earned which would be about $500 a month. I receive less than $50 a month. I’ve never understood why I couldn’t get the full amount I earned, but it had something to do with my school district. My Social Security only covers a small part of my monthly medicare payment. Medicare does NOT allow me to pay the rest monthly but charges me one huge sum once a year. WHY am I not allowed to collect what I actually earned by paying into social security doing side jobs over the years and why do I have to pay for my social security in one huge lump sum of close to $1500 once a year instead of monthly?

Hi there,

If you have a non-covered pension (i.e., you didn’t pay into Social Security for the earnings while working), your Social Security benefits will be reduced due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). The reduction will vary depending on how many years you have contributed into Social Security.

As for Medicare, you might be able to arrange with your plan provider for the premiums to be automatically withdrawn from your checking or savings bank account on a monthly basis.

We encourage you to contact your local SSA office to get a payment plan set up.

For personalized support, you can work with an RSSA here.

All the best,
Martha

Schedule Appointment
Back to All