A: When Social Security was enacted in 1935, it specifically excluded public employees who were covered by their own pension systems. Massachusetts is one of a handful of “non-Social Security” states, which means that you pay into our public pension system instead of Social Security; you do not earn any Social Security “credits” or “quarters” for your contributions or service to the public retirement system. However, if you have earned Social Security credits through other employment and you will be eligible for a Social Security benefit based on either your other employment history or your spouse’s eligibility, your Social Security pension may be reduced pursuant to the Government Pension Offset or Windfall Elimination Provision. The amount of the offset is determined by Social Security. While you do not need to report your Social Security benefits to us, you do need to report to Social Security the retirement allowance that you receive from the Falmouth Retirement System. If you are subject to the offset by Social Security, you must report all changes in your retirement allowance (i.e. COLA increases, etc.) to Social Security.
