Do Teachers Get Social Security in Ohio?
Ohio teachers: Understand your Social Security eligibility, state pension, and how to coordinate your retirement benefits for a secure future.
In the United States, retirement benefits for public sector employees, such as teachers, often operate under systems distinct from those in the private sector. While most private sector workers contribute to Social Security, many public employees participate in state-specific pension plans. These systems provide retirement income, disability coverage, and survivor benefits tailored to government workers. This structured approach ensures a dedicated framework for their long-term financial security.
Ohio’s Public Employee Retirement System for Teachers
Public school teachers in Ohio primarily participate in the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS Ohio), a dedicated system. This defined benefit plan determines retirement income by a formula, not individual account performance. Teachers enrolled in STRS Ohio contribute a portion of their salary, about 14%, directly to this system instead of paying into Social Security for their teaching employment.
STRS Ohio provides retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. Retirement benefits are calculated based on age, years of service credit, and final average salary, often using a formula like 2.2% of the final average salary multiplied by years of service. Eligibility for unreduced retirement benefits may require a certain number of years of service (e.g., 32 or 33 years) or reaching a specific age with minimum service (e.g., age 60 with five years).
Disability benefits are available for members incapacitated from performing job duties due to a physical or mental condition. Eligibility requires a minimum of five or ten years of qualifying service credit. STRS Ohio also offers survivor benefits to eligible family members if a teacher passes away. These benefits provide monthly income to qualified beneficiaries, with eligibility based on the teacher’s years of service credit (e.g., 1.5 or 5 years).
Social Security Eligibility for Ohio Teachers
Most public school teachers in Ohio do not contribute to Social Security through their teaching positions, as their employment is covered by STRS Ohio. Consequently, they do not earn Social Security credits from their Ohio teaching service. Any Social Security benefits they might receive would stem from other employment where Social Security taxes were paid, or from a spouse’s earnings record. Teachers may have earned Social Security credits through prior jobs, concurrent part-time work outside of teaching, or employment after leaving the profession.
Historically, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) impacted Social Security benefits for individuals receiving a pension from non-covered employment, like STRS Ohio. WEP reduced Social Security retirement or disability benefits for those who also received a non-covered pension. It adjusted the Social Security benefit formula, lowering the benefit amount for those with fewer than 30 years of substantial earnings in Social Security-covered work. The WEP reduction was capped at one-half of the non-covered pension amount.
GPO affected Social Security spousal or widow(er)’s benefits. If an Ohio teacher received a pension from STRS Ohio and was eligible for Social Security benefits based on a spouse’s earnings record, the GPO would reduce that spousal or widow(er)’s benefit. This reduction amounted to two-thirds of the non-covered government pension. The GPO could diminish or eliminate the Social Security spousal or survivor benefit.
In early 2025, the Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law, effectively eliminating both the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. This legislative change means that individuals previously subject to WEP or GPO will no longer have their Social Security benefits reduced due to non-covered pensions. The Act also provides for retroactive payments for benefits dating back to January 2024, restoring funds to those whose benefits were previously affected.
Coordinating Your Retirement Benefits
Understanding the interplay between your STRS Ohio pension and any potential Social Security benefits is important for comprehensive retirement planning. Even with WEP and GPO eliminated, knowing your full financial picture involves reviewing both benefit streams. For your STRS Ohio pension, access annual statements and use benefit estimators through their online portal. These tools help project your future monthly pension amount based on years of service, age, and salary history.
The Social Security Administration provides valuable resources to estimate your Social Security benefits. By creating a “My Social Security” online account, you can access your Social Security Statement, which details your earnings record and provides estimates for retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. Regularly reviewing this statement helps verify the accuracy of your earnings history, which directly impacts your future Social Security benefits. Combining information from both your STRS Ohio statements and your Social Security account offers a more complete view of your projected retirement income, enabling more informed financial decisions.