Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and the Yahoo Answers website is now in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

Yellowpaper
Lv 4
Yellowpaper asked in Business & FinanceTaxesUnited States · 10 years ago

Do teacher's in Virginia pay into social security?

I just heard that state employees (or county employees enrolled under state retirement programs) don't get social security. Upon further research it appears that state employees don't get social security if they have a state issued pension, and don't pay into social security (which makes sense). However, if the state has a Section 218 agreement which specifies teachers, and the teachers pay into social security, they receive social security like everyone else.

My girlfriend is a teacher, and is enrolled with the Virginia Retirement System (which also includes teachers employed by our county). Does anyone know if Virginia teachers pay into social security, and more importantly, if they will receive social security? I guess I could just ask to look at one of her pay stubs tonight, but I'm impatient... I couldn't find anything online regarding Virginia's section 218 agreement, nor if Virginia teachers pay into social security. Thanks for your help.

Update:

Based on her W2s, it appears she pays ~6.2% of her pay to Social Security and 1.45% to Medicaid. I believe that's typical for most people (same as my contribution anyway). Now knowing this, I would expect she receives Social Security like the rest of us? She is enrolled in the Virginia Retirement System, but it looks like that's in addition to Social Security. Am I missing something?

6 Answers

Relevance
  • RUSerious
    Lv 7
    10 years ago
    Favorite Answer

    Based on the information that you provided in your additional details post, I am inclined to say that you have an excellent grasp of the situation.

    However, in order to remove any shard of doubt, it might not be a bad idea to contact your local Board of Education for additional clarification, just in case there is something in this situation that we have overlooked.

  • ?
    Lv 7
    10 years ago

    Teachers in Virginia (in general) do not pay into social security. They contribute (in part) to their pension through the Virginia Retirement System (which is much better for them). However, teachers pay into Medicare and can receive benefits at age 65.

    Also, if a teacher vests with the Virginia Retirement System and also works at a job elsewhere that pays into social security, the teacher might be eligible to collect from both systems.

  • ?
    Lv 4
    5 years ago

    I think teachers just like firefighters and police officers have a pension plan instead of SS.

  • Keith
    7 years ago

    Yes they do,

    Go to www.varetire.org, go to publications, go to ..other retirement guides and publications, select....getting ready to retire...go to page 22......done .......my wife is a teacher and I had the same question......Virginia chose to keep the Federal SS system.

    Thank goodness on my case.......

  • tro
    Lv 7
    10 years ago

    it may depend on the individual district, some are in the SS program, some are not but the retirement program they substitute is very similar to the SS program

  • Anonymous
    10 years ago

    You can figure out how to do that here:

    http://www.paystubtemplate.com/

    Source(s): http://www.paystubtemplate.com/
Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.