Social Security Death Abroad Turkey: Claiming Survivor Benefits After a Death Overseas

The WEP and GPO Are Repealed — Here's What That Means

The Social Security Fairness Act, signed January 5, 2025, completely repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These provisions had reduced or eliminated Social Security spousal and survivor benefits for people who also earned a non-covered pension — a government pension where Social Security taxes were not withheld.

The repeal is retroactive to benefits payable from January 2024 onward. The SSA completed its automated adjustments and retroactive lump-sum distributions for active beneficiaries in mid-2025.

For families dealing with a death in Turkey, this changes the math significantly. Surviving spouses who were previously told their survivor benefit would be zeroed out by the GPO can now seek the benefit without that federal offset, subject to ordinary eligibility rules.

Two Paths Depending on Prior Filing Status

The deceased was already receiving benefits: The SSA automatically adjusted monthly payments and issued a retroactive lump sum covering withheld amounts back to January 2024. If the deceased died before receiving this lump sum, the estate executor must contact the SSA to claim the unpaid back benefits. Check the deceased's my Social Security account online to confirm the adjustment was applied.

A surviving spouse never filed because of the old GPO/WEP: The SSA will not automatically enroll them. The survivor must submit a new, manual application. This application is not available online — the survivor must call 1-800-772-1213 (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time) or schedule an in-person appointment at a local SSA field office. The date of filing affects how far benefits can be paid retroactively; SSA generally limits new retirement and survivor claims to six months before the month of application.

What Documents the SSA Needs

When an American dies abroad, the SSA can accept the Consular Report of Death Abroad (CRODA, Form DS-2060) as proof of death. A Turkish death certificate is also acceptable; when both are available, SSA guidance prefers the U.S. consular report if it is consistent with the local record.

An e-CRODA with a digital seal can be emailed while paper copies are still in transit from Turkey, but the claim still requires the proof of death and other documents SSA requests.

State Pension Offsets Still Exist

One critical distinction survivors must understand: while the federal WEP and GPO are repealed, some state public employee retirement systems maintain their own plan-level offsets. California CalPERS, Ohio STRS, Massachusetts MTRS, and Illinois SERS each have internal rules that may still reduce plan benefits based on Social Security eligibility.

These are plan provisions set by state law, not federal Social Security reductions. A financial advisor or the state pension system's survivor benefits coordinator can clarify whether any plan-level adjustment applies.

Filing from Abroad

If the surviving spouse is still in Turkey — an expat, for example — they can initiate the process by calling the SSA International Call Center at +1-855-522-6936 or contacting the Federal Benefits Unit serving Turkey, FBU Athens. The FBU handles Social Security claims for Americans living overseas, though processing times run longer than domestic filings.

The American Dies in Turkey Family Emergency Guide includes an SSA benefit verification worksheet that tracks filing dates, required documents, and retroactive payment calculations — because the filing date can affect how far back benefits are payable.