What determines how much your benefit is influenced under WEP?

The correct choice is based on how the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) is designed to adjust Social Security benefits for individuals who receive a pension from work not covered by Social Security. Specifically, the years of substantial earnings are critical to this determination.

WEP affects those who have a pension from employment where they did not pay Social Security taxes. The formula used to calculate the monthly benefit from Social Security is adjusted to account for the number of years the individual paid into the Social Security system through substantial earnings. The fewer years of substantial earnings one has, the more likely the WEP will reduce the benefit amount.

Thus, it's the length of time an individual has worked in jobs covered by Social Security that directly impacts how significantly their Social Security benefit will be modified under WEP.