wait ...let me see if I understand. You had a job teaching for the state. They dont require you to pay into the social security system, yet at retirement you are allowed to take 20% of what you would have earned had you been paying into the social security system?

Each state has such strange contracts, they mostly leave me scratching my head going "how the heckpie"

I too worked for the state (connecticut) but we paid into SS. no reduction in rate. The employer matched our contributions. if I paid $5, they matched the $5. Its that way in many privately owned places like hospitals and insurance companies. altho I hear many are no longer matching. I had a separate policy of deferred comp. I had X taken out of my check each time and I couldnt touch it. Tax free and all that. Then at retirement age I can pull out as much as I like tax free. if I touch it before retirement age I get hit not only with taxes but also capitol gains.

Is this SS rule similar to the one where a woman can be a home maker, and never work a day in her life, but if her spouse dies she is entitled to collect his SS pension?

SS confuses me.