Social Security Announces Expedited Retroactive Payments and Higher Monthly Benefits for Millions – Actions Support the Social Security Fairness Act
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: February 25, 2025
Today, the Social Security Administration announced it is immediately beginning to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to people whose benefits have been affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).
These provisions reduced or eliminated the Social Security benefits for over 3.2 million people who receive a pension based on work that was not covered by Social Security (a “non-covered pension”) because they did not pay Social Security taxes.
The Social Security Fairness Act ends WEP and GPO.
“Social Security’s aggressive schedule to start issuing retroactive payments in February and increase monthly benefit payments beginning in April supports President Trump’s priority to implement the Social Security Fairness Act as quickly as possible,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “The agency’s original estimate of taking a year or more now will only apply to complex cases that cannot be processed by automation. The American people deserve to get their due benefits as quickly as possible.”
People who will benefit from the new law include some teachers, firefighters, and police officers in many states; federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System; and people whose work had been covered by a foreign social security system.
Many beneficiaries will be due a retroactive payment because the WEP and GPO offset no longer apply as of January 2024. Most people will receive their one-time retroactive payment by the end of March, which will be deposited into their bank account on record with Social Security.
Many of these people will also receive higher monthly benefits, which will first be reflected in the benefit payment they receive in April. Depending on factors such as the type of Social Security benefit received and the amount of the person’s pension, the change in payment amount will vary from person to person.
Anyone whose monthly benefit is adjusted, or who will get a retroactive payment, will receive a mailed notice from Social Security explaining the benefit change or retroactive payment. Most people will receive their retroactive payment two to three weeks before they receive their notice in the mail, because the President understands how important it is to pay people what they are due right away. Social Security is expediting payments using automation and will continue to handle many complex cases that must be done manually, on an individual case-by-case basis. Those complex cases will take additional time to update the beneficiary record and pay the correct benefits.
Social Security urges beneficiaries to wait until April to ask about the status of their retroactive payment, since these payments will process incrementally into March. Since the new monthly payment amount will begin with the April payment, beneficiaries should wait until after receiving their April payment, before contacting Social Security with questions about their monthly benefit amount.
Visit the agency’s Social Security Fairness Act webpage to learn more and stay up to date on its progress. Visitors can subscribe to be alerted when the webpage is updated.
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Ruth E.
This explains in detail how we will find out if or not we get refunds
Larry
I appreciate the prompt and effecient service I receive from the VA pharmacy in Leeds , Massachusetts. The staff always appear to be filling many prescriptions with excellent care for us Veterans.
Gary P.
I payed toward Ss from 1962 to 1969 and from 1969 to 2001 was under civil service. 2001 to 2015 I payed into Ss again. How many years does my Ss count toward my check. Thankyou
Genevieve L.
The information is very helpful. For those who are getting husbands benefits included in this. I had an account when I was working. Everything has been activities. There will be many people in this category. How will this be processed.
VINCENT L.
It’s Good Information!
Linda P.
I will receive an increase in my benefits because of the fairness act. Does this change allow me to draw on my Husband’s social security?
S.D.
Hi, Linda. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. The Social Security Fairness Act ends the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), and it’s possible you may now be due spouse benefits on your husband’s work record. In the past, your spouse benefits could have been reduced, or even eliminated, by GPO if you also received a non-covered pension for work where you didn’t pay into Social Security. For more information on how to proceed, please read the answer to the question, What should people do now that the Social Security Fairness Act is law? on our Social Security Fairness Act webpage. You may due up to 50% of your husband’s benefit amount as a spouse. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own retirement benefit, you may be able to get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse amount. To learn more, check out our blog and our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
Brad B.
How can I check to see if I’m eligible
Lisa H.
What about the people who’s on disability
Conrado G.
My daughter received benefits that ended in June 2025 but she is going to college. Can those benefits continue until college ends?
C.B.
Hi, Conrado. This may not be the news you were hoping to hear. At one time, Social Security did pay benefits to college students, but the law changed in 1981. Today, if a child is receiving benefits based on a parent’s Social Security earnings record, we pay these benefits to students who are taking courses at grade 12 or below. However, if a child is still a full-time student at a secondary (or elementary) school at age 18, their benefits will continue until the child graduates or until two months after the child turns age 19, whichever is first. Thanks for reading our blog.
Sharon B.
I’m now more confused..
I live on my meager police pension,retired 20 year’s. I just applied for food stamps as I never had them before and at 75 been raising my Great-Granddaughter alone,and can’t make it on my pension. $22,000 yearly isn’t paying my bill’s.
Please explain if, how this will affect me. Tia..
T.Y.
Hi, Tia. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. People who receive a pension based on work not covered by Social Security may receive an increase. Please visit our Social Security Fairness Act webpage to learn when you can expect retroactive benefits and an increase in your monthly benefit amount if you qualify. We hope this helps