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.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: Social Security benefits
See CommentsAbout the Author
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Comments
Leave a Comment
Please review our Comment Policy before leaving a comment. For your safety, please do not post Personally Identifiable Information (such as your Social Security Number, address, phone number, email address, bank account number, or birthdate) on our blog.
Anna A.
Is there any adjustment on survivor’s benefits?
Joe j.
I’m just glad President Trump is looking out for us.
Shirley
This bill was signed by biden….nothing to do with trump
Justina
Thanks to President Biden for signing this into law.
If you need to call SSA now, be prepared to wait. And there are now reports that they could cut up to 50% of employees. It’s going to be be tougher to get help if they fire the front line workers.
Peter
You’ll have buyer’s remorse before it’s all over with.
Alberto C.
I think that SS should increase benefits to all retirees since the small increase we get it goes to pay our insurance. Is increasing every year.
Jason K.
I agree so very much
What we got was a kick in the head. Take there money away and give them to live on what we get. Then watch things change in a hurry.
Rebecca A.
I totally agree. Why are we the last citizens to get any kind of increase?
Carolyn
I agree.
I also remember when teacher were not paying into Social Security and it confuses me as to why someone should get more because of where they worked.
Elsie M.
Your playing a joke right. They didn’t pay SSI taxes because they had a good package from the place they work. Those us who pay in SSI taxes had to suffer with lower income. And now we get a 2.5% increase. And they get higher checks than we do. The 2.5% will be eaten up by the increase we have to pay for Medicare B. On top of that I already pay for Medicare C 85$ a month to get dental and vision coverage. Tell me how is that Fair!!!!!!!!
Wilma B.
I hold hardly agree! As a widow, I need every penny.
Bettyl
This is not an INCREASE. This act means some people will now receive the same SS amounts that other people receive. For example – say you have received $800 in spouse benefits. These recipients WERE receiving $400, they will now receive $800 just like you.
William F.
After years of promises, the return of monies that had been unfairly wepped from government workers Is a vindication that the Congress can be responsive and determined to do the right thing. Thank you, to all the hard-working persons who made this act happen. Sincerely, Bill Green
Pamela S.
Alberto: Well said.
Allee j.
The information here was very helpful. I have a question I’m 87 years old and still working because I don’t receive enough money a month to pay my bills and live on. I am a sick person but I need the money. Do I need to file income tax.
T.Y.
Thank you for reading our blog, Allee. You must pay taxes on your benefits if you file a federal tax return as an “individual” and your “combined income” exceeds $25,000. If you file a joint return, you must pay taxes if you and your spouse have “combined income” of more than $34,000. If you are married and file a separate return, you probably will have to pay taxes on your benefits. For more information, visit our Benefits Planner. For tax questions, you will need to contact the IRS. Their toll-free number is 1-800-829-1040 or you can visit visit http://www.irs.gov. We hope this information is helpful.
Rebecca m.
I agree. I just pay my increase Medicare as far it goes. Big let down. Groceries keep going up and we have a problem paying for them
Estephen L.
When her do yet that
Larry P.
Very Interesting Development. When I was a CSRS and we were given the Choice to stay or go to the FERES Retirement. We were told at that time we would not receive Social Security. I appreciate the money however, We were told up front we wouldn’t receive it so No One lied to us. Thanks America.
Michael M.
My mother retired 21 years ago while employed at Postal Service and?had an acct.with her credit union which has not been active since then. Why did Social Security deposit her retro check into that acct.they also have a secondary acct.at different bank which has been her primary acct.for years.
S.S.
Hi, Michael. For security reasons, we do not have access to personal information in this venue. Please call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to discuss your situation. Our National 800 number is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Keep in mind, wait times to speak to a representative are typically shorter in the morning, later in the week, and later in the month. We hope this helps.
John H.
how about fixing the 3% hit that everyone born in 1947 has been living with for the past 14 years. This has now accumulated to almost 10,000 dollars for those who chose to take benifitsa at age 62 and continues today because of the (cola) error. It was supposed to be fixed in 2010 and nothing has been done.
Pamela P.
And when I turned 65 and my SS was changed to reg and was told they were shorting my check and I ask for them for my retro only to be told they didn’t give retro pay, so I was cheated out of mine so why do all these people get retro what makes them so special and better than me, I should get mine to so this law isn’t fair to everyone only if you were a govt job, this is so wrong it should cover all retro acct not just govt workers but Everyone who they cheated out of money
Mary J.
I am very happy and thankful for this as, at nearly 83, I’m not sure I will be alive at this time next year. Now I may see some of the money before seeing the ‘pearly gates’!
Gayle S.
I agree. Been waiting long enough. We should be getting retroactive payments for more years than 2024
James L.
Heard April 1st SS, so there will be an increase?
Jeanne S.
Sure hope so, anything will help!
Rose J.
What about people who could not collect from their Spouses social security benefits nor their own, due to WEP ?
Lois
It says to call the social security administration and when they answer say Fairness Act and they will help you sign up for the benefits from your husband. Hope it helps.
Bettyl
WEP has been repealed!!!
Shirley
I’m wondering about that also
Henry S.
what we need is for the very high late enrolment penalty to stop going up. Will this fairness Act help with that? Being penalized for life for one mistake is in no way fair.
Cliff M.
In addition, it was the requirement that was the mistake.
Shelia M.
Especially when you are given wrong info by anyone and everyone. Bring tomd to “Shush”, by a very young SS EMPLOYEE, then laughed at while she was speaking to a Supervisor, which I turn the employee told me I didn’t need his name nor did I need a supervisor!
Angela b.
I think this is ridiculous.these people already get more money than most americans.and they get to draw federal benefits as well.once again the people who don’t draw hardly anything.gets nothing.thankyou so much for looking out for the nobody’s in this country.
Deborah
We don’t get more money. Many get less so those of us who worked under both situations, and there are many of us, are penalized financially because of it. I personally am living on $30k a year, that $40 more a month for me would be helpful.
Rex
Oh wow 30k. And I thought I was doing good on roughly 15k a year. Bless yer heart
Patricia S.
That whole article was very confusing to me. I did not pay into social security when I worked for SSA as a disability claims authorizer. I paid into the civil service retirement plan which was what all federal employees did at that time. When I left in 1991 I pulled my retirement in a lump sum. I guess it was kind of stupid but I wouldn’t have had anything to live on because I was not yet not retirement age. As the years went by I realized that I was not going to be eligible for social security retirement or if I was the amount would be so little that I was going to be in trouble. Went back to work for the state in order to make sure I had 40 quarters of coverage with halfway decent income. 5 years with St of MD I had tenure andI was eligible for a retirement check. That was in 2005. I started getting SSA retirement last year when I was 66 I think. I worked for the federal government for 20 yrs. I only worked for the St. 5 yrs. I get more $$ per mt. from St of Md then I do from SSA. It makes no sense to me. Anyway, will I be eligible for this increase they’re talking about? I’m living on $20,000 a yr. LOL
Kristen H.
Try living on 16k/year! Plus an enormous amount of medical issues. Then having to pay your brother’s 45k debt (he borrowed from mother [passed] whom he wouldn’t pay back)
Shelia B.
TRY LIVING ON LESS THAN 10. GRAND A YR. WITH A HOUSE, OF COURSE ELEC, WATER BUT YOU CANT AFFORD HOUSE INS. YOU GET JUST A LITTLE TINY BIT OF EXTRA MONEY YOU START LOOSEING MONEY!!! THATS DISABILITY!!!!!!
Ina g.
Hey man, Many of us have worked the majority of our lifetime,we have earned these retroactive benefits!
Cathy F.
This is not true. Retired teachers are having to sell their homes in advanced ages just to make ends meet because of GOP and WEP. They have lost their spouse and have been unable to collect spousal benefits due to this Act implemented in the 1980s. Their (including me) social security benefits have been DRASTICALLY reduced by 2/3 or more due to the Windfall Elimination Act, also from the 1980s. We are teachers who have dedicated a lifetime of service to our students, some of our students who grew up with incredible teachers who now hold very prominent positions in Washington and throughout this country. We deserve to be treated with dignity and honor at the end of our careers and not have to live our retirement with the drastic shortages we are suffering. In many cases not enough to even cover a Medicare payment. I worked 15 years in another state before my career as a teacher and so have many other teachers, firefighters and police officers. Those years we DID pay into social security and because of the GOP/WEP those years have been discarded until now. Our spouses have paid in SS for 35 years or more yet we could not get their benefits if they passed before us, until now. I am forever grateful to the sponsors in both Houses who worked across the isles to really review this horrific Act of unfairness and approve the H.R.82. I am sorry for those that have passed on waiting for this day we have worked years to rally into law.
Bee S.
Why would you feel entitled to your spouse’s SS if they earned it, and not you? It’s one thing if you had a family and we’re a stay at home parent, but entirely another for you to feel entitled to the benefits of your spouse. My neighbor is 64 and just got married to a 72yo man. If he passes in the next year or two, is she entitled to the benefits of a man who worked 45-50 years, but they were only married 2? Not even close.
Chris
Exactly right Cathy !! We are in the same boat and have lost many $$ due to WEP which was never fair to those of us work EARNED both retirement benefits and then were cheated out of it. Really it should be retroactive to when it first affected you instead of just 1 year back but at least Trump got it changed for the future retirees.
Pilar
That’s why you work over 40 years, and make your contributions to the Social Security as required by law. If you didn’t work enough, how can you expect to get something you didn’t try earning? I’m glad those people will get what is deserved fo them. That money they’re getting is $ they had contributed but wasn’t previously credited to them. Don’t be so envious.
Marty S.
They worked to earn that extra money and when they divide their retirement up in years like that each one is lower earnings. Which means the SS and other retirement plan are much lower earned monthly payment from each.
Alison
My situation is almost exactly the same as Deborah’s. I receive a small pension, based on working for a small city. My SS benefit, based on work grunt work in the ‘70s and ‘80s, is gross $400/month, net $200 after Medicare. I’m grateful for what piddling extra I’ll get and hope it’ll be as much as an extra $100/month. If my combined income is more than most Americans, I’d be very shocked and sad.
Donnette T.
Your best bet is to worry about you. Other peoples benefits are based on their personal choices and is none of our business.
Olsarge
I don’t know what you did for a living, but as a police officer for more than 44 years I risked my life on a daily basis, as firemen also do every day. Teacher have an even more dangerous job locked in a building with no means of defense with a bunch of misfit kids who may just decide to bring a gun to school today and kill them. Quite honestly, you don’t have enough money to pay me for what I might have to do on any given day.
Phlypp
Many of us took less pay than was available in the commercial world based our skill levels and education.
JL C.
I doubt that you know what WEP was, so let me enlighten you. I’ll use myself as an example. From age 17 to 34, I worked for a private company, didn’t make much money but I paid my share into social security. Because I didn’t have a high salary, my social security benefits also wouldn’t be a lot. At 34 years old, I went to school at night and worked for state government during the day and my salary increased 5 fold. 7.5% of my wages went into my pension and I quit paying into Social Security. At 59 years old, I retired and began drawing my pension benefits. Then at 62 years old, I applied for my Social Security benefits, which was about $1200 per month because of my low salary during my early career. That is when they told me that they were only allowing me to collect $550 of that $1200 because they felt that’s all I needed since I was drawing from my pension. I paid my share into Social Security just like you and everyone else but was denied what I paid for unlike you. Now explain to me how it’s fair for you to collect every penny that you paid for but I am not. Now that it’s been repealed, it’s fair and everyone gets what they paid for, exactly as it should be.
William D.
The people you refer to paid that money into social security but were refused benefits when they retired. They are getting nothing more than their own money that they paid in. If one did not pay into social or cheated on the amount they paid into social security…they have no right to the money that people paid into the fund.
Chris
Your comment does not make much sense. In my wife’s case she earned her SSA benefits from working in the private sector for many years and then retired and took a teaching job which fell under WEP offset and her benefits were reduced. She EARNED both retirements and should receive both. Too bad it is not back date 10 years when her benefits were reduced in the first place. If you work hard and earn both you should receive both !!
Ed D.
Angela what you are thinking is not true, we paid our social security and when I retired from I was told I would not get my full benefit, I would only get $99 dollars a month from SS.
Randy R.
Who are “these people” who get more money than most Americans? I would like to complain, too. Can you point me somewhere for more details?
Joe G.
I think SS employees are trying to do an excellent job on a very difficult situation.
They are doing their best for us so let them do it.
Thank you, SS Employees.
C.B.
Hi, Joe. Thanks for your feedback and for reading our blog! Your thoughts are important to us, and we’re pleased when feedback is positive. We try hard to provide the best possible service to our customers and your satisfaction is our reward.