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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Doreen
Will the retroactive payment be taxable for 2024?
Cecil S.
What makes your case complex
Don H.
I note your genuflection to trump, and find it sickening!
Denise C.
Can i recieve a pension check and SSDI?
Susan B.
Thank you President Trump for implementing this so quickly! You truly care about the Seniors. Now on to the vets and the homeless. God bless President Trump!
Pat
Sorry, this was due to Bi-partisan Congress and Pres Biden signing it.
Susan
On January 4, 2025, President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law.
j.nash
It was signed into law by Biden. Trump had very little to do with it. But God Bless you sweetie.
SArnold
Thank President Biden for implementing the bill itself
Holly I.
So…. No credit to Biden for actually signing this into law? Signing it into law is one of his last acts as president, no less? No credit to Biden for the fact that Seniors are actually going to be getting this money to begin with?
Sandy
It was signed into law by President Biden before he left office.
Holmes
Thank you president Biden for signing this bill into law!!
Sedonia S.
Correction: President Joe Biden on Jan. 5 signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law, effectively boosting retirement benefits for hundreds of thousands of current and former K-12 educators nationwide. Please let’s make sure we give credit to the correct President.
Jerry M.
I agree…God Bless our President!
Latasha S.
Biden signs Social Security Fairness Act, not Trump.
C.M. J.
Since this was so unexpected but greatly appreciated, I would like to donate $1,000 to the national debt but only if goes towards the debit itself
Tracy
I was told that I owe money back because I was paid too much after I retired, but that was before the new laws were passed which affected the amount that I was paid well I still have to pay that $4800 back
L
You welcome
Linda
I got a retro payment covering a 6 month period. SSA advised that I didn’t get a full 12 month retro check because I had never filed for spousal benefits when my husband filed. Why would I do that when the SSA had told me the government pension offset law made me ineligible and any claim would automatically be denied, so I didn’t need to file. This makes no sense to me. I never had enough credits to file on my own.
Anne E.
I just googled “Can people donate to the national debt?” and there is indeed a Gifts to Reduce the Public Debt program. I’ve added making a gift to my To Do list.
rosi
Will I receive retro payment by mail if I don’t have automatic deposit to checking set up?
Margery R.
This was a long time coming. Never thought it would happen. Took a Democrat.
David
This bill was sponsored in Congress by a Republican Congressman from Texas. Biden signed it into law. A bipartisan bill! Thank you President Trump for expediting this law and getting all the people paid. Why can’t our government work so well for all Americans?
Ver D.
Yes…Thank you Joe Biden.
S. M.
Trump is a Republican! Democrats would still have us waiting!
Brigitte D.
Yes!
JohnS
President Trump is not a democrat
Alicia
Trump is nor a Democrat. Reread the article.
Peggy I.
What about widows people worked and paid since 16 years of age. Spouse passed awsy ss took my check gave me my husbands whst happened yo my ss. People getting that never paid one penny for it. It’s not fair. On ss you haven’t work only yo be taken wages out of your ss not fair.
Betty B.
I agree. The people who never paid one penny are the ones getting paid. My husband passed away 12 years ago. He would have qualified. Me as a widow gets nothing. I don’t know who set these guidelines. They are just unfair.
Daphne P.
I worked for the school for 5 yrs as a janitor will I get retroactive payment
C.B.
Hi, Daphne. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Only people who receive a pension based on work not covered by Social Security may see benefit increases. Most state and local public employees – about 72% – work in Social Security-covered employment where they pay Social Security taxes. Therefore, their benefits have not been reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These individuals will not receive a benefit increase due to the new law. If you had a non-covered pension from your work as a school employee, you may receive back benefits and an increase on your own Social Security benefit. For more information, visit our Social Security Fairness Act webpage. We hope this helps.
Fran K.
What about the people who paid in Social Security and will never be able to draw on it. Do they get their money back they paid in?
Joyce B.
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