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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Elizabeth R.
So retired state employees get this ?
S.S.
Hi, Elizabeth. 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 work, 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.
Louisa V.
How does one know if they are receiving the SSDA fairness benefit.im on SSDI and work more then 35 years ,paid into social security,Medicare and Medicaid, paid texts each year . Base on my BD falls on September 10,1969 . What the amount If I quality for.
Thank you
Louisa Villasenor
S.S.
Hi, Louisa. 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 work, 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.
Ange V.
RESIBO SSI DESDE EL 1997 SOY CIUDADANO Y TENGO 78 ANOS RESIVIRI ALGUN PAGO RETROACTIVO EL 2925 GRACIAS
C.B.
Hi, Ange. For information in Spanish, please visit our Spanish blog. You can also find information in Spanish at http://www.segurosocial.gov, and Administración del Seguro Social http://www.facebook.com/segurosocial. Thanks!
Joseph c.
I was forced to get on SSA and now on SSI do to an injury from work. At 52. I have heard about a stimulus for people whom are on SSA. Other than cola witch is not much!. Penny a on a Dollar. Can’t afford to even get a dozen eggs now. Thanks for your help and time.
Dee
I requested an audit of all my Medicare Part B payments and have not received anything yet. I was charged monthly even though I paid 3 months upfront. Then I received a message that I owed 3 months again last November. In total I have paid 6 extra months in addition to my monthly payments.I have all my payments, paperwork, etc to verify everything. I asked and submitted paperwork for a hearing in December and nothing has happened. I really need my money to be returned.
Please help me. I don’t know what else to do at this point. I would appreciate any help. This has been going on for a 18mos. Thank you for your response.
Larry
Hello Dee
I don’t know if this will help but I am a veteran with full of veteran medical benefits. I canceled my part B payment because I don’t need it.
I would first contact your local SSI office and see if you can just cancel your part B if you don’t need it.
S.S.
Hi, Dee. Thanks for reading our blog and for your comment. We respond to questions and provide general information on our Retirement, Survivors, Disability, Medicare and SSI programs. If you have a general question, we encourage you to ask here. Keep in mind that for security reasons, we do not have access to any 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 R.
My wife received a puzzling letter from SSA today saying her monthly payment, starting in April, will be X amount. But it doesn’t make clear if the X amount is before or after the $185 Medicare Part B deduction. Can anyone authoritatively clarify? Thanks.
S.S.
Hi, John. 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.
ToniB
My Widows DIC payment and Social Security Checks were reduced due to the windfall act .. will I qualify?
Teresa C.
When can we expect our check
Ramon
How many months of 2025 does the retroactive check cover?
M. A.
Taxable? This windfall ?