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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Katherine B.
Hello, I applied for retirement benefits 2/4/25, I am over 68 and getting ready to have 2nd major surgery. I do thankfully have Medicare. I had asked that the retirement benefits begin in March, but have not heard a word.
How long does it take to process the first check? The 30 days is well past.
Thank you for any guidance.
C.B.
Hi, Katherine. Thanks for using our blog and for your question. The length of time it takes to process a retirement application can vary depending on whether we need to verify documents or other personal information. To check the status of your application, you can use your personal my Social Security account or our automated telephone services that are available 24 hours a day. Call us at 1-800-772-1213 and, at the prompt, respond “application status.” For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this information is helpful.
Marie
I review my as account and noticed the one time payment was posted on 3/6/25 I still haven’t received payment I have update my diect payment and got confirmation that my direct payment gas been updated with ssa when should I expect to see payment in the bank
Please do not post my email address
Jeff G.
My mother received two letters, one notifying her of the retro payment (WEP) but another one saying her benefits were being cancelled as of Jan 2024 and references her drawing off my fathers SS. She is not drawing off my fathers SS, she has her own and her benefits should be going up due to the elimination of the WEP. How concerned should we be about the second leter telling her benefits are ending as of Jan 2024?
C.B.
Hi, Jeff. Thanks for using our blog. You mom can call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) to discuss her 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
The cancelation letter is to close out the old amount and the next letter is affirmation of new check amount.
Tasha S.
I can’t get my two income tax from 2021 and 2020 because of the hackers. I can’t get my friends at PayPal because of the hackers. I can’t get my funds at CFPB and fo torum. I have billions
Tasha Rahman
Tasha S.
I will hit by the government and the federal on last year pretending that it was a breach but it wasn’t a breach because they have been doing it for an entire year my funds are at consumer finance protection bureau but they have an excuse every time I try to receive my funds also they have been harassing me abusing me harassing abusing me and my kids my family they have stole billions already they have taken everything from me like as I as I type right now. Last night they took my LLC and they claimed my LLC as if it was theirs check my email and you will see proof of a lot of things Tashayow09gmail.com hacked tashayow13@gmail.com
Ray N.
It’s the end of March and I still have not received my retro check or any letter from SS. I am eligible for the fairness act . Colleagues and family have already received theirs. My calls to SS go unanswered !
Richard E.
Hi, I’m in same position. I have heard nothing about wep / gpo from social security. I waited til today and was able to make an in person interview with social security. I was informed by the rep that my record was marked to be processed. I just wanted to make sure I had not missed something. It was as reassuring as it could be.
Anthony w.
I receive ssdi and prior to becoming disabled I receive a non covered new Jersey state police pension will the new social security fairness act raise my ssdi amount as I receive it with a non covered pension
T.Y.
Hi, Anthony. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. People who receive both a pension based on work not covered by Social Security and a Social Security benefit (retirement, spouse, disability, or survivor) 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. We hope this helps.
Pat B.
Hi there, not sure what you all are talking about? I am so worried that these two evil men are going to take away my only income away!! Lord help us all!!
MarieAnna D.
Don’t listen to the mainstream media and relax. It will not be long when you realize how wrong you were.
Mari B.
What?!? Do tell dearie. What do you know that the rest of us don’t know?
Jo
My husband was a teacher, he loves getting the extra money but says it makes no sense, he gets a good pension and didn’t pay into social security. What about people who have paid in all their lives and receive a quarter of what he is receiving? He’s confused, it makes no sense.
M.L. C.
If he did not have other jobs where he paid into SS, The Fairness Act does not concern him.
Jay F.
Wrong , he is entitled to spousal benefits
roger
this is crap my moms check was 900 less this isn’t right people depend on that to pay monthly bills
Jackie F.
For people who died in 2024 and no surviving spouse, would those individuals receive windfall?