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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Inca
Are the increases also for Permanent Disability persons? People who had to stop working and certainly didn’t expect their body to break down. When a Judge stated there is so much to read from doctors, the tests, the ER’s, the damage to my body etc. Physical disabilities caused me to stop working and caused me, a single parent to have less money to support my child.
T.Y.
Hi, Inca. 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.
Tonna G.
As I hear this explanation, I wonder if money was wrongfully withheld by the prior administration. And if so Why. Thank God President Trump can finally repair all the wrongdoing from this past 4 years.
I’m on social security survivor benefits of $1499.00.
Would this change for better or for worse, or stay the same with a retroactive one time bonus payment?
Janet B.
I don’t understand what is meant by some teachers will benefit from this. I was penalized a lot on the amount I receive but I don’t know whether I will receive anything.
Angelo B.
How can I determine if my SSA benefit has been affected by WEP. I believe my benefits were reduced by WEP but is there a way to find out?
Thank you.
T.Y.
Hi, Angelo. 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. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this information helps.
DKlaschen
I’d like to stop paying taxes on my social security as I make little total income is a little over $1400 month and in Alaska that don’t go to far this year they raised space rent to $610 month don’t include nothing! Powe over $300 gas 270 and must pay bear proof garbage can 105 month! Since the internet and phone help stopped it’s now 250 month and must have it to keep medical monitors working! And GPS for medics find me! So not hardly noting left to pay off X husbands credit card debt or buy food but I get sack type meals on medical wavior so I don’t starve and got just enough feed my support dog too! So i was forced on disability in 2013 and started getting part of it in 2015 and turned 65 went to my SS as I’d worked but I paid medical and taxes out it till 2021 then just taxes now I’m hoping someone gets them stopped! I’ve asked the tax lady to do it but not been done! And wrote email when I could get in my SS account and no one ever picks up the phone or calls you back
John D.
Double dipping and depleting the trust funds super early because of your mistake! Way to go! They didn’t pay SSA taxes on the majority of their wages and now your beefing up their benefit using the computation methods we use for low wage earners. Bravo! Waste and Abuse right here Congress!! Also, heard they are moving SSA to the Department of Commerce. Dudek you are a scab.. live in your truth.
James D.
Im on social security will I get the back payment
T.Y.
Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. People who receive both a pension based on work not covered by Social Security and a Social Security benefit (retirement, spouse, disability, or survivor) may receive an increase. Please visit our Social Security Fairness Act webpage to learn when you can expect retroactive benefits and an increase in your monthly benefit amount. We hope this helps.
Marshall E.
My social Security check is less then it used to be by about 170$ a month is there a reason for this or is it because I worked a full time job last year? I thought I was at the age where you could make as much money and not be penalized?
C.B.
Hi, Marshall. Thanks for reading our blog. You can work and receive retirement benefits but there are earnings limits set by law. For this reason, we asked you about your expected earnings in your retirement application. If you were working and are younger than your full retirement age during all of 2024, we must deduct $1 from your benefits for each $2 you earn above $22,320. The year you reach your full retirement age, we will deduct $1 from your benefits for each $3 you earn above a higher earnings limit up until the month you reach full retirement age. There is no earnings limit once you reach full retirement age. For more information about working and getting benefits, visit our Frequently Asked Questions.
Francine J.
Would like to know more information on the criteria for teacher pensions.how the retro pay will be calculated, its effects on various classifications of teachers, and the amount of possible increases Etc. How the calculations are made, etc.
T.Y.
Hi, Francine. 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 have a non-covered pension from your work as a teacher, you may receive an increase. For more information, visit our Social Security Fairness Act webpage. We hope this helps.
Victoria
Thank God for Pres. Trump’s love for others needs more than his own!
Justina
This was signed into law by President Biden in December.
DOGE is now looking into cutting 50% of the front line employees at SSA. This will make getting help on social security questions or issues much more difficult than it is now.
Joy T.
This was signed into law by President Biden. Do your homework.