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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Karen C.
Thank you, thank you!
Karen M.
I do not have a large income, but because I sold some small property, paid state and federal tax on it, in 2024 they deducted social security payment, charged me more for Medicare. So instead of the increase for social security in 2024 I received less than I got in 2023. That did not seem fair.
Carol J.
For the NYS retirement system employee…..These new additional benefits… does it also apply to to spouse and disabled son under his retirement. ?
Diane P.
This is good news!
Gail R.
Does this affect those of us who have applied for social security disability? I have been off for close to 6 months, with no income coming in. Please speed your process to help those of who have worked and paid and now unable to. My claim is still sitting there waiting…
Madeleine R.
Am I qualified for an increase since I live on my dead husband social which is not enough to live with such a small amount of $2900 a month!
Thank you for your help in this matter which I pray I will be qualified.
Madeleine Reilly
Widow.
Candido I.
Que excelente señor Lee Dudek, espero que siga apoyando a nuestro presidente Trump para que la gordura venga a nuestro país. Que Dios lo bendiga y bendiga a los Estados Unidos de America. Candido I. Rigo y Lydia R. Rigo
Anquiatte c.
How true is this and do I get the extra money
Candido I.
Lo único que sé es que cada compromiso que hizo el presidente antes de ser elegido los está cumpliendo y los que falta también lo hara, lo apoyamos y lo seguiremos apoyando porque de seguro va a hacer grande a américa.
The only thing I know is that every commitment that the president made before being elected he is fulfilling them, and he will also fulfill those that are missing, we support him, and we will continue to support him because he will surely make America great.
T.Y.
Hi, Anquiatte. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. This is true. People who receive a pension based on work not covered by Social Security 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.
Jan B.
Thank you, for letting us know we mayyer
Candido I.
Me deseo es que siga apoyando a Lee y a Trump para que este país marche viento en popa. Dios bendiga a America.
I hope you continue to support Lee and Trump so that this country goes from strength to strength. God bless America.
Douglas E.
I am pleased to learn that the SSA IS BEING PROACTIVE in the implementation of this long overdue act to correct this unfair law.
Candido I.
Sr Douglas siga apoyando a nuestro presidente y a su equipo y ya va a ver como Estados Unidos de America sera grande de nuevo. Dios lo bendiga y bendiga a los Estados Unidos de America.
Mr. Douglas continue to support our president and his team and you will see how the United States of America will be great again. God bless you and bless the United States of America.