Social Security Pays Billions of Dollars in Retroactive Payments
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 5, 2025
The Social Security Administration (SSA) today shared its significant progress to quickly implement the Social Security Fairness Act. Through March 4, 2025, SSA has already paid 1,127,723 people more than $7.5 billion in retroactive payments. The retroactive payments are the result of the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). The average retroactive payment so far is $6,710.
“President Trump made it very clear he wanted the Social Security Fairness Act to be implemented as quickly as possible,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “We met that challenge head on and are proudly delivering for the American people.”
The WEP and GPO 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 agency continues to pay remaining retroactive payments and is ready to begin paying higher monthly benefit payments beginning in April for people’s March benefit.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: General Information, Social Security benefits
See CommentsAbout the Author
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Comments
Leave a Comment
Please review our Comment Policy before leaving a comment. For your safety, please do not post Personally Identifiable Information (such as your Social Security Number, address, phone number, email address, bank account number, or birthdate) on our blog.
Paula C.
i’m on SSDI and I pay taxes on my life. Do I get any extra money?
Annie A.
Thank you Comissioner Dudek for calculating our payments quickly. I appreciate all your efforts to shorten the time we have to wait to get our checks.
RICHARDP
Hi,
Something has always trouble me, with current settlement above I would to get some clarity. I began receiving SS at 65 around 2017. Prior to that I had regularly received statements of my SS benefits and I believe was to be 2500 per month But when I applied for benefits the somewhat caustic SS employee said it was approx. 1800 per month. My salary was quite high I did not work for a salary for a few years except a real estate commission of $16,000 did that or how could that amount drop
my benefit from 2500 to 1800? Can I request a open review?
Thank you
T.Y.
Thanks for reading our blog and for your question, RichardP. We use the highest 35 years of earnings to calculate a person’s Social Security retirement benefit amount. If the person does not have 35 years of earnings, we will use all the earnings on their record. You can create a personal my Social Security account to review estimates of your Social Security retirement benefits and view your earnings record. We hope this information helps.
Henry
The vote for the SS Fairness Act was 76 for and 20 against in the Senate. The vote in the House was 327 for and 76 against. So, anybody who says it was blocked by a certain party is incorrect !! Both parties supported it.
Robert A.
Still waiting for the WEP refund. I’ll believe it when I see it. Medicare what a waste, I was better off having no insurance.
Shonita P.
Can we NOT make this about our feelings about the current president???!!! Just be thankful that it has happened the American people are receiving their deserved benefits!
Rebecca H.
Is the retro pay that is being sent out, are Federal and State taxes being withheld at the supplemental rate or at all?
Tom M.
I received my retroactive payment but it is not the correct amount. I was understated by approximately $1,330 – should have been $8,296 but was for $6,966 – will further payments be made for cases such as mine?
T.Y.
Hi, Tom. Unfortunately, but for your safety, we do not have access to personal information in this venue. Through our blog page, 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. But remember, never post personal information on social media. We do ask that members in our blog community contact their local Social Security office with questions about their specific case. To find the contact information of your local office, visit our Office Locator page. We hope this helps.
Dan S.
Thank you to everyone who got this bill repealed. I received my retroactive payment on March 4th ($5641) and will continue to see my additional $400 each month from now on.
Mary M.
How far back does this go?
Laszlo
January, 2024