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.
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Cynthia A.
I applied online for Spousal benefits on 1/6/25 due to repeal of GPO. I’m not eligible for my own SS because I worked 41 years for a government agency and don’t have enough work quarters to qualify under my own claim, but I do meet the categorical requirements for spousal benefits. My application was assigned to a worker in Boston, MA, to my knowledge, there is no documentation required from me (ID, marriage and divorce decree were all provided upon approval of original Medicare application, also under spouse’s #, in 2023). My “on line” account has shown nothing more than “pending review”, until just this past weekend, when it now shows “SSA received an INCOMPLETE application for spousal benefits”….WHAT? I’ve called and still have no answers as to what if anything further is needed from me, to no avail. Everyone keeps telling me the same thing….you need to speak with your worker. I’ve left messages but I’ve heard NOTHING! What recourse do I have in this case??? It will be 90 days by the end of this week, and I don’t know if it’s just taking longer than expected, or if I still need to provide something further to get this process moving forward?? Could someone PLEASE look into this for me??? Thank You in advance.
Shirley M.
It is COB March 27, 2025 and I have not received retroactive payment. I have CSRS with VA and my additional quarters paid into SS were halved due to Windfall. Act.
Any way one can find out if payment will arrive before Monday, March 31, 2025?
Donna G.
I am a retired CSRS annuitant . With the repeal of WEP/GPO, I applied on 12-31-24 for spousal social security. A check was deposited on 3-21-25 for 2025 payment but nothing for 2024 retroactive pay. I called my local office this past Tuesday. The representative told me that since I never applied previously for spousal SS, I am not entitled to any 2024 retroactive pay. In researching section 1513 of the SSA Handbook, if you are full retirement age (which I am), you are entitled to up to 6 months of retroactive benefits. Has anyone had the same experience as me?
Sergio M.
My spouse applied for the first time around the same date as you did. The application had the option to start the benefits from June 2024 which we selected and got the retroactive money. Now We are looking for a way to get the rest of the money for 2024.
michael b.
i’m a retired police officer, when i signed up for social, they said that 40 percent would be taken from the top. i was 65 when i signed up. Haven’t seen,or heard a thing from SSA.
Linda L.
They say that payments may not show up until the end of April, or will show up in your April SS bank deposit.
Eric S.
Y ssi can’t get no bounso and can’t even afford to pay all the bills 967 ate enough for family
Brenda D.
I’m Brenda Davis I’m 54 when will I be able to draw of my dead husband I’ve been on sale and disability for a while now just curious please let me know God bless 🙌.
Ruby O.
As soon as your spouse dies you can get it
Diane
I was told to let my local ss dept, when I turned 50. They were pretty much making sure I got the monthly pay and retro active in a couple of months .
James
At 50 you could have applied Brenda. Call your local office or national which is 800.772.1213.
James H.
At 50 you could have applied Brenda. Call your local office or national which is 800.772.1213.
Lynn B.
My 90 year old father is a recipient of these of these new benefits. He feels his retroactive check and monthly payment are lower than what his figures suggest. I assume there is a formula used for each of these amounts. Is that information/formula available in your website on how the amounts are figured? How should he go about filing a reconsideration for the amount?
C.B.
Hi, Lynn. Thanks for using our blog. Please call our 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. to discuss. Keep in mind that 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.
James D.
Why was this policy reversed? If people did not pay into SS, and they got their pension from their job or their union (presumably because they paid into that fund), how would they now become eligible for this extra pension/SS payment from us (those who did pay into the SS fund through paycheck reductions)? This really should be named the Social Security UNFAIRNESS Act.
Martha M.
For sure! I agree! I’m homeless now bc they used me for a slave for nearly 50 years & now that I need my money, they say no. They are Thieves all around!
Roberta
The people who are benefiting from this also paid into social security and had their benefits slashed by WEP because they worked in government and non government jobs. My suggestion is that you need to read about this or talk with someone at social security and understand this is not a handout. These are people who paid into social security and because they received a pension they had their ss benefits cut. It was an unfair bill.
Mary
I can tell you of my experience. I taught in Florida for 20 years and paid into Social Security. I started working at age 15 ( non-teaching) and paid into Social Security. I moved to another state and taught for 20 years. This state had us pay into the teacher retirement system instead of Social Security. I taught students but always had to have a second job that paid into Social Security. When I retired, I was eligible for 44% of my retirement pay. I was NOT eligible for Social Security because they said it was collecting from both retirement systems. I was able to collect $223 a month, thankfully, because that paid for Medicare. I had 42 years of creditable service with SSI, but was denied it because I worked and received a pension from TRS, even though it was less than 1/2 of a full pension. So, I DID pay into SSI (160+ quarters) and am only now being able to receive it thanks to the last administration revoking the WEP.
Marti V.
I paid into Social Security for 25 years before I became a teacher for 22 years. Reagan said we should only receive 40 percent of our Social Security because we shouldn’t get 2 pensions. If I would have paid into only one fund I would have received a full 47 year pension and not lost 40 percent for 12 years now.
Dave G.
I somewhat agree. I worked my a** of for 55 years & my SS payment was based on the previous 30 years of earnings. Public pensions are often based on only 3 years at the end of their careers. If my payments were based on my last 3 years of earnings I’d doing 15K a year better than I am now. Doesn’t sound fair to me either.
Emma
Where is my retro fairness check? My sister and her husband got their checks weeks ago. My sister never got social security but because her husband gets a check she is now getting one and she’s gotten a retro check. I been getting ss for years and I haven’t received my back pay yet,
C.B.
Hi, Emma. 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.
Emmitt B.
I do receive a pension not covered bySocial Security, also worked as a nurse many years my SSI was reduced 359.30 per month NO RETROACTIVE Back Pay, No letter, No Nothing especially NO answers via 18007721213
\ D.
I am a retired teacher and a widow for 23 yrs, I have not gotten retro or adjustment to benefits. We will just wait
DEBRA F
Marvin I have tried Spousal since I became window in 2003 I was wep and gpo because I was a teacher, I can’t get a status and I applied again on 1-24-25. You are not alone
Y