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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Pat C.
I too received my retroactive monies and I say thank you to Congressman Richard Neals, who fought for this for a number of years and Congress, who approved. I don’t really thank President Trump because he had nothing to do with it.
Mel
Thank you for thanking your Congressman! I would like to thank Senator Michael Bennett for his work on and support of this. I am still working (in the private sector and paying into SS) and don’t plan to collect for at least another year. I worked for 17 years in the private sector before getting a state job, had 26 years with the state and have been working in the private sector again for the past 5 years. I don’t know what SS will be like when I file, but was glad to see this enacted. Thank you 118th Congress.
Bruce S.
I was happy to receive a WEP retroactive payment Monday, but it was only for the two months of 2025. I started receiving SS benefits in 2024 and WEP started reducing my benefit in August but the retroactive payment did not include payment for the Aug to December months of 2024. Does anyone know if some people are receiving their retroactive payment in multiple disbursements?
Premlata V.
Ssa,
I think you should look into people who worked in foreign countries for govt or private sectors, who are collecting pension in foreign countries. At the same time they are collecting SSA benefit, free Medicaid, food stamps and I don’t know what else. I had written several times to SS/Medicare but not sure if efforts are being made to catch those people.
Immigration requires the sponsor should be liable for the person who they have sponsored But if the new immigrant is over 65 are, Medicare is sending them cards and those immigrants are getting expensive heart surgery and may be other expensive procedures, rehab free Medicaid, food stamps and help at home
B F.
I think it is totally disgusting that people who never paid one dime in SS during their working career are now getting that money. My wife and I had to pay into the fund our entire working career to be eligible.
Justina
We DID pay at least 40 quarters, but had our benefits cut or eliminated entirely because of wep gpo. Please go back and reread the blog post. These were earned benefits that were denied to us, in some cases for years.
Deborah W.
I believe the posted statement is misleading. Only those who paid in the required quarters to Social Security receive these benefits. Many of us worked in private industry and paid into the SS system before our Municipal jobs. Those who never paid into SS are not receiving benefits edits.
Tracy
Thank you, President Biden and congress for coming thru for the American people!
Christian S.
My mother was affected by this policy for years as a employee of the IRS but she passed away in 2021. Will her heirs be entitled to any retroactive payment?
Bob
I sure hope not! Why should rhey be?
Rose
Only for benefits paid after Jan 2024. I’m sorry you lost your mother.
Sylvia
I received my retro payment today. Thank you Congress for the bipartisan efforts in passing Public Law No: 118-273 (01/05/2025) Social Security Fairness Act of 2023. Thank you SSA for your diligence in accomplishing this undertaking.
Marlyn S.
I need more information on this ! How do you know that you are owed retroactive payments
David
I’m not impressed! Worked my butt off for 44 years working up to 3 jobs at a time incliuding 10 years of Navy, and my SSA is still below taxing and I’m not seeing anything as usual. What happened to the seniors who need this the most?