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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Lisa M.
I need more money for SSA I have to much to paid. What I received if not enough for all my debt. I wish. Mr. Trump send me at list 8,000. To some off my dept. Because I don’t have even a new car I have a old car I need money to fix my little junk 🚗 car. Thank you.
Nan R.
I am so appreciative of the Social Security Fairness Act as my CA STRS pension has not been able to keep up with inflation.
However, my retro check from SSA was only retro back 6 months, and everything I’ve read about the new law indicates it’s supposed to be retroactive back to Jan. 2024. I’ve talked to numerous Ventura, CA SSA agents, and their responses are that it’s only retro back 6 months from when you apply.
Does anyone know anything about this? And by the way, why would I have applied before the Social Security Fairness Act was passed? As teachers, we all knew that our CA STRS pensions made it impossible to receive SS benefits.
Rose
If you applied before 2024 but were turned down because of GPO, you should get back pay to Jan 2024. If you didn’t apply before, they only go back 6 months.
John V.
I was told in 2013 when I applied for and began receiving social security my wife’s spousal benefits would be denied due to the pension offset provision. They even had a document which explained this provision. So they said I could not apply for these benefits. Only after the new law became law that I could apply.
L.A. V.
Thank you congress. Finally getting some fairness!
Dee
When can we expect the retroactive one time payment? How is it determined in what order those checks go out? Will everyone get the increase in our monthly SS checks at the same time or will those be staggered also?
LaDean H.
Still looking for mine. How far back do they go retroactive?
Evelyn M.
I’ve been on social security for almost 10 years I paid my taxes and I should be able to get this the bonus or whatever you call it but no people on disability don’t get it that’s not fair.
Paul
Read the act it will explain to much bad information out there
Only people that paid ss and had a gov pension will receive
Basically I worked 25 yrs for a gov pension Then worked 30 year in jobs that paid ss
Natosha S.
This is not fair to those who have been qualified for ssa, ssdi, and other programs. Meanwhile , ssa, federal, trump you are thief’s … all of you been thieves. Who are you to determine who gets what but y’all make sure you get paid somehow through anything that is a daily occurrence or currency transaction. All involved participants of ssa decisions just picketed the rest of the money of the ones they felt didn’t qualify accordingly to their decision making… They are the devil who steals, kills, and destroys everything they have done for slavery but are lazy people who are nothing but takers. Always denying what is not theirs to inherit!
David b.
Thank you DJT
Getting back some of what was stolen
So sad SS is just a poor example of big government
Psul
Read the act your information is wrong
Michael M.
So government employees who don’t pay into SS are all getting SS monies from those who paid into it? Really!
Linda A.
I had 13 years of government service during which time I did not pay Social Security. These years were eliminated in the calculation of my Social Security benefit. Will my SS benefit be recalculated? And will I receive a retro payment?