Celebrating Our Recent Social Security Fairness Act Milestone and What It May Mean for You
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: July 10, 2025
We recently celebrated a key milestone by announcing that we completed sending over 3.1 million payments, totaling $17 billion, to beneficiaries eligible under the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), 5 months ahead of schedule. When the SSFA became law on January 5, 2025, we identified about 2.8 million current Social Security beneficiaries whose benefits were reduced because of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO). We successfully completed actions on these records by July 7, 2025, exceeding our original estimate of it taking a year or more. Below is additional information on what this milestone may mean for you, depending on your status when SSFA became law.
Receiving benefits when SSFA became law?
If you received benefits between January 2024 and June 2025, had a pension from work not covered by Social Security, and your benefits during this period were reduced by WEP or GPO, you should have received any back payments owed to you. Your ongoing monthly benefits should also have been adjusted by July 2025. Please note that since we pay benefits the month after they are due, you may see the change in your benefit with the payment received in August 2025. If you have questions about your case, please call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. local time.
Filed a new claim after SSFA became law?
Since SSFA became law, we have also received over 278,000 new claims from people with pensions from work not covered by Social Security. We have processed 92% of these new claims so far. If you filed a new claim after the law took effect, we may still be working to process your application.
Need to file a claim?
If you have not yet filed a claim or are unsure if you have, you may need to apply. The date you apply can affect when your benefits start. The easiest way to apply for retirement or spouse’s benefits is online at www.ssa.gov/apply. If you are applying for spouse’s benefits, please select “Family Benefits.” This will guide you through the application for Retirement and Medicare benefits to make sure you get all the benefits you qualify for. Please note that survivor benefit applications are not available online.
If you have not applied before because of WEP or GPO, you can also apply by phone. Call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. local time.
For the most up-to-date information, please visit our Social Security Fairness Act webpage at www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/social-security-fairness-act.html.
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Chuck
The Fairness Act was poorly written especially when it comes to the term “eligible for”. I imagine there are hundreds of thousands of retired teachers and long term government retirees who qualify for both the WEB adjustment to their SS and spousal benefits. They got the smaller WEB adjustment automatically. But, having retired years ago, they told “they qualified for Spousal Benefits, but were told the GPO reduced their spousal benefit to less than $0. So of course they never applied for a negative 50% Spousal Benefits. “. As of January 2005 the GPO spousal benefit was no longer negative. But, because “ they never applied” , they will not only lose the retroactive to Jan 2024, they will not get their spouse benefits until they apply.
Hundreds of thousands of retired teachers are not aware of this, since they got a most WEB adjustment. SS has. Six month retroactive rule, that they insist they must apply.
Will Congress fix this obvious unintended error to the Fairness Act? My wife will lose approximately $10,000 in retro payments, and I waited until April 2025 ( as told by the SSA website) to question this “ standard 6 month retro pre fairness act rule”. Penalizing all of these prior retirees for not wasting government time for not applying for negative benefits.
Will Congress fix this error?
Linda S.
My husband was born in 1955, He paid into Social Security for 28 years, and then he went to work for the state. So he didn’t pay into SS for 23 years. He was assaulted at prison where he worked and had to have surgery so he retired at 65. which is 1 year and 2 months shy of full retirement age for someone born in 55. When he called to see about the Fairness Act and him getting money back because his SS was reduced because of his Pension, the person he spoke with said you aren’t eligible because you retired early. This does not seem right. His SS was reduced because of WEP. Anyone have valid info regarding this?
Still W.
Over 67- Paid Employment based SS tax for 27 years. applied for SS benefits in May 2025- Still to hear a decision or payment
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Michael
I know that there’s been a delay in the mailing of SSA form 7162 (Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire) this year. BUu I would like to know exactly when will SSA at Wilkes-Barre, PA mail these forms for 2025.
Jerry D.
My benefits were reduced by WEP because of my partial coverage through the German social security system. In January this year, I received my usual SS payment, inFebruary nothing, in March a large lump sum payment retroactively for 2024. Since then, nothing. Since the adjustment action is supposed to be completed, my last hope is waiting for payment in August, otherwise the march through the institutions begins.
CB
July 17 and still waiting…
JoAnn h.
I am entitled to the Fairness Act as my survivor benefits were reduced when I took them and also my husbands pension from Bethlehem Steel was reduced when I took his Social Security. I have called SSA several times and always get a person who says they are “customer Service” and they do not know what the problem is. As of July 15 I have still received nothing in the way of retroactive payments or increased monthly payments. This is frustrating as hell.
Rhonda W.
That is wonderful news. My question is why would they stop printing statement of benefits letters in our local office? I was trying to get help with my electric bill and it took almost 10 days to receive my statement when they could just print it at the desk! This may me miss the CAP DEADLINE.
bertin
Great one
Lorraine M.
Soo UNTRUE! I received GPO and WEP benefits in 2024. In June I received a small check for WEP benefits. Called 800 number and got an appointment with my local office. Local office says they are working on GPO and to wait until end of year!!!!!!!
Rose
This was a successful AFTER the frustration of being advised it will take a year because of staff shortages. A few changes in personnel changed everything! Received my back pay and new determination. However, it didnt include spousal benefits. Made an appointment to reevaluate and had additional amount in days. Unlike any government process I’ve ever experienced.
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Reliable Connectivity Starts with the Right Technology Partner
Being a Netgear Partner has truly transformed how we approach network solutions, especially in today’s digital-first environment. Whether it’s for small businesses, enterprise networks, or smart home systems, Netgear’s range of reliable and scalable products helps us deliver consistent performance to our clients. I appreciate the insights shared in this post—strong infrastructure and reliable connectivity are essential for growth in every industry. Keep up the great work!