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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Christopher S.
Very confusing as first time to notice it. There are too many abbreviations acrynium ( short form) that brings you merry go round if you are not well educate no to mention those who only understand Chinese only.
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Nancy S.
Do you need to do anything get SSFA retro check and monthly benefit boost. I haven’t heard anything or do you need to apply. I thought I heard SS would determine all who were eligible
Richard L.
We heard that if your monthly SS income is less than $2300 you may be eligible for an increase or one time bulk payment to reach a certain amount. Where can we find out more about this
or am I dreaming?.
Carol R.
I get 1553.00 a month for social security but I went on disability in my 50
Christiana H.
Great question. I had disability since I was 50 too. But when I turned 65 it became automatically regular S.S. I guess if you reached retirement age, you’re not disabled anymore. Off course that’s not true. I’m doing worse now and on top of that I had a fall and broke my hip and femur. Which required a 2 week hospital stay and major surgery for a hip replacement. If anyone has a different answer, I’d like to know.
Ora
I have heard so many changes to Medicare until l am so confused about the money for people extra money from Medicare and that the time has passed for something that was supposed to have changed so please if you would to know for myself.
Thank you for your time.
Mike h.
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Linda S.
So if you began collecting social security early, you aren’t entitled to the fairness act retro pay? Am I hearing this correctly?
Lucy M.
Good afternoon, I am a CSRS retired employee, I would like to inquire if I am eligible to collect my first husband’s social security? (Was married 16 years) (He has passed, 2008)
Will that effect my CSRS retirement? Will my CSRS retirement be offset?
Does the social Security Fairness Act apply to people that are retired from CSRS?
Thank you for your assistance
Lucy M.