Social Security Announces Expedited Retroactive Payments and Higher Monthly Benefits for Millions – Actions Support the Social Security Fairness Act
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: April 18, 2025
Today, the Social Security Administration announced it is immediately beginning to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to people whose benefits have been affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).
These 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 Social Security Fairness Act ends WEP and GPO.
“Social Security’s aggressive schedule to start issuing retroactive payments in February and increase monthly benefit payments beginning in April supports President Trump’s priority to implement the Social Security Fairness Act as quickly as possible,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “The agency’s original estimate of taking a year or more now will only apply to complex cases that cannot be processed by automation. The American people deserve to get their due benefits as quickly as possible.”
People who will benefit from the new law include some teachers, firefighters, and police officers in many states; federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System; and people whose work had been covered by a foreign social security system.
Many beneficiaries will be due a retroactive payment because the WEP and GPO offset no longer apply as of January 2024. Most people will receive their one-time retroactive payment by the end of March, which will be deposited into their bank account on record with Social Security.
Many of these people will also receive higher monthly benefits, which will first be reflected in the benefit payment they receive in April. Depending on factors such as the type of Social Security benefit received and the amount of the person’s pension, the change in payment amount will vary from person to person.
Anyone whose monthly benefit is adjusted, or who will get a retroactive payment, will receive a mailed notice from Social Security explaining the benefit change or retroactive payment. Most people will receive their retroactive payment two to three weeks before they receive their notice in the mail, because the President understands how important it is to pay people what they are due right away. Social Security is expediting payments using automation and will continue to handle many complex cases that must be done manually, on an individual case-by-case basis. Those complex cases will take additional time to update the beneficiary record and pay the correct benefits.
Social Security urges beneficiaries to wait until April to ask about the status of their retroactive payment, since these payments will process incrementally into March. Since the new monthly payment amount will begin with the April payment, beneficiaries should wait until after receiving their April payment, before contacting Social Security with questions about their monthly benefit amount.
Visit the agency’s Social Security Fairness Act webpage to learn more and stay up to date on its progress. Visitors can subscribe to be alerted when the webpage is updated.
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RK
Absolutely shameful and disgusting. This is just a Liberal bill passed to keep the Teachers Union happy. The Teachers Union control the Democrat Party and this has been on the agenda for many many years. If SSI goes away or runs out of money this will be the reason why.
Chong C.
I want to mention three issues: 1. I retired from Fed Govt but paid social security for 10 years working for State Govt. 2. I sold one tiny apartment after struggling payment and in 2023 SSA suspended payment, as a result 8.7 cola was never calculated in ever since. 3. July 2010 I submitted all my retirement document to SSA and four years later the Office notified me that I owe over $23,000.00 for their miscalculation. Ever since my monthly has reduced because of their mistakes. Please examine my record and make necessary adjustment. Thank you.
Philbin
People wake up,Trump is destroying USA and dumn ass People think the government has free money. He is give this so his People can take money from government. He wants USA to go UNDER,SO HIS FRIENDS can come and rule us. LOOK AROUND HE BROUGHT his army to USA,as refugees! When he gives everything to his People they will start destroying ALL OF US!
LaDonna L.
Will senors get any decent raise on our social security ? Instead of most of it going to Medicare? We are suffering with inflation!
Linda D.
Are taxes being with held from the back pay?
timothy p.
thank you president trump for caring about right and wrong and the American people thank you Mr. president timothy Patterson at 2144 Laramie rd. Carrollton Ohio 44615 greatly appreciated.
Shirley J.
I understand that Social Security payments are in jeopardy. It was suggested that I contact Social Security right away. Please advise me how to continue to receive my benefits that are being threatened by President Trump.
Darlene E.
I worked 17 years in PERS I withdrew my money and did not take pension. Do I get the money I put in while under PERS? I currently receive Social Security – how do I know the amount I currently receive is correct? Also my husband was a police officer in Ohio Police Fire Pension – am I entitled to money he is owed?
S.S.
Hi, Darlene. Thank you for reading our blog and for your question. The Social Security Fairness Act ends the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). Before the law was passed, WEP reduced Social Security retirement or disability benefits for many people who also receive a pension based on work that was not covered by Social Security (a “non-covered pension”). GPO reduced or eliminated spouse or surviving spouse benefits for people who have a non-covered pension. Please visit our Social Security Fairness Act webpage to learn when you can expect retroactive benefits and an increase in your monthly benefit amount. We hope this helps.
Vermal B.
I worked under the CSRS from September 1982, but my 2 years of prior Active Duty time was credited to that places me from 1980 and zi retired from the government with a CSRS Pension. So I fell within the WEP, but now I’m learning that I don’t qualify for the retroactive payment and they will continue to take that from my SS. Will I be able to fight this?
Lou M.
All the threats to eliminate SS appears to have resulted in significant reductions in the amount of benefit. Today I am looking at a 54% reduction in my project “earned benefit” ; this despite the fact my earnings have increased. Please explain why pre-retirement benefits have so drastically decreased.