Social Security Announces Expedited Retroactive Payments and Higher Monthly Benefits for Millions – Actions Support the Social Security Fairness Act
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: February 25, 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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Janet P.
I have received an email purporting to contain information on “your latest social security statement”. I hesitate to open it. The individualized numbers on it are not recognizable to me. Has SSA sent email communication to beneficiaries that would have landed in inboxes today April 4 2025? I do not yet know if that email is a scam.
Gretchen M.
I am a part of the Social Security fairness act. Why haven’t I received retroactive payment or my benefits hasn’t increased for April?
Emmitt B.
I am also held hostage by SSA No retro, No Letter But most of all No answers from 1800
MEF
I received a reduction notice from SSA. I am a disabled Veteran living in a VA Home. I have to pay up to $2025.00 for my resident, which only leaves me a few dollars. The VA Home does not treat most of medical. I struggle to pay the uncovered bills as they hate getting payments. My POA is not paid and have to pay for my other necessities. Trump has taken away from me. I feel like a fool in trusting him.
Helen S.
In some of the cases, I agree with these benefits.
However, as an individual who has worked and paid into SS for over 55 years, I think it is appalling that some individuals who never contributed into SS Trust Fund are receiving these benefits. Then it’s being said that SS will not be solvent after 2035. That directly threatens my benefit and millions of others who put in all their working lives. Totally unacceptable!!!
Cheryl
As a teacher I should be entitled to my husbands Social security.
Paul B.
Are there forms to apply GG or expanded benefits for teachers
JRich
First I was told my March payment would come in April with the raise but now it looks like it will be May. It is confusing. Which is it?
JR
I have read about the SSA Windfall & GPO canceling, monthly benefit raises & retroactive payments for it. But for those who qualify will retroactive payments arrive in April’s check (for March) or in May?
katf
I waited until April before asking about my lump sum payment and no information was available, other than my benefit has been reduced by both WEP and GPO. The “update” page says I may have to wait until November 30!! Will the government pay interest on amount owed since January 2024? Will correct monthly payment be made by April 2025, or is that delayed until Novermber 2025 too??
Leroy j.
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Charles W.
I received a left her stating I would receive my back pay check around March 15. I still have not received the check.