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.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: Social Security benefits
See CommentsAbout the Author
Social Security Administration
Social Security Administration
Comments
Leave a Comment
Please review our Comment Policy before leaving a comment. For your safety, please do not post Personally Identifiable Information (such as your Social Security Number, address, phone number, email address, bank account number, or birthdate) on our blog.
Susan D.
How do I figure out if I qualify for the retroactive SS check. I had to pay into a retirement fund and Social Security. I worked as a teacher assistant for disabled students in the county where I live but my pay was federally funded.
Barry
How do I see if I qualify for the retro SS benefits
Walter R.
Im in ky, I haven’t received mine either. But my wife,sisters and brother-in-laws all received their at the beginning of March
Ronnie S.
When do I get my benefit check
Geronimo C.
Not fair to the retirees who were WOPED for 15 years and only recieved 1 year of retroactive payment. Geronimo in California.
Grover B.
I am a retired military and civil servant and received a one time lump payment roughly five times his normal monthly payment and a sizeable increase in monthly payment. Thank you President Trump!
Susie R.
President Trump had nothing to do with this act. It was the House and Senate from the LAST session who passed the bill and President Biden who signed it into law. Let’s give credit where it is due.
Ann F.
As of April have not received any retroactive $$
From SS Fairness Act
Luciano D.
As of now I did not receive any increase
Norm
I worked foe a ohio school system for roughly 10 years and I lost the job due to a back injury so I decided to take all of my Money earn out of pers I also have 40 credits for SSI at 62 I would only get $630 a Mon this seems really low is WEP the cause of this and if it is when will I see a bigger amount
hey b.
i called my local office and all i get is there working on it. They been working on it since March I cannot understand the problem there having when people r getting what we deserve.
Ex.Sammy H.
I have not received my social security fairness act payment either even though I’m eligible?
FRANK C.
i called my local office and get the same speech we r working on it ridiculous
Rose A.
I don’t remember receiving any letters regarding the Overpayment of SSA to Public Retirees in Ohio. Is there anyway for me to get these letters? I am so confused on this issue. I feel like I need an attorney.
Allen D.
Will estates of former Civil Service employees receive the same payments?