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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joseph p.
I am completely annoyed and disappointed by my recent interactions with Social Security it’s a complete disaster, my Medicare premium was $185 per month, then $258 per month now $314, I now make $30,000 per year, in 2024 I made $95,000 and you are saying I made to much money in 2023, are you that stupid, so I am getting a huge increase in my premium, I am going to Trump on this… I expect a call from you asap, to discuss. Cell 248-760-4625 Joseph A. Pullin jopullin@aol.com
claudia d.
Does this apply to military personnel who didn’t pay into Social security and now receive
Victoria J.
Having worked and paid into Social Security for 50+ years, there is no fairness in paying retroactive payments to those that didn’t pay anything into Social Security. They have Teacher Retirement, Railroad Retirement, State and Federal Retirement, etc., which they paid into to draw on. Why should they get both? It’s just not right and no way is it fair to those who worked and paid into Social Security. We are already being threaten that SS might run out of funds in ten to fifteen years and the Administration, according to DOGE, has been paying millions in fraudulent claims, making this threat even more imminent. Can you explain HOW THIS IS FAIR TO SS BENEFICIARIES LIKE ME?
Penni N.
I’m a nursing home nurse and why do teachers get this? They get enough paid during a pandemic work 8 months a year and get more than I do in 12 months this is crap I agree with you!
Ronnie W.
If all states are like North Carolina, they will take out a percent of your pay for your state retirement. N.C. was 6.5percent. It is not just give to them like most businesses do for their employees. This has not considered s.s. And was not added to their s.s pay. This is the reason for this money to be given to them. Have s.s. reduce you amount of money you have made by 6.5 percent and then figure out your s.s. pay, could be a good bit of money less. Would you like that
MWP
This is not based on what I did not pay, rather equal spousal and death benefits for all. My neighbor receives spousal benefits and does not have enough quarters. I do not have enough quarters so do not expect to receive that benefit, but should receive same as the next person. For people who have previous or post careers with SS they should receive the benefits they paid, like others. This is not a question of more or extra or unique, only same as everyone else.
Ronnie W.
Most states, like North Carolina took out a percent of their pay(6.5% in N.C.) for this retirement. This reduced the amount of money into s.s. which has reduced the amount of money you draw from Social Security. Let s.s. reduce the amount of money you have paid in and then see how much you would draw then. Could be a good bit.
Ismay G.
You obviously do not have your fact correctly. Before working for the school district, I worked many years where I paid into social security. When I retired 2/3 of my social security pension was taken away because of the windfall provision. I am only entitled to what was taken from me since I worked and contributed.
Teresa
You explained this well. So many people just don’t understand the Fairness Act and think we are getting something we are not entitled to. My social security was cut about 40% due to my State retirement.
I still have not received a retro check or my increase in my monthly benefit even though my case is not complicated.
Roberta R.
People who are receiving this have also paid into social security. Example: you can work a government job for 20 years and get a pension (not that much) and have worked 20 plus years at a non government job and paid into social security. Because of WEP your ss benefit would have been slashed by 50 percent or more. This repeal of the act only gives the people back their full benefit. Wish that some of the people who comment and say oh this is not fair would read and educate themselves instead of pointing fingers. It is hard for many of us seniors who are not wealthy.
Eva E.
Could not have said this any better!
I have worked since I was 14. And at 66 I stay fearful of losing the small amount I get.
Thank you… and my one word response to your comments….
“DITTO”
Lorraine G.
I am a widow of a DOT worker am I entitled to any increase according to the fairness act
Eric
Hi,did social security disability send anyone else a letter this week,saying..we sent you a letter telling you that we were going to review your disability case,however,we do not neet to review your case at this time???
Ary d.
I receive so sec disability. Am I eligible? Did not work gov job
Lori H.
I was LPN worked for state OPWDD AND NDC for 33 years. Am still paying int SSI AND MY PENSION. No retroactive pay here.
Debra W.
If the retiree died in May of 2024 will the estate receive payment?
TK
How is that fair to all of us who paid into the system for all those years? This can cause Soc Security to go broke quicker . It’s funded by those of us who paid into it ! Life’s not fair but this isn’t right. If those people want to get Soc Security, they should have to pay a penalty with every check just like we did from our pay checks !
Unhappy
Michael F.
Yes pay into S/S or do without
Roberta R.
Read about the Fairness act. The people who are covered did pay into social security when working in private sector job and also worked a government job at one time too. Because they received a small pension from their government job their ss benefit was cut by almost 50 to 70 percent. All that they are receiving is their fair ss benefit. They paid into the system, no free ride.
Mike L.
Yes…35 years private sector total paid into SSA and just turned 70 and just retired, 11 years, my 2nd private sector job after retiring from public service…20 years FF/P no SSA paid into during that time… Still waiting with no information and no request for documents…which is fine as they have all my years of work info listed… there should be a tracking system like FedEx for us to follow… who doesn’t need the money like yesterday!? And how do we make financial decisions, purchases while waiting “in limbo”? And for those commenting in disagreement…did you work 55 years? And you wouldn’t be frustrated waiting for this far less amount than you could have collected at 67 years old after paying into a system that does truly owe the promised amount of 35 years!? Please do the math.
Lori S.
You don’t understand. I have friends who became teachers as a second career after having paid into social security for over ten years. When they retired, their social security that they paid into, just like you, was reduced or eliminated. How is that fair?
Phyllis L.
April 29, 2025
Everyone I worked with has received their retro check and now new monthly payments from Social Security. However, I have not received any retro check or newly adjusted monthly payments. Clearly seems from above comments I’m not alone!
Jill
Same here. There is no place to check the status of my adjustments either. Just a vague promise that they will complete all outstanding, “complicated” adjustments by November 2025.
The only data Social Security is releasing is the number of adjustments that have been processed by zip code.
My concern is that I have no information as to how my reductions were originally calculated and therefore no way to check if their current calculations will be correct.
Deloris P.
I haven’t received no retro payment my check is the same except for Medicare taking 188 dollars made my check lower
Ronnie W.
These people paid a percent of their pay for their retirement. What money was taken out for this was taken away from their s.s. If you make 50,000 dollars a year (N.C.) took out 6.5% for your retirement which was taken away from s.s. which causes your s.s pay to be reduced. All these people get less s.s. pay because. Reduce your pay by this amount and then see how much s.s. you will receive. Could be a good bit.
Ronnie W.
I have heard if you are 70 or over you will not get this. If so this would be considered as age discrimination, which could lead to a big lawsuit.