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
Comments are closed.
Angela M.
My Disability was approved December 2024. Started receiving monthly benefits January 2025. Soon I will receive my 7th monthly benefits check but still have not received my backpay. Every time I contact my attorney or Social Security Office, I’m told it’s being processed. How much longer do I have to wait? I can’t get my own place until I receive this money.
Marcus C.
i paid in from 1972 to 82 security work in calif….in1983 to 1995 i worked for viking farms /land agri …all of 83 to 95 work records have been lost…all workers was part of the pention program…in 1995 i left went to montana…today i find not one penny was paid to my socail security from 82 to 95..all was liquidated and sold out by f c davis inc… now iam told …oops/sorry as ive lost 425 per mo…as this davis family lives in a million dollor + home /driving a new b m w /with a 1oo,ooo dollor boat…socail security wont do a thing…
Anita J.
I haven’t received any money either. Would be nice to get it. My rent is outrageous and it takes all my money. I have to rely on other sources to paid the utilities and electric. I’m going down hill slowly, but never the less all down hill. I have received Ssi and Disability since 2009. I only get $960. 00 something a month my rent went up to $850.00. I’m sinking.
CB
So I got an e-mail SSA might owe me money due to the Fairness Act, then I got letter that I owe SSA money due to January 2024 overpayment but acknowledged “my benefits were affected by the Fairness Act”.
But instead of increasing my benefits it will be deducted 50% until overpayment is paid, is explanation intentionally to confuse people? Simple question: is SSA sending me a past due payment? I live in California, and when I called SSA I was told I was entitled to benefit increase and retroactive payment. Nothing yet.
Donald J.
Same! When’s the $s coming?
D r.
Overpayments go back into your account and when you turn full retirement age the amount you are receiving will be adjusted to pay you back the overpayment, all is not lost. Makes no sense but thats how it works.
The fairness Act is seperate from overpayment so I would not fret on it.
marie r.
well i still have not received my money and we are now in june and i was told everyone would be paid by march and still no money. i have not received any notices either from social security. so where is the money. also do you have to apply for the social security fairness act to receive it. if anyone on this website knows the answer to my question please let me know. thank you marie robbins i have not said this comment before
Dennis
They have until November now per their website
Char B.
I just received my payment today as of July 1st. Was not expecting it. Nice to have!
Carl R.
I have been working again declaring income yearly since 2016 fileing taxes & more after getting married with my wife whose now a citizen, Hao T Nguyen & would like to know if I’m receiving more Social Security monies for those years. I’ve been collecting SS since turning 62 in 2006 ThankU Carl R Hodes cell # 305 962 1645
marie r.
well i still have not received my money and we are now in june and i was told everyone would be paid by march and still no money. i have not received any notices either from social security. so where is the money. also do you have to apply for the social security fairness act to receive it. if anyone on this website knows the answer to my question please let me know. thank you marie robbins
Donald J.
Don’t know.
Larry H.
They’ve never sent us what we should get! Say they’re working on it. I find that doubtful!
davidsmith
Insightful post! Looking forward to more content like this. Payroll system in USA
James F.
The link I clicked on indicated that the SSA had responded to the letter sent by the Senators Collins, Cassidy, Cornyn and Fetterman which urged SSA to correct their policy on retroactive payments, which limited them to six months, to comply with the SSFA, which allows for up to twelve months retroactive benefits. However, the link takes you to an older story about the implementation of the SSFA, back in February. That is old news. I am concerned that SSA policy doesn’t somehow take priority over the law and those of us who were told not to apply for survivor benefits receive the full 12 months of retroactive benefits.
BettyD
I updated my ss information in 1/25 & they only pd me for 6 months backpay saying it was because I applied which I didn’t.I applied on exhusband in 2013-2014 & was turned down.I filed an appeal in 4/25 for other 6 months but was told no record of it.Not sure if I will ever get the other six months backpay?Help
davidsmith
Thanks for this valuable information. Keep up the good work! Employee Management Software Texas
Jessica
Do these retroactive payments only apply to seniors collecting their Social Security? I receive SSI (Supplemental Security Income) for my child
DeBorah
I thought everyone who check is less than 2000 a month was getting a raise