Social Security Pays Billions of Dollars in Retroactive Payments
Reading Time: 1 MinuteLast Updated: March 5, 2025
The Social Security Administration (SSA) today shared its significant progress to quickly implement the Social Security Fairness Act. Through March 4, 2025, SSA has already paid 1,127,723 people more than $7.5 billion in retroactive payments. The retroactive payments are the result of the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). The average retroactive payment so far is $6,710.
“President Trump made it very clear he wanted the Social Security Fairness Act to be implemented as quickly as possible,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social Security. “We met that challenge head on and are proudly delivering for the American people.”
The WEP and GPO 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 agency continues to pay remaining retroactive payments and is ready to begin paying higher monthly benefit payments beginning in April for people’s March benefit.
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Susan H.
My husband was a CSRS employee affected by the WEP and GPO. He passed away January 3, 2025. Is his estate due the retroactive payments from Jan. 2024? Will his social security survivor benefits going forward reflect a higher salary due to the repeal of WEP and GPO?
roxy g.
Will everyone that is recieving something from SS get the retroactive payment or just certain people? My husband received one on Monday but I still haven’t received any. Does anyone know?
Premlata V.
My aunt Sarla Vazirani lives outside US, and doesn’t know email address or how to use email. She is 75. She hasn’t received 1099 form(2024), and Benefit letter. Can SS send Representative form to complete, sign and deliver to US Embassy in her country?
In the past, i had helped my uncle and his wife but now they refuse. How can social security help people select reps to help them?
Premlata V.
If someone claimed SS at age 73, then why can’t they get their benefit from the time they attained age 70? Why SS only goes back 6 months? They lost the interest on the benefit from age 70 till they received benefit at 73?
SS should be fair and give them the benefit at age 70 onwards.
Premlata V.
Finally, social security is working fast with benefits.
FYI, there are people who are claiming SSA benefits, living with children(no rent), they get free Medicare(zero payment), free food with who they live, SNAP (food stamps may or may not be collecting), foreign income (if they or spouse worked in Government service outside US not being reported). My question is why they should get SSA benefit (approx $900 for single and $1800 for two)? SS should investigate those cases and stop their SSA. These people withdraw the full amount from bank account but how they spend that amount?
Joe V.
1. How will this new benefit be computed? I can find no – none, nada – info on how the exact amount will be calculated.
2. How and when will medicare payments be taken from the payment. There is only fuzzy, conflicting information on this as well.
Curious
I’m on ssdi and I’m a prior veteran why have t I got a fair act upgraded benifits
Melissa
Is there any hope in sight for those on disability? It was hard enough before prices went through the roof now it’s impossible. I’ve dropped from 2 meals a day to one trying to keep my head above water. Don’t get me wrong I’m very thankful to be receiving anything. My disability payments have kept me from going homeless so far but now I’m facing a reality that I could be facing homelessness. I’m terrified.
Jackie B.
I did not receive my retro payment check.
Cynthia
Will Social Security contact me if they need updated information about any changes such as cost of living increases to the amount I receive monthly from my pension? If so, how will they contact me?