General, Social Security Benefits

Social Security Pays Billions of Dollars in Retroactive Payments

March 5, 2025 • By

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Last Updated: April 18, 2025

Social Security Administration SealThe 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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Comments

  1. John

    Thanks

  2. Gus D.

    When ever social security deposit any money into your account YOU NEVER GET ANY EXPLANATION THEY JUST DEPOSIT IT. ALLOWING DODG INTO SOCIAL SECURITY..HAS CREATED MORE ISSUES AS ALWAYS SAYING ONE THING. AND AND THEN ANOTHER….I BELIEVE BRINGING DODG INTO SOCIAL SECRITY HAS CAUSED MORE CONFUSION AS THEY CHANGE THINGS AND THEN WONT SAY ANYTHING….MORE CONFUSING TO THE ELDERY AND OTHERS.

  3. 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 reimbursement. Nothing yet.

  4. Bonnie k.

    The irs is taxing
    Fairness act
    85 percent
    So what good if the fairness sct

  5. Kathy

    This article is not written to explain WEP and GPO very well. This seemed to have caused much confusion. Please rewrite to explain as it should be. Tell who is eligible and why. It is NOT paid to those who have never paid into social security unless they would normally be eligible for spousal benefits. Refer to the bill passed by congress to get the correct info. It is not that difficult to understand if it is laid out as it truly is. It is not just paid to those who have not paid into social security as your article suggests.

  6. Amanda W.

    When they give you the payment do you have to pay them first before you get the payment? They say to me that they have to get 10% of 6080 before giving me my payments is that true?

  7. Naomi

    I am confused. What exactly is this reimbursement for? Are you saying those who did not pay into SS due to employment status are now due SSI? I was always under the impression that only those who paid into SS were eligible to receive it, am I wrong?

  8. Jordan T.

    Important transparency about retroactive payments. Many beneficiaries don’t realize how these complex calculations work. Government agencies might consider mobile notification systems to better communicate payment timelines.
    — Jordan Taylor, Social Policy Analyst

  9. Sandra M.

    I just applied for Medicare because I will be 65 and was told that I should contact the office because I could get benefits under my spouses record. I was a CSRS employee for 35 years never paid in to social security started working for the federal government in 1978. I was told they will pay me back to March 2025 why not 2024?

  10. Karen m.

    Do they tell you what the deposit is for or just deposit the money?

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