WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced Tuesday that it has begun issuing retroactive benefits and increasing monthly payments for millions of Americans impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). These changes come as part of the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act.
The WEP and GPO previously reduced or eliminated Social Security benefits for more than 3.2 million people who received pensions from work not covered by Social Security — meaning they did not pay Social Security taxes. The new legislation, however, eliminates these provisions, allowing affected individuals to receive the full benefits they are entitled to.
“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.”
Who Will Benefit?
The SSA clarified that those affected include certain teachers, firefighters, police officers, federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System, and individuals whose work was covered by a foreign social security system.
Key Payment Details:
- Retroactive Payments: Since the WEP and GPO offsets no longer apply as of January 2024, many beneficiaries will receive a one-time retroactive payment by the end of March. These funds will be deposited directly into the bank accounts on file with Social Security.
- Increased Monthly Benefits: Higher monthly payments will begin with the April benefit distribution. Payment amounts will vary based on factors such as the type of Social Security benefit received and the size of the recipient’s pension.
Notifications and Next Steps: Anyone receiving a retroactive payment or monthly benefit adjustment will get an official notice in the mail from Social Security explaining the changes. Most retroactive payments will be deposited two to three weeks before the mailed notice arrives.
The SSA urged beneficiaries to wait until April before inquiring about the status of their retroactive payments. Questions about monthly benefit amounts should be held until after receiving the April payment.
For more information and updates, the Social Security Administration encourages the public to visit the Social Security Fairness Act webpage and subscribe to receive notifications when new information is posted.
