^{Source: newsweek}

In a significant development for retired public sector employees, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced an increase in monthly benefits starting in April 2025. This change follows the enactment of the Social Security Fairness Act in January 2025, which repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).​

Understanding the WEP and GPO

The WEP and GPO were provisions that reduced Social Security benefits for individuals who also received pensions from non-Social Security-covered public sector jobs. This primarily affected retirees such as teachers, firefighters, and police officers. The WEP reduced the Social Security retirement benefits of those who had pensions from jobs not covered by Social Security, while the GPO affected spousal or survivor benefits. The repeal of these provisions means that affected retirees will now receive their full Social Security benefits without these reductions.​‍

Impact on Retirees

The SSA estimates that approximately 3.2 million retirees are affected by this change. These individuals began receiving one-time retroactive payments averaging $6,710 by the end of March 2025, covering the period back to January 2024 when the WEP and GPO were repealed. Furthermore, their regular monthly benefits have been adjusted upwards starting with the payments distributed in April 2025.

Payment Schedule

Social Security benefits are disbursed based on the beneficiary's birth date:​

• April 9: For those born between the 1st and 10th.​
• April 16: For those born between the 11th and 20th.​
• April 23: For those born between the 21st and 31st.​

Beneficiaries can expect their increased payments to follow this schedule. ​

SSA's Implementation Efforts

The SSA has been working diligently to implement these changes. As of March 4, 2025, over 1.1 million individuals had already received more than $7.5 billion in retroactive payments. The agency aims to update all beneficiary records and complete the distribution of retroactive benefits by early November 2025.

Guidance for Beneficiaries

Beneficiaries are advised to ensure their contact information is up to date with the SSA to facilitate smooth communication and payment processing. While the SSA is proactively adjusting benefits, individuals with complex cases may experience slight delays and are encouraged to reach out to the SSA for specific inquiries.​

This legislative change marks a significant improvement in the financial well-being of many retired public servants, acknowledging their service by ensuring they receive the full Social Security benefits they have earned.​

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