The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced that millions of retirees affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) will receive their retroactive payments sooner than initially expected. The agency has started distributing these payments, with many being processed throughout March. Acting Commissioner Lee Dudek confirmed that the SSA’s aggressive schedule supports the faster implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act.
“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,” Dudek stated in a press release. The expedited timeline is made possible by the use of automation, although complex cases requiring manual updates may experience delays.
Retroactive payments for retirees impacted
The SSA estimates that most beneficiaries should receive their retroactive payments by the end of March, backdated to January 2024. The higher payments are a result of the bipartisan legislation that repealed both WEP and GPO. These provisions had previously reduced or eliminated Social Security benefits for certain public sector employees and retirees, affecting roughly 3 million individuals, including federal annuitants, teachers, firefighters, and police officers.
John Hatton, staff vice president of policy and programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association, welcomed the expedited timeline, stating that the quicker-than-expected payments will have an immediate, positive impact on those affected. Individuals impacted by WEP and GPO can find more details about the implementation of the act on the SSA’s website. The agency urges beneficiaries to wait until April to inquire about the status of their retroactive payment and to wait until after receiving their new monthly payment amounts before contacting Social Security with any queries about their benefit amounts.
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