Natalia
When the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA) became law on January 5, 2025, it ended the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) for benefits payable for months after December 2023.
In plain English: if your Social Security benefit was reduced because you also receive a non-covered pension (from work where you didn’t pay Social Security taxes), those reductions no longer apply starting with benefits payable January 2024 and later.
SSA is recomputing benefits automatically and issuing retroactive payments to people who were underpaid in 2024.
SSA began the rollout on February 25, 2025, and by July 7, 2025 reported over 3.1 million payments totaling $17 billion, with higher ongoing monthly amounts now appearing for most impacted beneficiaries.
You generally don’t need to file anything if SSA already has your direct deposit and address; watch your mail and your my Social Security account for notices and updated payments.
(Remember: Social Security pays a month in arrears, so the “January 2024” month is typically paid in February 2024, etc.)
Who is actually affected (and who isn’t)
Affected:
- Retirees, spouses, and surviving spouses whose Social Security benefits were reduced under WEP or GPO because they receive (or received) a pension from work not covered by Social Security (often certain state/local government jobs, some older federal hires, a few categories like some clergy or foreign-system covered work).
Usually not affected:
- The majority of public workers who have always paid Social Security taxes (about 72% of state and local employees)—they never had WEP/GPO in the first place, so nothing changes. If you always paid FICA, you’re not impacted by the repeal.
Important timing rule:
- WEP/GPO still apply to months before January 2024. SSA may ask for your pension details to correctly settle any pre-2024 months.
Quick reference: Before vs. After
| Provision | Who it applied to (pre-2024) | How the reduction worked (pre-2024) | What happens now (2024+) | Key figures you’ll see referenced |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WEP | Workers with a non-covered pension and <30 years of substantial Social Security earnings | Reduced the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) by using a lower first factor (down to 40% instead of 90%) with a cap at the lesser of ½ your non-covered pension or the annual WEP max | Repealed for benefits payable Jan 2024+. SSA is recomputing benefits and issuing back pay automatically | 2025 PIA bend points $1,226 and $7,391; historical 2025 WEP max reduction $613/mo; the 30-year substantial earnings chart remains historical context only. |
| GPO | Spousal/survivor benefits for those with a non-covered pension | Offset of 2/3 of the government pension against spousal/survivor benefit (could reduce to $0) | Repealed for benefits payable Jan 2024+; pre-2024 months still use prior rules for settlement only | Historical rule: 2/3 offset; specific exemptions applied (e.g., last 60 months of covered work). |
What you can expect in 2025
Automatic recomputations and back payments
- SSA programmed systems to identify WEP/GPO-affected cases and issue retroactive payments plus higher monthly amounts going forward.
- Rollout start: February 25, 2025 (retroactive payments begin).
- Milestone: By July 7, 2025, 3.1+ million payments and $17 billion in back pay completed—ahead of schedule.
Notices and no extra paperwork in most cases
- If your benefit was adjusted or you’re due a past-due payment, SSA mails a notice explaining the change. Most people don’t need to file anything if the agency already has correct direct-deposit and address info.
Timing of monthly increases
- Many affected beneficiaries started seeing higher ongoing monthly amounts from spring 2025 onward (remember the one-month-in-arrears rule). Complex cases can take longer where manual review is required.
Plain-English refresher on the old math (for context only)
- WEP: The normal PIA formula uses a 90% factor on your first “bend-point” slice of average indexed monthly earnings (AIME). Under WEP, that first factor could drop as low as 40% (depending on your years of substantial earnings, up to 30 years). A hard cap also applied: the reduction could not exceed the lesser of half your non-covered pension or the WEP maximum (e.g., $613/month for 2025 parameters). The SSFA eliminates this reduction for months payable 2024+.
- GPO: Reduced spousal/survivor benefits by two-thirds of your non-covered pension; some limited exceptions applied (for example, if your last 60 months were in Social Security-covered employment). The SSFA eliminates this offset for months payable 2024+.
You may still see WEP/GPO terminology in SSA letters or calculators, but that now applies only when settling pre-2024 months or explaining historical rules.
Step-by-step: What teachers, police, and government retirees should do now
Check your contact and bank details
Sign in to my Social Security and verify your mailing address and direct-deposit info. Most retro pay arrives automatically to the bank account on record.
Review notices and benefit changes
SSA is mailing explanations for recomputations and back payments. Keep those letters for your records (they can help with tax prep).
If you never filed because WEP/GPO wiped you out
Consider filing now. The repeal may make you newly eligible or increase a previously zeroed-out spousal/survivor benefit.
Usual retroactivity limits still apply to new claims, but the law separately authorizes retroactive adjustments back to benefits payable Jan 2024 for those already entitled.
Mind Medicare coordination
When your Social Security benefit restarts or increases, your Part B premium may resume or switch to deduction from your Social Security check.
Read any SSA/CMS letters closely so you don’t miss a premium or inadvertently enroll/disenroll. (This is common when benefits restart after being previously offset.)
Expect outreach for pre-2024 months
If SSA needs to settle pre-2024 months under old rules, they may request pension details (including amounts or start dates). Respond promptly to avoid delays.
Understanding coverage: Why many public employees were never affected
The WEP/GPO rules always depended on non-covered employment. Most public workers today are in Social Security-covered jobs, paying FICA just like private-sector employees.
SSA’s own guidance puts this at about 72% of state and local employees; national coverage across the entire workforce is about 93%.
If your entire career was covered, nothing changes for you under the SSFA.
Timeline & payment mechanics (2024–2025)
- January 2025: Law enacted; applies to benefits payable after December 2023.
- February 25, 2025: SSA begins retro payments and recomputation rollout.
- Spring 2025: Many beneficiaries see higher ongoing monthly checks as recomputations post. (Benefits are paid a month in arrears.)
- By July 7, 2025: 3.1+ million payments, $17 billion completed—ahead of schedule. SSA continues working through remaining complex cases.
Payment examples to make it concrete
Below is a conceptual snapshot to illustrate how outcomes changed. (Every case is unique; your exact increase depends on your specific earnings record, pension amount, filing age, and family benefits.)
| Scenario | Before SSFA (pre-2024 months) | After SSFA (benefits payable 2024+) | What you’ll notice in 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retiree with a $1,000 non-covered pension; previously WEP-reduced worker benefit | PIA reduced by WEP (potentially up to WEP max or ½ of pension). | No WEP reduction; full PIA formula restored. | Lump-sum back pay covering underpayments for 2024 + higher monthly benefit going forward. |
| Spouse with a $1,800 non-covered pension seeking spousal benefit | GPO offset two-thirds of pension; spousal benefit often reduced to $0. | No GPO on benefits payable Jan 2024+; spousal benefit payable if otherwise eligible. | If you never filed earlier, apply now; if you had $0 due to GPO, expect recomputation and back pay for 2024 months. |
| Surviving spouse with non-covered pension | Survivor benefit cut by 2/3 of pension (often sharply reducing benefits). | No GPO; survivor benefit determined under standard rules. | Retroactive adjustment for 2024 months plus higher survivor benefit going forward. |
Taxes, solvency talk, and planning notes
- Taxation: Social Security benefits may still be taxable depending on your income. Your higher benefit could push more of it into taxable territory; consider withholding or estimated payments.
- Solvency/overtime concerns: Several analyses and news reports noted fiscal trade-offs from repeal (e.g., higher outlays). Regardless, your entitlement under current law and SSA’s implementation do not require extra action beyond keeping your details current and responding to any SSA requests.
- Fraud awareness: With any large change, scammers surface. Verify all communications via ssa.gov or by contacting SSA directly; avoid sharing personal info with unsolicited callers.
What if you took your non-covered pension as a lump sum?
Historically, SSA treated some lump-sum pensions as if paid monthly when calculating GPO.
With repeal, benefits payable Jan 2024+ are not offset by GPO (though pre-2024 months may still reflect the old rule if owed).
This nuance matters when SSA settles your 2024 retro and adjusts ongoing survivor/spousal benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Only those who receive a pension from work that did not pay Social Security taxes were ever affected by WEP or GPO. Most state and local workers (~72%) are already in Social Security-covered jobs and weren’t reduced—so nothing changes for them.
SSA started payments on February 25, 2025 and, by July 7, 2025, reported 3.1+ million payments totaling $17 billion—with higher monthly amounts showing up from spring 2025 onward for many. Some complex cases still take longer. Watch your notices and bank account on file with SSA.
Usually no. If SSA has your direct deposit and address, they will recompute and pay automatically. If you never filed in the past because WEP/GPO would have eliminated your benefit, apply now—standard retroactivity rules for new claims still apply. Respond promptly if SSA asks for details to settle any pre-2024 months.