Great news for Social Security beneficiaries: This is the month in 2025 when 3.2 million people will see their checks increase

One of the last bills passed by Congress under the Biden administration was the Social Security Fairness Act, which repealed two laws that had, for decades, reduced the Social Security benefits of public sector workers, including teachers, firefighters, and police officers.

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) were enacted in the late 1970s and early 1980s to reduce government spending on Social Security. These provisions reduced benefits for workers, as well as their qualifying spouses and survivors if they received a government pension.

The repealing of the WEP and GPO, through the Social Security Fairness Act, means eligible recipients will now receive higher benefit checks, along with back pay for missed benefits that would have been issued in 2024.

When will the boosted benefits arrive?

Earlier this week, the SSA provided clarity on when those awaiting their boosted payments can expect them to arrive.

In a blog post, the SSA announced that starting this week, the agency is “beginning to pay retroactive benefits and will increase monthly benefit payments to people whose benefits have been affected by the WEP and GPO.”

Retroactive payments will be issued by the SSA as a one-time payment before the end of March. The agency will deposit these funds into the same account where monthly benefits are sent, and no action is required if you already receive benefits.

As for when beneficiaries can expect their increased monthly payments, the SSA states that “most affected beneficiaries will begin receiving their new monthly benefit amount in April 2025.”

How do I know if I will receive a larger payment?

The SSA will mail notices to those eligible for a benefit increase in the coming weeks. The federal government estimates that up to 3.2 million people are impacted by the new law.

Only a small number of that total will need to inform the SSA of their possible eligibility.

The SSA urges those in this position to “file an application,” which can be done online. For those who have their application approved, the timeline for when they will begin to receive their benefits may be delayed, even if an application has or will be filed before March or April. The SSA also notes that those who never applied should select “Family Benefits,” which covers both retirement and Medicare benefits.

The SSA understands that they are eager to receive these payments, but encourages those with questions to wait until April before contacting the agency, as retroactive payments will be processed “incrementally throughout March.”

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