The Social Security Administration said it will issue monthly payments to persons impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset and start processing retroactive payments right now.
Soon to see a rise in their payments are over 3.2 million Social Security recipients including former teachers, firefighters, police officials, and other public sector professionals.
The agency says most claimants could expect a one-time retroactive payment by the end of March; fresh monthly payments start in April.
The Social Security Administration has announced that it will immediately begin processing these retroactive payments and will also disburse higher monthly payments to persons impacted by the now- abolished Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. Signed into law last year by former President Joe Biden, these clauses were included into the bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act.
Previously cutting Social Security benefits for beneficiaries who also received retirement payments from other sources, such state or local government public pension programs, the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset
Advocates of the Social Security Fairness Act contend that although it increases pressure on the already taxed Social Security Trust Funds, which are approaching insolvency, it addresses a long-standing disparity.
According to last May’s annual Social Security and Medicare trustees report, starting in 2035 the program’s trust fund would not be able to offer complete benefits. This new law should bring forward the insolvency date of the program by about six months.
Emphasizing President Trump’s dedication to quick implementation, Lee Dudek, the acting commissioner of Social Security, announced an accelerated schedule for the distribution of retroactive payments and raised monthly benefits under the Social Security Fairness Act.
“Social Security’s bold 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 said. “The American people deserve to get their due benefits right away.”
The new law will help a varied group comprising police, teachers, firefighters, and individuals formerly protected by foreign social security systems. According to the Social Security Administration, most qualified applicants should expect a one-time retroactive payment by March’s end together with regular monthly contributions starting in April.
While the Windfall Elimination Provision affected roughly 2.1 million people, roughly 3% of all Social Security beneficiaries, the Congressional Research Service has reported that the Government Pension Offset affected approximately 745,679 individuals, or 1% of all Social Security beneficiaries as of December 2023.
Acknowledging that some payments may continue processing through March, the SSA recommends beneficiaries to wait on asking questions about their retroactive payments until April.
Social Security’s future has become a major political hot issue and a major source of conflict in the 2024 election. Social Security benefits are paid to about 72.5 million people total—retirees, handicapped people, children, and others.