It’s now confirmed that the Social Security Fairness Act increases benefits for thousands of retirees nationwide. If you’re one of the millions who had your Social Security reduced because of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or the Government Pension Offset (GPO), this is big news. These penalties are now gone, and many retirees are already seeing higher Social Security checks.
This article breaks down who qualifies, how far back the benefit increases go, what actions you might need to take, and what to expect next. Here’s the full list of retirees getting more under the new law.
What Changed Under the Social Security Fairness Act?
The Social Security Fairness Act increases benefits now by eliminating both WEP and GPO. These two rules reduced Social Security payments for people who also received a pension from non-covered government jobs, like teachers, firefighters, or police officers.
However, starting with January 2024 benefits, which were paid in February 2024, these reductions no longer apply. This means that retirees affected by WEP or GPO are now eligible for full benefits just like everyone else.
How Far Back Will Benefits Be Paid?
Here’s what’s confirmed: December 2023 was the last month that the WEP and GPO rules applied. So if you were receiving reduced benefits before that, your new increased benefit starts with the payment for January 2024, even if you haven’t taken any action yet.
If you’re eligible for back pay, it will start from the January 2024 payment (received in February). So far, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has taken over 182,000 new applications since the law was passed and says it has already processed 85% of them.
Confirmed: Who Is Getting More Money Now?
Here’s the full list of retirees getting more under the Social Security Fairness Act:
- Retired workers whose Social Security checks were reduced by WEP
- Disabled workers affected by WEP
- Spouses whose benefits were reduced or eliminated by GPO
- Surviving spouses whose Social Security was cut or denied due to GPO
- Retirees who delayed applying because they knew WEP or GPO would reduce their benefits
If you’re in any of these groups, you either already started receiving increased benefits or you’re next in line.
What Should You Do Now?
If you already receive Social Security and were affected by WEP or GPO:
- Good news: You don’t need to do anything if your mailing address and bank info are up to date with SSA.
- To make sure your info is correct, log into your my Social Security account or call 1-800-772-1213.
If you never applied for benefits because WEP or GPO would have reduced them:
- You must apply now to start receiving payments.
- Go to ssa.gov/apply to apply online.
- If you’re applying for survivor’s benefits, you need to call SSA because that form is not online.
Your application date will affect when your benefits start and how much you’ll get, so don’t wait.
What About Medicare Premiums?
Some retirees who had reduced benefits because of WEP or GPO were paying Medicare premiums out of pocket. If this applies to you:
- Keep paying your premiums for now to avoid a coverage gap.
- Once SSA updates your record and starts paying your benefits, Medicare premiums will be deducted automatically from your Social Security check.
- If you overpaid, you’ll get a refund.
If you use Medicare Easy Pay or online bill pay, SSA recommends stopping those payments after you get a notice from them confirming your Social Security update. You can find instructions on how to stop payments here.
Why the Increase Might Take Time
Even though the Social Security Fairness Act increases benefits now, some people may not see the full increase right away. SSA is still working through a large number of new applications and system changes. According to CNBC, delays are expected, but eligible retirees will be paid retroactively.
It’s confirmed: the Social Security Fairness Act increases benefits now, and the full list of retirees getting more includes many who were unfairly penalized for working in public service. Whether you’re already getting benefits or never applied because of WEP or GPO, now’s the time to act.
Make sure your info with SSA is correct, apply if you haven’t, and keep an eye out for official notices. These benefit increases are long overdue and they’re finally here.