The government has officially finished sending out more than $14 billion in back payments to millions of retirees as result of the new Social Security Fairness Act. This act repealed two rules known as the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).
As per the Social Security Administration (SSA), there were approximately 3.1 million retirees who were previously affected by these laws. These retirees have already received their retroactive payments with most dating back to January 1, 2024. These retirees will also see a permanent increase in their monthly Social Security checks going forward.
Why So Many Retirees Were Owed Money
It can be noted that for many years, the WEP and GPO had reduced Social Security benefits for people who were employed in government jobs such as police officers, teachers, firefighters etc. This also included government workers who earned pension from work that was not covered by Social Security. non-Social Security covered work.
Simply put, these ruled were meant to mitigate double dipping, however, it ended up unfairly cutting benefits for millions of workers who really needed it.
- For those with both a government pension and earnings from the private sector, the WEP decreased Social Security benefits.
- The GPO cut spousal or survivor benefits for retirees who also received a government pension.
Many critics have argued that these two laws left many widows and state workers financially struggling during their most vulnerable moments.
That is why Congress finally repealed the WEP and GPO, thus restoring benefits to millions of people.
How the $14 Billion in Back Pay Was Distributed
When the repeal was announced, the SSA started recalculating benefits for all those who were affected.
As 2025 went by, the SSA had confirmed that more than 3.1 million retirees have received a combined $14 billion in back payments.
Majority of these payments compensate for a period from 1st January 2024 (when the Act was signed into law), to the date each person’s record was updated.
What to Do If You Haven’t Received Your Payment Yet
If you believe you were affected by WEP or GPO but haven’t received your back pay, the SSA says you may need to verify your eligibility or update your account information.
Here are a few steps you can take right now:
- Log on your online Social Security account and review your payment status as well as check the updated benefit amount.
- Check your benefit letter, it will show whether your benefits were recalculated.
- Perhaps contact your local SSA office if you believe that you were impacted and you have not received your stipulated benefits yet.
- Watch out for scams — the SSA will not call or email you asking for personal information or banking details. Official notices always come through verified SSA channels.
A Long Fight Finally Won
There are many retirees who have benefited as a result of the repeal of the WEP and GPO. When the two laws were first proposed in the early 1980s, they caused a stir right away. Bipartisan attempts to amend or remove them developed throughout time, but until now, no measure has been passed.
What Happens Next
The SSA will continue to review cases and send out any remaining payments as the next few months pass. Retirees whose records are incomplete or who retired before 1990 may take longer to process.
If you believe that you were one of those affected by the WEP and GPO, don’t stress, but do follow with the SSA to confirm your status. Be sure to query if you aren’t sure about anything and only follow verified information.