At the start of 2025, then-President Joe Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law, paving the way for 2.8 million Americans to receive an increase in their monthly Social Security benefits.
“The act that was passed repealed two pension-related rules,” says Martha Shedden, co-founder and president of the National Association of Registered Social Security Analysts.
Those rules affected the Social Security benefits of workers, and their spouses, who receive non-covered pensions. A non-covered pension is one from a job that did not pay into the Social Security system. Even if someone paid Social Security taxes through a different job, they could have seen their retirement benefits reduced as a result of two provisions: the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset.
The Social Security Fairness Act eliminated the WEP and GPO rules, and as a result, some people are in line to receive up to $1,000 or more monthly from the government.
[Read: Trump Proposed Eliminating Social Security Taxes. Here’s the Bill That Could Make It Happen]
Who Will Receive Money From the Social Security Fairness Act
Anyone who receives a pension from non-covered employment will see an increase in their Social Security benefits. These pensions are most commonly received by former government workers, such as firefighters, according to Christine Lam, a certified financial planner with Financial Investment Team in Portland, Oregon.
The WEP reduced the Social Security benefits of retirees who receive these pensions, while the GPO affected the benefits of their spouses and survivors. Although the WEP was written to ensure someone’s retirement benefit could not be reduced to zero, “Sometimes the spousal benefit is completely eliminated,” Shedden says.
As a result, most retirees receiving a reduced amount don’t need to do anything to get the larger benefit from the Social Security Fairness Act. However, there may be spouses who are not currently receiving benefits but could be eligible now that the GPO has been eliminated.
“They should absolutely apply to see if they are qualified,” Lam advises.
Average Monthly Payments of $1K or More
Last fall, a Congressional Budget Office analysis estimated that beneficiaries could see the following increases in their monthly payments.
— Retired workers: $360
— Spouses of retired workers: $700
— Surviving spouses: $1,190
Those numbers line up with what Lam’s clients have received. “I’ve seen a range of anywhere from a few hundred dollars to more than a thousand,” she says.
In addition to the increase in monthly benefits, the Social Security Fairness Act results in “huge retroactive payments,” according to Shedden. The law was written to end the WEP and GPO in December 2023, meaning that the increased benefit amounts went into effect in January 2024. Eligible beneficiaries will receive a lump sum for those retroactive payments.
Shedden encourages anyone who did not apply for Social Security benefits because of the WEP or GPO to do so as soon as possible. For new applicants, retroactive payments will only go back six months.
[Read: 4 Reasons Your Social Security Payment Is Delayed and What to Do About It]
Cash Arriving Now for Most Beneficiaries
The vast majority of those entitled to increased payments under the Social Security Fairness Act have already begun receiving them.
“Not everyone, but a huge percentage have seen increases,” Shedden says.
The Social Security Administration reports that adjustments have been processed for 94% of eligible accounts, and the agency says automation has helped expedite the process.
“I’ve had a handful of clients who received the adjusted amount in February,” Lam says.
Complex cases must be manually processed, according to the Social Security Administration. It hopes to complete work on those accounts by November 2025.
[Read: How to Solve Social Security Problems Online, Over the Phone or In Person]
How to Check the Status of Your Payment
The Social Security Administration says eligible beneficiaries will receive two mailed notices: one when the WEP or GPO is removed from their account and the other when their monthly payment amount is adjusted. In some cases, people may receive their retroactive payment before receiving the notice.
If you are among the 6% of eligible beneficiaries who have not yet received a payment adjustment, Lam suggests first signing up for a “my Social Security account” and looking for updates there. “It might save them some time because there are so many calls going to the Social Security (hotline),” she says.
You can also use this account to verify your mailing address and add or update direct deposit information.
Meanwhile, the Social Security Administration site has a Social Security Fairness Act information page that it updates regularly. “I really feel that this is the best source of information,” Shedden says.
Beneficiaries can also call the Social Security Administration’s nationwide toll-free number at 800-772-1213 or make an appointment at a local office to verify their account information or begin an application for benefits if they cannot create or access a “my Social Security” account.
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Will You Get Up to $1K More Each Month From the Social Security Fairness Act? originally appeared on usnews.com
