The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law on January 5, 2025, brings significant changes for over 3.2 million Americans who receive pensions from work not covered by Social Security. The law eliminates two provisions that previously reduced Social Security benefits: the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).
This change primarily affects certain teachers, firefighters, police officers, federal employees under the Civil Service Retirement System, and those whose work was covered by foreign social security systems. However, not all public employees will see increases, as roughly 72% already work in Social Security-covered positions.
Beginning February 25, 2025, the Social Security Administration (SSA) started processing benefit increases. Affected beneficiaries will receive:
- A one-time retroactive payment covering increased benefits back to January 2024
- Increased monthly payments starting with March 2025 benefits (paid in April 2025)
- Mailed notices explaining the changes
While many cases are being processed automatically, more complex situations require manual review and may take until November 2025 to complete. Benefit increases vary considerably—some may see minimal changes while others could receive over $1,000 more monthly.
If you’re already receiving benefits affected by WEP or GPO, no action is needed if SSA has your current contact and direct deposit information. You can verify this through your my Social Security account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount.
If you never applied for benefits because of WEP or GPO, you may need to file an application. For retirement or spouse’s benefits, apply online at www.ssa.gov/apply or call 1-800-772-1213 (say “Fairness Act” when prompted). For survivor benefits, you must call the same number.
Regarding Medicare premiums: Continue paying premiums until notified otherwise by SSA. Once your Social Security record is updated, premiums will be deducted from your monthly benefit. If you use Medicare Easy Pay or online bill payments, you’ll need to cancel these arrangements.
Be alert for scams—SSA will never charge for assistance or to expedite benefits. Report suspicious contacts to SSA’s Office of the Inspector General.
The SSA is working diligently to implement these changes, but with over 3 million records to adjust, some complex cases may take up to a year to process. For updates, visit SSA’s dedicated webpage and subscribe to alerts for the latest information.
Also from Jersey Senior Weekly: Changes coming to Social Security Identity Verification and The Senior Citizens League makes its 2026 Social Security COLA Prediction.
