Millions of retirees and beneficiaries impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) are set to receive expedited retroactive payments and higher monthly Social Security benefits following the implementation of the Social Security Fairness Act.
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), the new policy accelerates back payments owed to individuals whose benefits were reduced under WEP and GPO rules, two provisions that have long affected public-sector retirees and government employees who also qualify for Social Security.
CBS News reports that these payments, originally scheduled for later in the year, are being issued immediately, giving relief to many retirees who have faced financial hardships due to benefit reductions.
The WEP and GPO provisions have long been controversial, as they reduce benefits for retirees who receive pensions from non-covered government jobs. With the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, affected individuals are not only receiving retroactive payments for past deductions but will also see an increase in their future benefits.
USA Today confirms that eligible beneficiaries are already seeing direct deposits and mailed checks, with payments averaging between $10,000 and $20,000 for back pay, depending on individual cases.
Additionally, as noted by Our Midland, the monthly benefit adjustments will take effect starting March 2025, providing retirees with fairer, more equitable payments moving forward.
This legislative change has been widely praised by advocacy groups for retirees and public service workers, who have long argued that WEP and GPO unfairly penalized individuals for their years of public service. As Social Security implements these changes, millions of retirees are finally receiving long-overdue financial relief.
