Some Social Security beneficiaries will be getting higher benefit payments this month as a recently-passed law kicks in for public sector workers whose benefits had been reduced in the past.
The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in January by President Joe Biden, eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). Those measures reduced or prevented Social Security benefits for more than 3.2 million people with a pension and whose past work wasn’t subject to Social Security taxes, according to the Social Security Administration. Affected recipients include police officers, firefighters, postal workers and public school teachers.
The SSA began sending payments in February and by March 5 had paid more than 1.1 million people more than $7.5 million in retroactive payments, the agency said. The average amount of the retroactive payment: $6,710. As of April 11, the SSA had processed 81% of the retroactive payment adjustments, for 2.3 million recipients.
Now, impacted recipients will begin receiving their new monthly payment amount starting in April.
“President Trump made it very clear he wanted the Social Security Fairness Act to be implemented as quickly as possible,” acting commissioner Lee Dudek said in a statement.
When will Social Security recipients see benefits increase from the Social Security Fairness Act?
Any beneficiaries due to get a one-time retroactive payment – to cover the increase in their benefit amount back to January 2024 – should have seen the payment deposited in their banks by the end of March, the SSA said.
Monthly benefit payments reflecting beneficiaries’ new amount will begin going out in April (that is the March benefit payment).
Social Security payments for most recipients go out on Wednesdays throughout the month. So, if your birthdate falls between the first and 10th of the month, you would have been paid on April 9; born between the 11th and 20th, you’d have been paid on the April 16, and if you were born after the 20th of the month, you will get paid on April 23.
Social Security: When do payments go out in April? See the full 2025 payment schedule
Beneficiaries who are due a retroactive payment or adjusted monthly benefit will get a mailed notice from Social Security explaining the benefit change or retroactive payment, the agency said.
The SSA expects to have all beneficiaries’ records updated by early November 2025. The delay comes because many cases must be updated manually, the agency said. “Additional time is required to manually update the records and pay both retroactive benefits and the new benefits amount,” the SSA said on its Social Security Fairness Act page. “We are expediting these cases now.”
How much will monthly Social Security benefits increase?
That depends on the current benefit received and the amount of the beneficiary’s pension. Some recipients may be eligible for $1,000 or more additional benefits each month while others may get a very small increase, the SSA said.
Some Social Security recipients will get larger payments after the Social Security Fairness Act eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which reduced benefits for certain retirees who also received pension income.
If your Social Security benefits were reduced in the past, what do you need to do?
If you know the Social Security Administration has your mailing address and direct deposit information, you don’t need to do anything, the agency said.
But if you want to verify that information you can check your account on the Social Security website. If you haven’t created an account and are unable to, call 1-800-772-1213 to verify your information.
What if I haven’t filed for Social Security benefits or don’t know if I did?
If you are not sure whether you ever applied for retirement, spouse’s, or surviving spouse’s benefits, because of the pension measures, you may need to file an application. You can go online at www.ssa.gov/apply.
You cannot apply for surviving spouse’s benefits online; call 1-800-772-1213 Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. ET.
For additional information, go to the Social Security Administration’s Social Security Fairness Act page.
Contributing: Medora Lee, Bailey Schulz.
Mike Snider is a reporter on USA TODAY’s Trending team. You can follow him on Threads, Bluesky, X and email him at mikegsnider & @mikegsnider.bsky.social & @mikesnider & msnider@usatoday.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Social Security payments will increase for some in April. Here’s who
