We recently celebrated a key milestone by announcing that we completed sending over 3.1 million payments, totaling $17 billion, to beneficiaries eligible under the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), 5 months ahead of schedule. When the SSFA became law on January 5, 2025, we identified about 2.8 million current Social Security beneficiaries whose benefits were reduced because of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO). We successfully completed actions on these records by July 7, 2025, exceeding our original estimate of it taking a year or more. Below is additional information on what this milestone may mean for you, depending on your status when SSFA became law.
Receiving benefits when SSFA became law?
If you received benefits between January 2024 and June 2025, had a pension from work not covered by Social Security, and your benefits during this period were reduced by WEP or GPO, you should have received any back payments owed to you. Your ongoing monthly benefits should also have been adjusted by July 2025. Please note that since we pay benefits the month after they are due, you may see the change in your benefit with the payment received in August 2025. If you have questions about your case, please call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. local time.
Filed a new claim after SSFA became law?
Since SSFA became law, we have also received over 278,000 new claims from people with pensions from work not covered by Social Security. We have processed 92% of these new claims so far. If you filed a new claim after the law took effect, we may still be working to process your application.
Need to file a claim?
If you have not yet filed a claim or are unsure if you have, you may need to apply. The date you apply can affect when your benefits start. The easiest way to apply for retirement or spouse’s benefits is online at www.ssa.gov/apply. If you are applying for spouse’s benefits, please select “Family Benefits.” This will guide you through the application for Retirement and Medicare benefits to make sure you get all the benefits you qualify for. Please note that survivor benefit applications are not available online.
If you have not applied before because of WEP or GPO, you can also apply by phone. Call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. local time.
For the most up-to-date information, please visit our Social Security Fairness Act webpage at www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/social-security-fairness-act.html.
