Could your Social Security benefits increase? Here’s the latest from Congress
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If you’ve spent your career serving your community—maybe as a teacher, firefighter, police officer, or a dedicated public servant—there’s big news on the Social Security front that could put more money in your pocket.
The Social Security Fairness Act, passed earlier this year with rare bipartisan support, is shaking up the system in a way that finally addresses decades-old complaints about fairness and equity.
But as with all things government, the devil is in the details—and the wait for some folks is stretching on longer than anyone would like. Let’s break down what’s happening, what it means for you, and what you can do if you’re still waiting for your well-deserved benefits.
What’s Changed: The Social Security Fairness Act
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released an update for individuals who have not yet received expanded benefits following the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act earlier this year.
The bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, passed by lawmakers, eliminated two provisions that had previously reduced retirement benefits for certain public service workers—including teachers, firefighters, police officers, some federal employees, and their spouses.
As a result, roughly 2.8 million individuals now qualify for full Social Security benefits.
So far, 91% of those affected have begun receiving full payments, but the SSA notes that some “complex cases” are still being processed.
In April, the agency confirmed it had already distributed more than $14.8 billion in retroactive payments.
Who’s Impacted?
The legislation removed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).
The WEP had lowered Social Security benefits for those receiving pensions from public-sector jobs that didn’t include Social Security payroll tax contributions—even if they had worked in other roles where they did pay into the system.
Similarly, the GPO had reduced survivor or spousal benefits for government retirees whose jobs didn’t involve Social Security contributions.
Also read: New Social Security feature could save you time—but there’s a catch
Updated monthly benefit amounts, along with retroactive payments dating back to December 2023, began rolling out in April.
While most payments have been processed, the SSA noted that a small portion of claims are taking longer due to their complexity.
“For the many complex cases that cannot be processed automatically, additional time is required to manually update the records and pay both retroactive benefits and the new benefits amount,” the SSA stated on its website. “We are expediting these cases now.”
Anyone still waiting will receive an official notice from the agency.
Also read: Your June 2025 Social Security check: When it's coming and how to plan ahead
Why the Hold-Up?
According to USA Today, newly appointed SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano has set a goal of resolving all remaining Social Security Fairness Act claims by July 1.
Staff have been directed to treat these cases as a top priority over other tasks, and some employees have reportedly been offered overtime to work weekends until the backlog is addressed.
Newsweek reached out to the SSA for comment after hours.
Recent Statement from the SSA
In an April 29 press release, the SSA stated, “SSA has made significant strides in implementing the Social Security Fairness Act, having paid over $14.8 billion in retroactive payments to more than 2.2 million individuals affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. Under President [Donald] Trump's leadership, the agency's original estimate of taking a year or more to issue payments now will apply to only complex cases that cannot be processed by automation.”
Source: CBS19 / Youtube.
What’s Next
The SSA says retroactive payments and adjusted benefit amounts will continue to be released “as we process each case,” with a goal of updating “all beneficiary records… by early November 2025.”
Have you checked your Social Security statement lately? Are you planning to use your retroactive payment for something special? Drop a comment below and join the discussion with your fellow GrayViners!
Related story: Retirees on edge with “real and growing” anxiety about Social Security
And as always, stay tuned to The GrayVine for the latest updates on Social Security and everything else that matters to you.
The Social Security Fairness Act, passed earlier this year with rare bipartisan support, is shaking up the system in a way that finally addresses decades-old complaints about fairness and equity.
But as with all things government, the devil is in the details—and the wait for some folks is stretching on longer than anyone would like. Let’s break down what’s happening, what it means for you, and what you can do if you’re still waiting for your well-deserved benefits.
What’s Changed: The Social Security Fairness Act
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has released an update for individuals who have not yet received expanded benefits following the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act earlier this year.
The bipartisan Social Security Fairness Act, passed by lawmakers, eliminated two provisions that had previously reduced retirement benefits for certain public service workers—including teachers, firefighters, police officers, some federal employees, and their spouses.
As a result, roughly 2.8 million individuals now qualify for full Social Security benefits.
So far, 91% of those affected have begun receiving full payments, but the SSA notes that some “complex cases” are still being processed.
The Social Security Fairness Act has repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), meaning around 2.8 million workers such as teachers, firefighters, police, and some federal employees are now eligible for full Social Security benefits. Image source: Markus Winkler / Unsplash.
In April, the agency confirmed it had already distributed more than $14.8 billion in retroactive payments.
Who’s Impacted?
The legislation removed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO).
The WEP had lowered Social Security benefits for those receiving pensions from public-sector jobs that didn’t include Social Security payroll tax contributions—even if they had worked in other roles where they did pay into the system.
Similarly, the GPO had reduced survivor or spousal benefits for government retirees whose jobs didn’t involve Social Security contributions.
Also read: New Social Security feature could save you time—but there’s a catch
Updated monthly benefit amounts, along with retroactive payments dating back to December 2023, began rolling out in April.
While most payments have been processed, the SSA noted that a small portion of claims are taking longer due to their complexity.
“For the many complex cases that cannot be processed automatically, additional time is required to manually update the records and pay both retroactive benefits and the new benefits amount,” the SSA stated on its website. “We are expediting these cases now.”
Anyone still waiting will receive an official notice from the agency.
Also read: Your June 2025 Social Security check: When it's coming and how to plan ahead
Why the Hold-Up?
According to USA Today, newly appointed SSA Commissioner Frank Bisignano has set a goal of resolving all remaining Social Security Fairness Act claims by July 1.
Staff have been directed to treat these cases as a top priority over other tasks, and some employees have reportedly been offered overtime to work weekends until the backlog is addressed.
Newsweek reached out to the SSA for comment after hours.
Recent Statement from the SSA
In an April 29 press release, the SSA stated, “SSA has made significant strides in implementing the Social Security Fairness Act, having paid over $14.8 billion in retroactive payments to more than 2.2 million individuals affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. Under President [Donald] Trump's leadership, the agency's original estimate of taking a year or more to issue payments now will apply to only complex cases that cannot be processed by automation.”
Source: CBS19 / Youtube.
What’s Next
The SSA says retroactive payments and adjusted benefit amounts will continue to be released “as we process each case,” with a goal of updating “all beneficiary records… by early November 2025.”
Have you checked your Social Security statement lately? Are you planning to use your retroactive payment for something special? Drop a comment below and join the discussion with your fellow GrayViners!
Related story: Retirees on edge with “real and growing” anxiety about Social Security
And as always, stay tuned to The GrayVine for the latest updates on Social Security and everything else that matters to you.
