A major change in the Social Security system has brought relief to millions of public workers in the United States. Thanks to the Social Security Fairness Act, signed in January 2024 and upheld by both President Joe Biden and President Donald Trump, many beneficiaries have started receiving increased Social Security payments starting this month.
This new law removes two old rules—the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO)—which had earlier reduced Social Security benefits for people who received public pensions not taxed by Social Security.
Let’s understand who benefits from this change, how much they could receive, and when the payments will arrive.
What Are WEP and GPO—and Why Were They Eliminated?
Previously, the WEP and GPO rules cut the Social Security benefits for many retired public sector workers, such as:
- Teachers
- Firefighters
- Police officers
- Postal workers
These people often earned non-taxable government pensions. Because of that, their Social Security checks were reduced, even if they had worked and paid into the system elsewhere.
The Social Security Fairness Act has now eliminated both these rules. This change is seen as a major victory for over 3.2 million affected Americans, especially in states like California, Texas, and New York, where a large number of public employees live.
Retroactive Payments Have Already Begun
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has already started sending retroactive payments, which cover the increased amounts since January 2024.
By April 11, 2025:
- 81% of adjustments had already been processed.
- 1.1 million people received payments.
- The total amount paid out so far is over $7.5 million.
- On average, each person received about $6,710.
These payments were deposited at the end of March 2025, and are being updated into regular monthly payments starting April 2025. However, complex cases that need manual updates may take until November 2025 to be completed.
When Will You See the Increased Monthly Benefit?
Since Social Security benefits are paid one month behind, the new higher amounts will show up in the April 2025 payment, which actually covers the March benefit.
The SSA uses automated systems to process most changes, but some complicated pension calculations still need manual verification. As of now, 2.3 million records have been updated.
Increases can vary:
- Some retirees may receive up to $1,000 more per month.
- Others may get smaller amounts, depending on their original pension and benefit structure.
The SSA has also announced that it is giving priority to those in urgent need, such as people living below the poverty line.
Payment Dates for April 2025
Social Security payments are sent out on Wednesdays, depending on your birth date:
- April 9 for birthdays from 1st–10th
- April 16 for birthdays from 11th–20th
- April 23 for birthdays from 21st–31st
Beneficiaries will also receive a mail notification explaining how their monthly amount has changed or if they are receiving any back payments.
Watch Out for Scams
The SSA is warning all beneficiaries to stay alert:
“We never request banking information by mail or over the phone,” said the SSA. If you get any such message, it could be a scam.
How Much Can You Receive in Total?
Even without the new increases, the maximum Social Security benefit is set at $5,108 in 2025. This is for those who had high earnings and retired at age 70. With the removal of WEP and GPO, some public workers may now qualify for closer to this maximum amount.