Retired AFSA members across the country will see an increase in their Social Security checks as the Social Security Administration (SSA) begins issuing retroactive payments and raising monthly benefits for those affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), according to an SSA statement.

The WEP and GPO provisions had unfairly reduced or eliminated Social Security benefits for more than 3.2 million people whose primary pensions were based on work not covered by Social Security taxes, such as public sector jobs in education, firefighting and law enforcement, but who had earned Social Security credits through second jobs or other employment over the years.

While these laws didn't affect every AFSA member, they disproportionately impacted AFSA folks in selected locations. According to the Congressional Research Service, Social Security beneficiaries in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories (including American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and overseas military bases), and foreign countries were affected by the GPO/WEP. However, the number of affected beneficiaries varied widely by state. Nine states—California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachutts, Ohio and Texas—accounted for nearly 60% of those impacted.

The new measures are a direct result of the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, which eliminates both WEP and GPO, delivering a significant victory for millions of beneficiaries. This landmark legislation followed extensive lobbying efforts by AFSA, the AFL-CIO and a coalition of public employee unions, including the International Association of Fire Fighters, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. Like AFSA, these organizations worked tirelessly in Congress to secure the necessary changes. AFSA members nationwide also played a crucial role by sending letters to lawmakers, helping to drive momentum for the reform.

“Social Security’s aggressive schedule to start issuing retroactive payments in February and increase monthly benefit payments beginning in April supports President Trump’s priority to implement the Social Security Fairness Act as quickly as possible,” said Lee Dudek, acting commissioner of Social Security. “The agency’s original estimate of taking a year or more now will only apply to complex cases that cannot be processed by automation. The American people deserve to get their due benefits as quickly as possible.”

As of January 2025, the WEP and GPO no longer apply, meaning that millions of people, including teachers, firefighters, police officers, federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System, and others whose work was covered by foreign social security systems, will begin to see a significant increase in their monthly benefits. The first adjustments to monthly payments will be reflected in April 2025.

Beneficiaries affected by the changes can expect to receive a mailed notice from SSA explaining the details of their new benefits or retroactive payment. However, SSA advises individuals to wait until after receiving their April payment before inquiring about any changes.

This change marks a major victory for millions of individuals who have long been advocating for fairer treatment of their Social Security benefits, and underscores the power of collective action in pushing for meaningful legislative reform.

Visit the agency’s Social Security Fairness Act webpage to learn more and stay up to date on its progress. Visitors can subscribe to be alerted when the webpage is updated.