Social Security Pays Billions of Dollars in Retroactive Payments

The Social Security Administration (SSA) today shared its significant progress to quickly
implement the Social Security Fairness Act. Through March 4, 2025, SSA has already
paid 1,127,723 people more than $7.5 billion in retroactive payments. The retroactive
payments are the result of the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and
Government Pension Offset (GPO). The average retroactive payment so far is $6,710.
“President Trump made it very clear he wanted the Social Security Fairness Act to be
implemented as quickly as possible,” said Lee Dudek, Acting Commissioner of Social
Security. “We met that challenge head on and are proudly delivering for the American
people.”

The WEP and GPO provisions reduced or eliminated the Social Security benefits for over
3.2 million people who receive a pension based on work that was not covered by Social
Security (a “non-covered pension”) because they did not pay Social Security taxes. 
The agency continues to pay remaining retroactive payments and is ready to begin paying
higher monthly benefit payments beginning in April for people’s March benefit.