Social Security Fairness Act: More Benefit Money for Public Employees

Public sector workers have something big to celebrate: a major change to Social Security that many have been fighting for their entire careers. The Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in late 2024, finally eliminates two provisions that have long frustrated government employees by reducing their retirement benefits. 

For millions of teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public servants who have watched their Social Security checks shrink because of their government pensions, this marks a welcome victory.

What does this mean in real dollars? If you're one of the 2.1 million retirees affected by this change, you could see your monthly Social Security check grow by hundreds of dollars starting in 2025. The biggest winners will be surviving spouses, who could receive up to nearly $1,200 more each month. While this won't affect every public sector worker — most are already fully covered by Social Security — for those who qualify, it's a game-changing boost to their retirement security.

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What is the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA)?

The Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), signed into law by President Joseph R. Biden on Jan. 5, 2025, repeals two older provisions — the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). 

Those provisions previously reduced Social Security retirement benefits for retirees who received pensions from non-Social Security-covered employment. 

In short, with the SSFA in place, public sector retirees and their spouses will finally be able to collect full Social Security benefits alongside their pensions, starting from the year 2024.

Who is affected by the SSFA benefit increases?

The SSFA impacts approximately 3.2 million people, including around 2.1 million retirees whose fixed income benefits were reduced by the WEP, and 750,000 individuals affected by the GPO. Not all retirees will benefit, however — about 72% of state and local public employees already work in Social Security-covered positions and are unaffected by the changes.

What do these benefit increases look like? Do they include retroactive payments?

The SSFA applies to benefits beginning after December 2023, meaning all payments made in or after 2024 will be eligible for recalculation. Retirees, along with their spouses or surviving spouses, will receive retroactive payments reflecting the updated benefit amounts, with an increase to their monthly benefits. While the SSA hasn’t provided an exact timeline, many expect these payments to begin in 2025.

• Public sector retirees: Monthly increases of $360 by December 2025, rising to $460 by 2033.

• Spouses: Average monthly increase of $700 in 2025, growing to $860 by 2033.

• Surviving spouses: Initial increase of $1,190 in 2025, reaching $1,520 by 2033.

Retroactive payments will vary based on individual circumstances, but the overall trend shows significant increases for those affected by the SSFA.

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When will a person see their Social Security benefit increase because of the SSFA?

Not entirely sure. The Social Security Administration (SSA) is still finalizing the details of how the SSFA will be implemented. It could take more than a year for all benefits to be adjusted and for retroactive payments to be made. Stay informed by regularly checking updates from the SSA.

What should you do now that the Social Security Fairness Act is law?

If you're retired or a public sector worker nearing retirement, now is a good time to review your status. If you were previously discouraged from applying for benefits due to WEP or GPO, you may need to submit a new application (although the SSA, officially, says WEP or GPO participants don’t need to do anything). 

To apply, visit the SSA website or contact them at 1-800-772-1213. Be sure to keep your contact information updated with the SSA to avoid delays.