The Social Security Fairness Act: How Much Will Your Monthly Benefit Rise in April 2025?

In a landmark decision for public employees, the Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law on January 5, 2025 by then-President Joe Biden.

The law removes two controversial rules—Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO)—which had reduced or even eliminated Social Security benefits for teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other public workers who received pensions from non-Social Security-covered jobs.

Now, over 3.2 million retirees are seeing real financial relief.

Why the Elimination of WEP and GPO Matters

For years, public sector workers who paid into state pension systems but also worked in Social Security-covered jobs saw their Social Security benefits reduced under WEP or completely wiped out under GPO. These provisions were widely criticised as unfair, especially for teachers, emergency service workers, and their surviving spouses.

The Social Security Fairness Act now corrects this by allowing them to receive their full benefits—just like other retirees.

Retroactive Payments Already Being Sent

Since February 2025, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has been working quickly to send retroactive payments to affected beneficiaries. As of March 4, over $7.5 billion in back payments had been delivered to 1.13 million people, with the average payout at $6,710 per person.

If you were impacted by WEP or GPO, and your case is being processed, your back pay may already be on the way.

The Social Security Fairness Act: How Much Will Your Monthly Benefit Rise in April 2025? — Source (Google.com)

Monthly Social Security Increases Begin April 2025

In addition to one-time back payments, retirees will also see an increase in their monthly Social Security checks beginning April 2025. The exact amount will vary depending on your pension and the type of benefit you receive.

The average monthly increase is projected to be $360 by December 2025
This is expected to rise to $460 per month by December 2033, according to the Congressional Budget Office

Some people could receive as much as $1,000 or more per month, depending on their individual situation.

SSA Speeds Up Implementation

Under the directive of President Donald Trump, the SSA has prioritized the fast rollout of the Fairness Act. Acting SSA Commissioner Lee Dudek stated that the agency has been working hard to issue retroactive payments quickly and ensure that monthly benefit increases start on time.