Good news for American retirees who were impacted by the contentious WEP and GPO rules, which were imposed on millions of Social Security recipients for many years. Prepare for retroactive payments, which will arrive faster than you expected.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has just accelerated the process, so overdue money could be in your account as early as this week. What about the good news we’ve brought you?
The SSA activated the turbo in its car and accelerated at full speed, utilizing cutting-edge technology to address the issue of injustice that affected so many recipients of its benefits.
Big Win for Retirees: Retro Payments Fix WEP & GPO Injustice
For those who are unfamiliar, the WEP and the GPO are two old rules that reduced Social Security benefits for public workers such as teachers, firefighters, and federal employees.
Essentially, if you worked in the private sector and then in the government, they adjusted the amount of your pension, which was a setback for recipients who saw their payments decrease.
Things improve because, thanks to the Social Security Equity Law (approved in January), those two regulations have been eliminated.
This means that thousands of people’s monthly payments will increase beginning in April. Oh, and the retroactive amount will make up for what they haven’t received since the beginning of the year.
However, not everyone will see the money simultaneously. The SSA warns that complex cases (such as registration issues or manual adjustments) may take longer.
That’s why they ask people not to call them until April. “Trust us, we are working as fast as we can,” said an SSA official we spoke with. Of course, if you do not see any movement by May, it is time to file a complaint.
Social Security Equity Law: The Game-Changer for Retirees
The National Association of Federal Employees (NARFE) is thrilled. One of its spokespersons, John Hatton, stated: “This is music to our ears!”We’ve been fighting for this for decades, and seeing the payments arrive now is a huge relief. It’s no surprise that many retirees rely on every dollar to cover basic living expenses.
Remember when the SSA said it didn’t have the funds or personnel to expedite this? Lee Dudek, the interim commissioner, now assumes that everything is running smoothly.
“President Biden prioritized this law, and here we are complying,” he explained. However, they still do not explain how they addressed the budget issues that previously hindered them.
Approximately 3 million people will benefit from this change. The law not only corrects a historical injustice, but it also gives hope to families who have been fighting for justice for years. And, despite the difficulties (Democrats and Republicans had to work together), it was eventually accomplished.