Community Updates
Social Security Fairness Act – What You Need to Know
By: LASCO
A new law called the Social Security Fairness Act was signed in January 2025. It changes how Social Security benefits work for people who get a pension from jobs that didn’t pay into Social Security—like teachers, firefighters, police officers, and some federal workers.
What Changed?
Before this law, many people had their Social Security benefits reduced or taken away because of two rules:
- Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)
- Government Pension Offset (GPO)
These rules are now gone. That means many people will get more money each month from Social Security.
Who May This Law Help?
- Teachers, firefighters, and police officers in many states
- Federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System
- Workers who had been covered by a foreign social security system
- Spouses or surviving spouses of workers with non-covered pensions
Back Pay (Retroactive Payments)
- If you were affected by WEP or GPO, you might have received a one-time payment for money owed since January 2024.
- Most of these payments were sent out between February and July 2025.
- If you think you should have received a payment but didn’t, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.
Monthly Payments Going Up
- Monthly Social Security checks started going up in April 2025.
- Some people are getting hundreds or even over $1,000 more each month, depending on their situation.
What You Should Do
If you already get Social Security:
- Make sure your mailing address and bank info are correct with Social Security.
- Look out for letters explaining your new payment amount.
If you don’t get Social Security yet:
- You might now qualify for retirement, disability, or spouse’s benefits.
The surviving spouse application is not online. Call 1-800-772-1213 and ask about the “Fairness Act” to speak with a specially trained representative.