Social Security Fairness Act Benefits became law in January, bringing long-awaited changes for millions of retirees. The act eliminates past provisions that reduced Social Security benefits for those receiving pensions from jobs that did not contribute to Social Security. While the changes promise increased payments, many retirees are still waiting to see the impact on their checks.
The Social Security Fairness Act benefits over 3.2 million individuals, including teachers, firefighters, police officers, and federal employees. It repeals the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which previously cut benefits for those receiving noncovered pensions. With these repeals, affected retirees can now qualify for higher payments, with increases ranging from small adjustments to over $1,000 per month. Retroactive benefits dating back to January 2024 are also expected.
However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has warned that processing these adjustments could take more than a year. Despite the delay, retirees and advocates see the bill’s passage as a major victory.
A Teacher’s Long Fight for Social Security Fairness Act Benefits
Roger Boudreau, a 75-year-old retired teacher and longtime activist, played a key role in pushing for the Social Security Fairness Act benefits. His advocacy began after experiencing a significant reduction in his own benefits. Boudreau estimates he lost around $5,000 per year due to a 40% penalty on his earned benefits.
Teaching salaries were low when Boudreau began his career in 1971. To support his family, he worked additional jobs where he contributed to Social Security. Now, he eagerly awaits updates from the SSA on how much his payments will increase.
A Firefighter’s Unexpected Setback
Carl Jordan, a retired fire captain from Canton, Ohio, was shocked to learn his Social Security benefits would be reduced upon retirement. While he received a pension, he had also worked additional jobs where he paid into Social Security. Jordan hoped his extra earnings would supplement his retirement income, but WEP and GPO provisions cut his expected benefits.
With the Social Security Fairness Act benefits, Jordan and millions of others now anticipate fairer payments. However, like many retirees, he remains in limbo, waiting for the SSA to finalize adjustments.
