The Agency has made one of the most important announcements for those Americans who have been affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and GPO. In fact, Social Security has revealed that expedited retroactive payments will take place.
What is more, millions of these citizens will receive higher monthly benefits as well. Therefore, the Government is committed to carrying out the Social Security Fairness Act.
When will Social Security begin to pay retroactive benefits?
The Administration has confirmed that “it is immediately beginning to pay retroactive benefits.” Besides, the Agency will also increase monthly benefit payments to those citizens who were affected by WEP.
If you were affected by GPO (Government Pension Offset) you will also take advantage of this measure. For your information, WEP and GPO either eliminated or reduced Social Security benefits.
As a matter of fact, it affected more than 3 million Americans. So, they receive a pension which is based on work that was not covered by the Social Security Administration.
Social Security Fairness Act ends both provisions
Soon, the SSA’s Fairness Act will end GPO and WEP. No doubt SSA’s aggressive schedule to begin issuing higher monthly benefits in April and retroactive payments in February shows President Trump’s priority to carry out the Fairness Act ASAP, stated Acting Commissioner of Social Security, Lee Dudek.
SSA’s Acting Commissioner also said that the American people who have been affected by these provisions deserve to get their due money as fast as possible.
For your information, only complex cases that cannot be processed by automation will take about a year or more to be processed. Thus most eligible Americans will soon receive their additional money from the Administration.
In general, it will be teachers, police officers and firefighters the ones who will take advantage of this new law. Also, federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement Service or those who had been covered by a foreign social security system.
