What changed
| Rule | What it did | Now |
|---|---|---|
| Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) | Cut your own Social Security benefit if you also had a pension from non-covered work | Repealed from Jan. 2024 |
| Government Pension Offset (GPO) | Cut spousal and survivor benefits by two-thirds of a non-covered government pension | Repealed from Jan. 2024 |
WEP and GPO still apply to benefits for months before January 2024.
Who it helps
People with a pension from work where they didn't pay Social Security taxes, such as some state and local government jobs (teachers, firefighters, police officers in some states), federal jobs under the Civil Service Retirement System, and some foreign jobs, plus their spouses and survivors. Social Security put the number of affected beneficiaries at about 2.8 million.
Where things stand
Social Security says that by July 7, 2025 it had sent more than 3.1 million retroactive payments, totaling $17 billion, five months ahead of schedule, and raised monthly benefits going forward.
What to do
- Already getting Social Security: the change was automatic. Check your benefit letter or my Social Security account.
- Never applied because WEP or GPO would have cut your benefit to little or nothing, including spouses and widows: apply now. The usual limits on how far back a new application can be paid still apply, so don't wait.
See what your benefit could be with the Social Security calculator or, for spouses and widows, the spousal and survivor calculators.
Questions
What did the Social Security Fairness Act do?
It ended the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), which had reduced Social Security benefits for people with a pension from work not covered by Social Security. The change applies to benefits payable for months after December 2023.
Who benefits from the WEP and GPO repeal?
People who get a pension from a job where they didn't pay Social Security taxes, such as some teachers, firefighters, police officers and federal workers under CSRS, and their spouses and survivors. Social Security put the number of affected beneficiaries at about 2.8 million.
Do I need to apply?
If you already get Social Security, the change was made automatically. If you never applied because WEP or GPO would have wiped out your benefit, you should apply now. Normal rules limit how far back a new application can be paid.
Updated November 6, 2026. Sources: SSA, Social Security Fairness Act: WEP and GPO update; SSA, Celebrating Our Recent Social Security Fairness Act Milestone (July 2025); SSA, Social Security Pays Billions of Dollars in Retroactive Payments.