Millions to Receive Increased Social Security Benefits Sooner Than Expected

Good news for millions of retired public servants! The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced that they will begin issuing retroactive benefits and increasing monthly payments starting in April, impacting over 3.2 million individuals. This news comes sooner than initially projected, thanks to the recently passed Social Security Fairness Act.

The Act eliminates two policies that previously prevented public employees with pensions from receiving full Social Security benefits. This change also extends to surviving spouses and family members of these workers, who previously received reduced benefits.

The retroactive benefits will cover the period from December 2023 to April 2024, meaning eligible recipients who previously received partial benefits will now receive the full amount for that period. Most individuals will receive their one-time retroactive payment by the end of March, deposited directly into their bank accounts on file with the SSA.

The amount of the increase in monthly payments will vary depending on the type of benefit and pension received. The SSA encourages beneficiaries to wait until April to inquire about the status of their retroactive payment. For more information about the expanded Social Security benefits, including eligibility and payment increase details, please visit the Social Security Fairness Act website.