By Leada Gore
al.com
WASHINGTON — More than 3.2 million Social Security recipients will be getting a boost in their monthly benefits in April.
The increases are part of the Social Security Fairness Act signed into law by President Joe Biden in his final days of office. The act eliminated the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset, two rules that reduced benefits for retirees - including some widows, widowers, and spousal benefit recipients - who received pensions from employers that weren’t covered by Social Security .
Among those who could benefit from the change are some teachers, firefighters, and police officers in many states. Some federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System, and people paid by a foreign social security system were also under WEP and GPO.
Those who received a retroactive payment or who will get higher monthly benefits received notification from the Social Security Administration earlier this year.
Eligible recipients began receiving retroactive benefits dating back to January 2024 in March. The average retroactive payment was $6,710.
Through March 4, the agency has already paid 1.12 million people more than $7.5 billion in retroactive payments.
The monthly benefits increase will begin in April, based on date of birth for Social Security payments:
- Birth date 1-10th of the month – Benefits paid second Wednesday of the month
- Birth date 11-20th of the month – Benefits paid third Wednesday of the month
- Birth date 21st -30th of the month – Benefits paid fourth Wednesday of the month
Beneficiaries who receive Social Security before May 1997 or those receiving both Social Security and Supplemental Security Income are on a different schedule with Social Security paid on the third and SSI on the first of the month.
How much increase will people receive?
The amount of monthly benefit change will vary greatly, according to the Social Security Administration. Depending on factors such as the type of Social Security benefit received and the amount of the person’s pension, the increase will amount to “very little” to more than $1,000 each month, the agency said.
The average monthly benefit is expected to increase by about $360 a month.
According to Kiplinger, the increased money will arrive the same way monthly benefits are received, either via direct deposit or a check. If your retroactive lump sum hasn’t arrived, you can call SSA at 1-800-772-1213.
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