Big News for Retirees: Social Security Fairness Act Repeals WEP and GPO

If you or your spouse have worked in both the public and private sectors—or if you’re currently drawing a government pension—there’s important news that could significantly impact your retirement income.

On January 5, 2025, the Social Security Fairness Act was officially signed into law, bringing with it a major change for millions of Americans. The law repeals both the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO)—two provisions that have long limited or reduced Social Security benefits for individuals receiving certain government pensions, such as those through Teacher Retirement Systems.

Here’s What This Means:

• If you worked in a job that paid into Social Security, but also receive a government pension, you may now be eligible to collect full Social Security benefits that were previously reduced or eliminated due to WEP.
• If your spouse paid into Social Security, and you were denied spousal benefits because of GPO—even if your spouse is deceased—you may now be eligible for spousal or survivor benefits.

Even better? This change is retroactive to January 1, 2025. So if you’ve been affected by either of these provisions in the past, now is the time to take action.

We strongly encourage you to review your Social Security account and reassess your benefits. You can do this by visiting the official Social Security Administration website at www.ssa.gov. 

If you have questions about how this change could affect your retirement plan, Social Security strategy, or income in retirement, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help you navigate this opportunity and make sure you’re receiving all the benefits you’re entitled to.

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