The repeal applies back to January 2024, making December 2023 the last month the two benefit cuts were in force; the SSA began sending lump-sum catch-up payments on Feb. 25, 2025.
Teachers, firefighters, police officers and other public workers with pensions from non-covered employment are among those gaining benefits that had been reduced or eliminated.
Separately for 2026, Social Security benefits will rise 2.8%, adding about $56 a month on average for nearly 71 million beneficiaries, while earnings-test limits increase to $24,480 and $65,160.
With Social Security's main trust fund set to run dry by 2032, what is the actual plan to save your benefits?
Your 2026 COLA is 2.8%, but how much of that raise will you actually keep after taxes and Medicare hikes?
New laws fixed benefits for some retirees, but are outdated tax rules now creating a new financial trap for everyone else?
WEP/GPO Repeal 2026: What 3.2 Million Retirees Need to Know About Restored Social Security Benefits and Retroactive Payments
Overview
As of July 2026, the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) have been successfully repealed through the Social Security Fairness Act, addressing long-standing concerns that these rules unfairly reduced Social Security benefits for public sector workers and their families. The repeal is retroactive to January 1, 2024, making December 2023 the last month these reductions applied. As a result, beneficiaries who were previously affected have now received positive adjustments to their Social Security payments, ensuring they get the full benefits they earned.