91% of Social Security Fairness Act benefit increases, lump sum payments have been processed
At the start of the year, the Social Security Administration said affected beneficiaries may have to wait more than one year to see their payments adjusted.
The Social Security Administration has now processed about 91% of cases related to a new law that is prompting higher benefits and lump-sum retroactive payments for nearly 3 million people, according to a new update from the agency.
The Social Security Fairness Act, which was signed into law in January, eliminated two provisions — the Windfall Elimination Provision, or WEP, and the Government Pension Offset, or GPO — that previously reduced benefits for individuals who also receive income from public pensions that did not require the payment of Social Security payroll taxes.
The agency credits automation for helping it to expedite those payments.
“Commissioner Bisignano committed to senators during his confirmation process that this would be finished ‘while the weather is warm’ and he will keep his promise,” the Social Security Administration official said.
The Social Security Administration currently plans to update all beneficiary records affected by the law by early November.
However, the agency is “working to exceed its estimate” under new commissioner Frank Bisignano, a Social Security Administration official said via email.
The Social Security Fairness Act, which was signed into law on Jan. 5, affects certain individuals who are eligible for Social Security benefits, but who also receive pensions from work that did not require the payment of Social Security payroll taxes.
Examples of those affected include teachers, firefighters and police officers; federal employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement System; and people who are covered by a foreign social security system, according to the Social Security Administration.
