Millions to Receive Early Social Security Benefits
Millions of retired public servants, including teachers, firefighters, and police officers, will receive their Social Security benefits sooner than expected. The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced on Tuesday that it would begin issuing retroactive payments immediately and increase monthly payments starting in April.
This change is due to the recently passed Social Security Fairness Act, which eliminates two policies that previously barred public employees with pensions from receiving full Social Security benefits. The new law also expands benefits for surviving spouses and family members.
Retroactive Payments and Increased Benefits
The benefits increase will be retroactive to December 2023. This means eligible recipients who previously received only partial benefits will receive a full payment backdated to a year ago. Most recipients will receive their one-time retroactive payment by the end of March.
The change in monthly payment amount will vary depending on the type of benefit and pension. The SSA is asking beneficiaries to wait until April to inquire about the status of their retroactive payment.
More Information
For more information about the expanded Social Security benefits, including who is eligible and when recipients will see an increase in their payments, visit the Social Security Fairness Act website.