Yes, the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) are going away. President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law on January 5, 2025, repealing both, with changes effective for benefits payable in or after 2024. The Social Security Administration (.gov) began issuing increased payments and retroactive adjustments in early 2025.
What is the Social Security Fairness Act (Act) and who does it help? The Act was signed into law on January 5, 2025. The Act ends the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).
The Social Security Fairness Act, HR 82, concerning the Windfall Elimination Program and Government Pension Offset, was signed into law on January 5, 2025. The Act eliminates the reduction of Social Security benefits while entitled to public pensions from work not covered by Social Security.
If you're planning to retire in Australia, you may be factoring in receiving the government Age Pension. So, it makes sense to be thinking about its future longevity. There's little evidence today to suggest the Age Pension will stop in the foreseeable future.
Who Avoided the Offset Affecting Social Security Benefits?
Second, you are exempt if you are receiving a government pension from SLG employment that is not based on your own earnings. For example, if you receive a survivor's annuity from your deceased spouse who worked in non-SS-covered employment for a SLG, it is not subject to the GPO.
The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 (P.L. 118-273) was signed into law on January 5, 2025. The legislation repeals two provisions under Social Security—the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)—for monthly benefits payable after December 2023.
How much State Pension will I get? The full rate of the new State Pension is £230.25 per week in the 2025-26 financial year (between April and April) but you may get more or less, depending on your National Insurance (NI) record.
The single rate of age pension will increase by $29.70 per fortnight from 20 September 2025. The couple combined rate of age pension will increase by $44.80 per fortnight from 20 September 2025.
82), which President Biden signed on January 5, 2025.
The dollar amount increase to checks will vary depending on a person's benefit amount, but the average Social Security Retirement benefit, $2,008.31 in July 2025, will grow by about $56.
The Social Security Fairness Act eliminates the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP)and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) from the Social Security Act.
The Social Security Fairness Act is now the law of the land. More than three million retirees are set to see an increase in their monthly Social Security benefits thanks to the new law, which repeals the decades-old Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO) penalties.
The Social Security Administration announced in October that beneficiaries will see a 2.8% increase in their monthly payments, known as the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. Individuals receiving Social Security benefits will notice the increase starting in January 2026.
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA):
For the January to March 2025 period, there won't be an increase, as the CPI showed a small dip over the last three months. But don't worry—over the past year, benefits have still grown by 2.0%, helping seniors keep pace with rising living costs.
From 20 September 2025, the full pension is available, under the assets test, for homeowner singles whose assessable assets are under $321,500 – for homeowner couples the number is $481,500. The numbers for non-homeowners are $579,500 and $739,500 respectively.
The 2.8 percent cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) will begin with benefits payable to nearly 71 million Social Security beneficiaries in January 2026. Increased payments to nearly 7.5 million SSI recipients will begin on December 31, 2025. (Note: Some people receive both Social Security and SSI benefits.)
Who Will Receive the $1,100 Centrelink Bonus. The bonus will be automatically issued to eligible Australians receiving approved Centrelink payments. Those expected to qualify include: Age Pension recipients.
Pension increases for 2025 varied, with U.S. Social Security seeing a 2.5% Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) in January, while some state/local pensions (like NY State) had smaller increases (e.g., 1.2%) and different schedules, and federal COLA estimates for 2026 were announced later in 2025 (around 2.8%). Key changes included higher IRS limits for retirement plans and increased Social Security taxable maximums for 2025, with varying boosts based on inflation data for the prior year.
Yes, US pensioners will get a rise in 2026, with Social Security benefits increasing by 2.8% (Cost-of-Living Adjustment or COLA) starting in January 2026, based on inflation measured up to late 2025, adding about $56 to the average monthly payment. This COLA also applies to other Social Security programs like disability and survivor benefits, while Federal retirees (FERS/CSRS) have different rules, with CSRS getting the full 2.8% but FERS typically seeing a smaller increase.
On January 5, 2025, President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act into law, legislation that will repeal the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO).
The extra $144 added to Social Security usually comes from the Medicare Part B Giveback benefit, offered by some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans, which pays back some or all your Part B premium, showing up as extra money in your check if it's deducted from your Social Security. To qualify, you need Original Medicare (Parts A & B), pay your own Part B premium, live in a plan's service area, and enroll in a specific Medicare Advantage plan that offers this "rebate," with the amount varying by plan and location.