Under the direction of President Trump, the Social Security Administration in the United States has accelerated its progress, paying out over $7.5 billion in retroactive benefit payments to more than 1 million Americans. Many Social Security beneficiaries will also see an increase in their benefits starting from April.
Previously, former President Biden signed a new law shortly before leaving office, allowing 3.2 million public servants and their families to receive higher Social Security benefits. However, the Social Security Administration (SSA) later responded that due to manpower shortages, the processing of retroactive benefits might not be implemented until a year later. But under Trump’s leadership, efforts were made to increase efficiency and ensure that these Americans receive their retroactive benefits as soon as possible.
Clearly, Trump did not delay or veto the law signed by Biden but prioritized the welfare of millions of American retirees. The results are already evident.
In a statement released on March 4th, the Social Security Administration announced: “As of March 4, the SSA has paid out over $7.5 billion in retroactive payments to 1,127,723 Americans, with an average payment of $6,710 per person.”
Last week, the SSA announced that it would begin issuing retroactive Social Security payments to beneficiaries affected by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO). The main beneficiaries include retired public servants such as former police officers, firefighters, postal workers, teachers, and federal employees.
In January 2025, former President Biden signed the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), which terminated the previous WEP and GPO provisions. He stated that the WEP and GPO provisions “reduced or eliminated Social Security benefits for over 3.2 million retirees.”
Since the WEP and GPO provisions have not been applicable since January 2024, millions of Social Security beneficiaries are now eligible to receive retroactive payments.
Lee Dudek, acting commissioner of the SSA, stated: “President Trump has clearly instructed that he wants the Social Security Fairness Act to be implemented as soon as possible. We have taken on this challenge and are proud to fulfill our commitment to the American people.”
He mentioned that the SSA will continue to disburse the remaining retroactive payments.
Additionally, starting in April, beneficiaries who receive retroactive Social Security payments will see an increase in their monthly benefits according to the new regulations. The specific increase amount will depend on factors such as the type of Social Security benefits they receive and the amount of their pensions.
Beneficiaries eligible for retroactive benefits or monthly benefit adjustments will receive mail notifications from the Social Security Administration explaining the relevant details.
The SSA stated that most individuals receiving retroactive Social Security payments will receive notifications within two to three weeks of payment, because “President Trump understands how crucial it is to promptly pay people what they deserve.”