Has anyone actually received their SS benefit increase after WEP repeal yet?
I've been getting reduced Social Security payments for years due to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). My monthly check is about $875 less than it would be without WEP. I know there was big news about the WEP repeal earlier this year, but has anyone actually seen an increase in their benefits yet? I called SSA three times this month and got three different answers - one rep said they're still 'processing changes', another said payments would start automatically in October, and the third said I need to file some special request form! I'm so confused. I did see one person post somewhere that she already got her increase, but nobody else seems to have. Anyone here actually received the WEP adjustment on their monthly SS deposit yet? I'm starting to wonder if this is just another government promise that won't happen...
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Ethan Brown
I'm in the same boat. My SS benefits have been reduced by about $780/month due to WEP because I worked for a state government that didn't pay into Social Security. I called last week and the agent told me they're still implementing the system changes needed to process the adjustments. She said we should see retroactive payments starting in November, but nothing has hit my account yet. The agent did confirm we don't need to file any special forms - it should happen automatically for anyone currently affected by WEP. I'll update this thread if I see any changes to my deposits.
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CosmicCrusader
•Thanks for sharing your experience. November would be great if it actually happens! Did they mention anything about whether the payments will be retroactive to when the repeal was signed? I'm confused about when we're supposed to start getting the full amount.
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Yuki Yamamoto
my cousin works at SSA and she said theyre totally overwhelmed with this WEP thing. aparently theres like 2 million people getting increases and the computer system is from 1980s or something! she said dont expect anything till december maybe even january lol
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Carmen Ortiz
•While there are certainly systems challenges, I wouldn't rely on secondhand information about timeframes. The SSA has officially stated they're working to implement the changes as quickly as possible, but haven't committed to a specific date. The legislation does include retroactive payments to January 2025 for those affected by WEP, so whenever the adjustments do come through, you should receive backpay for the months that have passed since then.
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Andre Rousseau
I've been dealing with WEP reduction for 7 years now because of my federal pension. Lost about $940/month because of it! I called SSA last week about this, but couldn't get through after waiting on hold for 2 HOURS!! So frustrating! Has anyone had better luck getting information? I'm worried because I had to submit some pension documentation last year and I'm not sure if that will affect how they calculate my new amount. Does anyone know if we need to submit new documents for this change?
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Zoe Papadakis
•I got through to them 2 days ago by using a service called Claimyr. It holds your place in line with SSA and then calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of waiting on hold! Their site is claimyr.com and there's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with said all WEP adjustments are being handled centrally and we don't need to submit new documents since they already have our pension information on file. She couldn't give me an exact date though, just said "we're working on it as quickly as possible." At least I didn't waste half my day on hold!
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Jamal Carter
I actually DID receive my WEP adjustment last week! My monthly benefit jumped from $1,650 to $2,475. I was shocked because I hadn't received any notification it was coming. I initially thought it was a mistake, but when I called SSA, they confirmed it was the WEP repeal adjustment. The representative said they're processing them in batches based on Social Security number ranges. So some people are getting theirs now while others will see it in the coming weeks. She also mentioned there would be a separate payment for the retroactive amounts going back to January. Hope this helps!
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CosmicCrusader
•OMG that's amazing to hear! Thanks for sharing your experience. May I ask what state you're in? I'm wondering if they're rolling it out by region. Also, did you have to do anything special or did it just show up in your account?
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Jamal Carter
•I'm in Arizona. And no, I didn't do anything special - it just appeared in my account with a deposit description that said "SUPP SECURITY INCOME" instead of the usual "SOC SEC" code. That's part of why I thought it might be a mistake at first. The rep did say they're processing by SSN last digits, not by region, so it's basically random who gets it first.
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AstroAdventurer
DONT BELIEVE THE HYPE FOLKS!!!! The government ALWAYS dangles carrots they never deliver. I've been waiting 3 months and NOTHING yet. My neighbor who worked for the railroad for 40 years got a letter saying his WEP repeal might be LESS than expected due to some technicality with Tier 1 benefits or something!!! TYPICAL GOVERNMENT BAIT AND SWITCH!!! They'll find some way to keep our money, mark my words!!!
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Carmen Ortiz
•I understand your frustration, but there's an important distinction regarding railroad retirement benefits. Railroad Retirement Tier 1 benefits are subject to different rules than regular Social Security. The WEP repeal legislation specifically addresses how railroad retirement benefits are calculated, which might explain your neighbor's situation. For standard Social Security beneficiaries affected by WEP, the legislation is quite clear about the elimination of the reduction. It's taking time to implement, but there's no evidence of any "bait and switch."
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Yuki Yamamoto
wait im confused is this the same as the GPO thing? my mom gets widows benefits that were cut in half because of her teachers pension. is she gonna get more money too???
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Ethan Brown
•No, WEP and GPO are different provisions. WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) reduces your own Social Security retirement benefits if you have a pension from work not covered by Social Security. GPO (Government Pension Offset) reduces spouse/widow(er) benefits if you have a government pension from work not covered by Social Security. The current repeal only affects WEP, not GPO. So unfortunately, your mom's widow benefits that are reduced by GPO won't be changing under this legislation.
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Carmen Ortiz
To clarify some confusion in this thread: The WEP repeal is being implemented in phases according to SSA's official communications. Here's what we know for certain: 1. All WEP adjustments will be processed automatically - no new applications needed 2. Payments will be retroactive to January 2025 3. SSA is updating their systems to handle these recalculations 4. Some beneficiaries will see adjustments sooner than others The reason for different timelines is the sheer volume - approximately 2 million beneficiaries are affected. If you're receiving contradictory information when calling, I recommend asking specifically to speak with a technical benefits advisor who specializes in WEP calculations. Regular representatives may not have access to the most current implementation information.
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Andre Rousseau
•Thanks for this clear explanation! Do you happen to know if the retroactive payments will come as one lump sum? I'm concerned about how this might affect my tax situation if I suddenly get 10-11 months of backpay in December. Would hate to get pushed into a higher tax bracket!
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Carmen Ortiz
•Yes, based on previous similar adjustments, the retroactive amount will likely come as a single lump-sum payment. Regarding taxes, only up to 85% of Social Security benefits are taxable (depending on your income level), and the IRS generally looks at when you receive the money, not when it was earned. You might want to consult with a tax professional if you're concerned about the impact of receiving a substantial backpay amount in one tax year.
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CosmicCrusader
I just got off the phone with SSA again today (waited 1.5 hours!). The rep I spoke with said they've been told to tell people that all WEP adjustments will be completed "by the end of the year" but he admitted that could easily slip into 2026. He also mentioned they're prioritizing people over 80 years old first. Has anyone else heard this age prioritization thing? I'm 68 so I guess I'll be waiting a while...
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Jamal Carter
•I hadn't heard about age prioritization, and that wasn't mentioned when I received my adjustment (I'm 72, so not over 80). It's possible that's new guidance they've received internally as they work through the backlog. The inconsistent information from different representatives is definitely frustrating. When I did get my adjustment, there was no advance notice - it just appeared in my account. So you might be pleasantly surprised sooner than expected!
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