Social Security Survivor Benefits after GPO repeal - can I get retroactive payments for 2024?

im going through something similar after my wife died. the gpo mess was awful. from what i heard you DO need to contact them because suspended benefits dont automatically restart. mine were completely denied tho not suspended so maybe yours is different? good luck getting through to anybody, i tried calling 14 times last week!!

The GPO repeal is a significant change that affects many people in your situation. Since your benefits show as 'suspended' rather than denied, that's actually good news! This typically means the system recognized your eligibility in some capacity but couldn't process payments due to the GPO restriction. You should definitely contact SSA directly about this situation. The GPO repeal means you're likely eligible for benefits retroactive to January 2024 (when the repeal took effect), but these won't automatically restart without you initiating contact. Regarding back payments, SSA typically issues retroactive benefits as a lump sum, though larger amounts may sometimes be split into up to three payments, six months apart. Your best approach is to call and specifically request that they review your case in light of the GPO repeal.

NOBODY at SSA knows what theyre doing with this GPO mess!!! I got 5 different answers from 5 different agents about my WEP/GPO situation. One told me I'd get retroactive pay automatically, another said I needed to reapply completely, and a third said my benefits would restart on their own within 60-90 days!!! The whole system is BROKEN and they have NO CLUE how to handle all these cases. Good luck trying to get accurate info!!!

I work with retired teachers dealing with SS issues. For GPO repeal cases, you need to contact SSA directly - suspended benefits won't automatically restart. Bring your pension information, your late husband's SSN, and your original denial letter when you visit an office. For retroactive benefits, you should be entitled to payments back to January 2024, when the repeal took effect. The system is overwhelmed with similar cases right now, so documentation is your best friend. The fact that your account shows 'suspended' rather than 'denied' is actually helpful - it suggests the system recognized your eligibility aside from the GPO restriction. I've helped several clients through this exact process. You might also try using Claimyr to get through to an agent by phone (https://claimyr.com). I had a client use their service last month and they got through in about 20 minutes instead of spending days trying. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - basically they wait on hold for you then call you when an agent is available. Made a huge difference for my client who was in a wheelchair and couldn't easily visit an office.

My aunt was in this EXACT situation - teacher pension, denied survivor benefits, then GPO repeal. She just got her first payment last week after calling them in February. They did give her retroactive benefits back to January in one lump sum. So yes, call them!

I'd like to clarify some important technical points about GPO repeal and retroactive benefits: 1. Benefits shown as "suspended" are indeed different from denied benefits. This status indicates eligibility was established but payments were stopped due to a specific reason (in your case, GPO). 2. Per SSA procedures, they should be reviewing all accounts affected by the GPO repeal, but this is a manual process that will take time given the volume of cases. 3. Retroactive payments will specifically cover January 2024 forward (when the repeal took effect), not all of 2023. 4. You don't need to reapply completely, but you do need to request a review/reactivation of your suspended claim. 5. For survivor benefits, you'll want to specifically ask for your claim to be reviewed under the "Section 134 GPO repeal provision" - using this exact language helps ensure your case is routed correctly. I recommend calling the SSA's dedicated line for survivors at 1-800-772-1213 rather than visiting an office for this specific situation.

i think the wep is different from gpo tho? my husband had both issues but got different answers for each one. so confusing!!

anyone else notice the ssa website is always down on weekends when people actually have time to deal with this stuff? so annoying!!

Update: I finally got through to someone at SSA after using that Claimyr service (which worked surprisingly well). The agent confirmed that since my benefits were suspended and not denied, I AM eligible for retroactive payments back to January 2024 when the GPO repeal took effect. They're reactivating my claim and said I should see payments within 3-4 weeks, including the backpay. She also mentioned they're getting thousands of similar cases right now, so they're quite backed up. Thank you everyone for your help and advice! I'll update again when I actually receive the payments.