Social Security Increases: 3 Million Americans Get a Spring Boost

Approximately 3 million Americans could see an increase in their Social Security benefits starting in April.

Why It Matters

In January, two provisions—namely the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO)—were implemented, which decreased Social Security benefits for millions of workers. was overturned following collaborative initiatives in Congress .

By signing the legislation into law, the previous president, Joe Biden mentioned it would increase Social Security benefits by approximately $360 each month For over 2.8 million beneficiaries.

What To Know

Starting in April, these enhanced payments will be issued to all eligible beneficiaries, as confirmed by the Social Security Administration in a press statement released in February.

According to the SSA, "the variation in payment amounts can differ for each individual based on factors like the specific type of Social Security benefits they receive and the size of their pension."

The WEP decreased Social Security benefits for people who received pensions from government positions—like those of state and federal workers—which didn’t involve contributing to Social Security taxes. These cuts were enforced regardless of whether these individuals had paid into Social Security through different work or met eligibility criteria for benefits.

The GPO decreased spousal or survivor benefits for retired federal, state, and local government employees who didn’t contribute to Social Security via their wage deductions.

Retroactive Payments

The Social Security Fairness Act mandated retroactive payments dating back to January 2023 for all beneficiaries. The SSA has verified that these payments have already been issued.

Should you remain unpaid by April, you may reach out to the SSA for an update on your payment’s status.

“By utilizing automation, Social Security is accelerating payment processes,” stated the SSA in a recent press release. “However, numerous intricate cases still require manual handling on an individual basis. These complicated cases will necessitate extra time for updating beneficiary records and issuing accurate entitlements.”

What People Are Saying

Lee Dudek, who was serving as the acting commissioner of the Social Security Administration, stated in a press release distributed on February 25. Social Security’s ambitious plan to begin disbursing back payments in February and boost monthly benefits starting in April aligns with President Trump's aim to swiftly enact the Social Security Fairness Act.

Payment Dates for April 2025

In April, boosted Benefit distributions are planned to occur. on the following dates:

• April 3 Payments to individuals receiving retirement benefits since prior to May 1997 and to pensioners who additionally receive Supplemental Security Income benefits.
• April 9 Benefits for individuals whose birthdays fall between the 1st and 10th of any month.
• April 16 Benefits for individuals born from the 11th to the 20th.
• April 23 Benefits for individuals born from the 21st to the 30th.

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Here's How "Dead People" Are Still Collecting Social Security

The Social Security Administration refuted assertions made by President Trump and Elon Musk that it was providing benefits to millions of people unnecessarily. dead people , and stated on Sunday that fewer than one out of every three hundred death claims are fraudulent.

The organization, whose most confidential information is under review by what Musk calls his "Department of Government Efficiency," stated that it processes over three million death reports annually and maintains "extremely precise" records. This administration manages Social Security entitlements for more than 68 million individuals.

"The agency stated in a press release that out of all the millions of death reports they receive annually, fewer than 0.3% are incorrect reports that require correction," according to their statement.

The agency's statement follows comments from both Trump and Musk claiming that deceased individuals remain listed in the Social Security database and continue to receive Social Security benefits.

Read: Are you concerned about Elon Musk’s DOGE gaining access to your Social Security details?

"Payments are being made to numerous individuals, and we're currently investigating," Trump stated during a recent address to Congress. In contrast, Musk has not commented on this matter. referred to Social Security as a "Ponzi scheme" and vowed to eliminate fraud at the agency.

As stated in a report by Fortune Currently, DOGE has 10 employees working with the agency to gather evidence supporting their assertion that millions of deceased individuals might still be receiving public assistance.

Read: Who can assist me with my Social Security issue since the staff and services are being reduced?

The Social Security Administration, known as the SSA, mentioned that death reports mainly come to them from state authorities, along with various entities like families, morticians, federal organizations, and banks.

According to this, SSA gets most of its death notifications from funeral homes or the deceased’s acquaintances/family members. The agency regards these initial-party death reports as confirmed and promptly adds them to the Death Master File, 2008 audit report as per the Office of the Inspector General.

"Cases where someone is incorrectly marked as dead with Social Security can have devastating consequences for the individual, their spouse, and dependents. This leads to an immediate halt in benefits, causing financial difficulties that persist until corrections are made and payments resume. The procedure to demonstrate such an incorrect death declaration often feels excessively lengthy and arduous," according to the agency.

Read: The individual who resolved the Social Security crisis in the 1980s has some guidance for current political figures.

The agency stated that if someone believes they've been wrongly marked as deceased in their Social Security records, they ought to reach out to their nearby Social Security office promptly. Individuals can find their closest Social Security location online. ssa.gov/agency/contact And make sure to bring at least one valid, up-to-date form of identification.

The Social Security Administration stated that it promptly works to rectify any discrepancies in their records. They also mentioned that they can issue an official document confirming the correction of errors, which individuals may then present to various entities such as other organizations, government agencies, or employers.

Read: The Social Security Administration plans to reduce telephone services for direct deposit transactions.

The Social Security Administration had earlier stated that it does not provide benefits to individuals aged 115 or above, a rule implemented in September 2015. Additionally, they noted that the absence of a birth or death date in their records doesn’t imply that someone is still claiming benefits.

Last month, Social Security revealed a significant overhaul, stating they plan to eliminate approximately 7,000 positions, which equates to around 12% of their staff, and decrease their regional offices from 10 down to 4.

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Should You Apply for Spousal Social Security Benefits? Know These 3 Key Points First

Social Security benefits form a crucial part of the majority of retirement strategies, yet spousal benefits aren't getting sufficient recognition. A lot of individuals aren't aware that they have the option to stake a claim on retirement benefits through their partner’s earning record, which could substantially benefit families who are no longer participating in the labor force. You should consider verifying your qualification for this plan at the Social Security The administration's website; keep these three crucial aspects in mind prior to submitting your application.

1. You might be eligible for up to half of your spouse's complete retirement benefit.

Spousal benefits may be substantial, with qualifying individuals able to claim up to half of their spouse's complete retirement benefit. The mean monthly Social Security benefit is $1,884 for individuals currently reaching their full retirement age (FRA), which means numerous retired household units might qualify for an extra $900 in monthly support. The amount designated as a spousal benefit reaches almost $2,000 each month for those who are qualified. maximum benefit With a complete retirement age set at 67, financial advisors commonly suggest substituting approximately 80% of your earnings from before retirement to sustain your current standard of living. This additional income can help bridge a significant gap for numerous households.

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In order to qualify for spousal benefits, you need to be at least 62 years of age and have been married for a minimum of one year. This rule extends even to former spouses as long as they haven’t gotten remarried. If an individual qualifies under certain conditions like having a disability or supporting a dependent child, this age condition might not apply. Additionally, claiming these spousal benefits isn't possible until your partner decides to start receiving their own Social Security retirement payments. This detail becomes particularly pertinent in situations where the main breadwinner intends to postpone both retiring and collecting Social Security income.

2. You can't combine spousal benefits.

Spousal benefits are not designed to significantly boost the Social Security earnings of individuals with substantial individual work records. Typically, the spousal benefit amount is decreased by whatever retirement benefits one could get independently. When applying for spousal support, you're also considered as having filed for your personal benefits at the same time, which stops anyone from using strategic timing to gain an advantage.

This implies that you cannot combine spousal benefits with your own Social Security earnings to receive dual payments. Additionally, you aren't allowed to start collecting spousal benefits at age 62 and subsequently switch to your own larger benefit amount when you reach full retirement age.

In simple terms, if you have substantial retirement income coming from Social Security, additional spousal benefits will likely be minimal.

3. The quantity you can obtain is influenced by your age.

Spousal benefits operate akin to retirement benefits in terms of their structure: they allow for early withdrawals prior to reaching full retirement age, albeit with reduced monthly payouts. For spousal benefits specifically, this decrease could be up to 35%, calculated according to the primary insurance amount tied to the spouse’s full retirement age. Should you reach 62 and your partner receive Social Security, opting to wait until you hit your personal full retirement age will result in a higher spousal benefit when claimed.

A significant distinction exists when comparing spousal versus standard benefits. With Social Security retirement benefits, they increase progressively up until the age of 70 after reaching full retirement age (FRA), allowing one to receive an amount greater than their primary insurance rate through their individual entitlement. However, this advantage does not apply to spousal benefits; consequently, there isn’t additional motivation for postponing income past FRA.

It’s crucial to consider how age impacts benefits, particularly when dealing with couples who have a significant age difference. The main breadwinner may choose to delay receiving benefits until age 70 to increase payments, yet the partner might receive reduced payouts if they start collecting before reaching 67 years old. Balancing the advantage of higher lifetime earnings versus larger monthly benefit amounts later becomes essential.

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