$550 Average Monthly Checks from SSA

Millions of Americans have seen their Social Security benefits increase in 2025—not due to the usual cost‑of‑living adjustment (COLA), but because of the new Social Security Fairness Act. This law repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), which previously reduced benefits for certain retirees and survivors. As a result, some beneficiaries are now receiving a monthly increase of around $550 Average Monthly Checks from SSA on average.

Eligible Groups

Not everyone gets the extra $550 Average Monthly Checks from SSA. Only beneficiaries whose Social Security checks were previously reduced due to WEP or GPO qualify for this increase—typically:

• Retired public-sector employees (e.g. teachers, police, firefighters) who received a pension not subject to Social Security taxes

• Spouses or surviving spouses whose benefits were reduced or wiped out by GPO

• Some federal employees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or individuals with foreign pension systems

What to Expect

• The average monthly increase is around $360, but many receive about $550, and some see increases exceeding $1,000 depending on their pension amount and work history.

• Retroactive lump‑sum payments averaging $6,710 were issued earlier in 2025 to cover benefits missed since January 2024.

Timeline of Changes

• SSFA became law on January 5, 2025.

• Retroactive benefits began rolling out in February–March 2025.

• New monthly benefit amounts appeared starting in April 2025, for the March benefits month (since SSA pays benefits one month behind). Most affected recipients had updated checks by July 2025; complex cases may still take longer to process.

Summary: Are You Eligible for the $550 Increase?

• Were you affected by WEP or GPO on your Social Security payment?

• Did you work a public-sector or federal job that paid a pension but didn’t pay into Social Security?

• Did spouse or survivor benefits get reduced due to your pension?

If yes, you may have received or will receive a monthly increase of about $550, plus possible retroactive benefits to make up for reductions dating from January 2024 onward.