Changes to Social Security retirement benefits began in January 2025, affecting both current beneficiaries and future retirees. Legislators must make urgent changes to ensure the sustainability of the Social Security system, as funds may run out in less than a decade.
Modifications include adjustments to payments and Medicare premiums, as well as the repeal of two provisions affecting government workers’ benefits. Many will see monthly checks increase beginning this year.
Repeal of WEP and GPO: justice for government workers receiving Social Security
In December 2024, Congress repealed the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset (GPO), which have reduced Social Security benefits for millions for decades.
The new legislation, known as the Social Security Fairness Act, repeals these policies, which primarily impacted state and local government employees such as teachers, police officers, and firefighters who did not contribute to Social Security in their public jobs.
In 1983, the WEP reduced Social Security retirement benefits by up to 50% for those with non-SSI pensions. The GPO, enacted in 1977, reduced spousal or survivor benefits by up to two-thirds if the beneficiary received a government pension.
The repeal applies retroactively to payments withheld by these provisions until 2024. If you are one of the benefited groups, the SSA should return a significant amount of money. The agency is currently evaluating the processes required to implement the law and has created a page on its website to provide updates.

Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA): Lowest in Four Years
The Social Security Administration (SSA) announced a 2.5% cost of living adjustment (COLA) for 2025, indicating more controlled inflation than previous years. This figure is down from 3.2% in 2024 and a historic 8.7% in 2023. The average retirement benefit will rise by $49 per month, from $1,927 to $1,946, representing a less significant increase for beneficiaries.
This adjustment, while lower, is in line with the historical COLA average, which has been around 2.6% since 2000. The COLA affects all Social Security payments, including survivor, family, and disability benefits, as well as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments.
The maximum Social Security benefit for those who qualify is $5,108 for those who retire at age 70 and $4,043 for those who retire at Full Retirement Age (FRA).
The FRA refers to the age at which you are eligible for full Social Security retirement benefits. The age varies by birth year: 67 for those born in 1960 or later, gradually increasing from 66 to 67 for those born between 1943 and 1959, and 65 for those born prior to 1943.
Also See:- These will be the payment days of the Social Security calendar in February 2025