Social Security Fairness Act helps retired postal workers' benefits

A new law called the Social Security Fairness Act may help a retired postal worker access his wife's Social Security benefits. This change comes after issues that affected over 3 million people who received pensions from jobs that did not contribute to Social Security. The letter from a reader raised a question about whether her husband, who worked for the postal service and has a pension, is now eligible for benefits based on her Social Security. The response explains that if she has started receiving her Social Security and her husband is at least 62 years old, he can now claim a spousal benefit. The law has removed two provisions, the windfall elimination provision and the government pension offset. These provisions had previously lowered or eliminated benefits for many people. With the new law, those affected will see increases in their benefits or will start receiving benefits for the first time. They will also receive a one-time retroactive payment dating back to January 2024. The Social Security Administration is adjusting benefits and making retroactive payments as of the end of February. Most of the affected individuals will see their updated payments starting in April. If the retired postal worker has not applied for spousal benefits before, he can do so now. If he has applied and was denied, he might receive his first payment next month if the agency has his current bank information.