SSA
I am retired and receiving social security benefits for a number of years. My wife retired about 8 years ago and receives a teachers pension from the Illinois TRS. When we learned of the potential repeal of WEP and GPO last December, my wife applied for spousal benefits . She hadn’t applied prior to that because of GPO law in effect and never had enough quarters to qualify for SS. The application was finally approved in late March,2025 and my wife received an April catch up payment from SSA dating back to June 2024. We were told at the time we met at the SSA office , that the retroactive payment would only go back 6 months even though the repeal of WEP and GPO was retroactive to January 2024.
While we are grateful regarding the repeal of GPO and WEP and of course the added monthly spousal benefit, is the SSA correct in only including retroactive benefit to June 2024? My wife has been paying monthly Medicare premiums for a number of years and they are paid in advance.
thanks for your advice
Terry Says
I have had two different answers from SS on that question. One woman in teh same situation was told “no catchup payment” at all. You’re getting 6 months. In your position, I’d just take the money, pay the taxes, and say thank you! Don’t mess around with them these days.
