Bottom line
The Social Security Fairness Act repealed WEP and GPO for benefits payable after December 2023. It can change Social Security payments, but it does not change the CalSTRS pension formula.Key facts
- The Social Security Fairness Act was signed on January 5, 2025 and repealed both WEP and GPO
- The repeal applies to Social Security benefits payable for months after December 2023
- CalSTRS states that the federal repeal does not change the amount of a member’s CalSTRS retirement benefit
What changed for CalSTRS members in 2025
For decades, some CalSTRS members who also qualified for Social Security faced the Windfall Elimination Provision or Government Pension Offset because their public pension was based on work not covered by Social Security. The Social Security Fairness Act changed that framework. President Biden signed H.R. 82 on January 5, 2025, and the law repealed both WEP and GPO. SSA states that the repeal applies to benefits payable for months after December 2023.
For a CalSTRS household, the practical change depends on which Social Security benefit was affected. WEP could reduce a worker’s own Social Security retirement or disability benefit, while GPO could reduce a Social Security spouse or survivor benefit. The repeal removes those offsets for the applicable benefit months. It does not create Social Security credits for CalSTRS-covered employment that never paid Social Security taxes, and it does not alter the CalSTRS pension calculation.
What the repeal did and did not change
CalSTRS explains that California public school educators do not pay Social Security taxes on their CalSTRS-covered employment. A member may nevertheless have Social Security eligibility from other jobs or may qualify for a spouse or survivor benefit. Before the repeal, WEP or GPO could reduce those federal payments because of the non-covered pension. After the repeal, those two offsets no longer apply to benefits payable after December 2023.
The federal change is separate from the CalSTRS defined-benefit formula. Service credit, age factor and final compensation still determine the CalSTRS pension under the applicable benefit structure. The repeal also does not guarantee that every CalSTRS member receives Social Security; normal Social Security insured-status and relationship rules still matter. The useful question is whether you already qualify for a Social Security benefit that WEP or GPO previously reduced.
| Item | Before repeal | After repeal |
|---|---|---|
| WEP | Could reduce a worker Social Security benefit because of a non-covered pension | Repealed for benefits payable after Dec. 2023 |
| GPO | Could reduce spouse or survivor Social Security benefits because of a government pension | Repealed for benefits payable after Dec. 2023 |
| CalSTRS pension formula | Calculated under CalSTRS benefit rules | Unchanged by H.R. 82 |
| Social Security eligibility | Still required sufficient covered work or other eligibility | Still required; repeal removes offsets, not eligibility rules |
How to check your own Social Security record now
Start with your Social Security record rather than trying to calculate the effect from your CalSTRS pension amount. Review your SSA account for your covered earnings, benefit type and current payment. If you previously filed for Social Security and WEP or GPO was applied, compare the current amount with any recalculation notice. SSA began expedited retroactive payments in February 2025 and announced higher monthly payments beginning in April 2025 for many affected beneficiaries.
If you never applied because you expected GPO to eliminate a spouse or survivor benefit, do not assume SSA automatically created a claim for you. CalSTRS directed members to SSA for implementation details, and normal application requirements still apply. Keep the CalSTRS pension award separate from the federal claim. SSA’s record controls the Social Security payment, while CalSTRS controls the pension based on your CalSTRS-covered service.
Why the effective date reaches back to 2024
The law was signed in January 2025, but SSA’s legislative bulletin states that the WEP and GPO repeal applies to benefits payable for months after December 2023. That is why implementation included retroactive adjustments rather than only changing future checks from the signing date. For a beneficiary whose payment had been reduced during 2024, the federal record could require recalculation for those affected months even though the statute became law later.
The exact retroactive amount is individual. It depends on the Social Security benefit that was payable, the amount previously withheld under WEP or GPO and any other SSA rules affecting the claim. Do not use another retiree’s lump-sum payment as a benchmark. SSA’s award and recalculation notices are the documents to reconcile with bank deposits, because CalSTRS does not calculate or issue the federal retroactive payment.
| Item | Before repeal | After repeal |
|---|---|---|
| WEP | Could reduce a worker Social Security benefit because of a non-covered pension | Repealed for benefits payable after Dec. 2023 |
| GPO | Could reduce spouse or survivor Social Security benefits because of a government pension | Repealed for benefits payable after Dec. 2023 |
| CalSTRS pension formula | Calculated under CalSTRS benefit rules | Unchanged by H.R. 82 |
| Social Security eligibility | Still required sufficient covered work or other eligibility | Still required; repeal removes offsets, not eligibility rules |
WEP and GPO solved different problems for different claims
WEP applied to the formula for a worker’s own Social Security benefit when the worker also had a pension from non-covered employment. GPO applied to spouse or survivor benefits and could reduce those payments because of a government pension. A CalSTRS member could have been affected by one provision, both in different claim contexts, or neither. The repeal removes both provisions, but identifying the old reduction helps explain why one household’s increase differs from another’s.
This distinction is especially important for couples. A member with enough Social Security-covered work from a second career may have had WEP on a worker benefit, while a different member may rely on a spouse or survivor claim that was affected by GPO. After repeal, compare each claim separately. The federal eligibility basis still needs to exist; H.R. 82 removes the pension offsets rather than creating a spouse, survivor or worker entitlement from scratch.
What did not become Social Security-covered service
CalSTRS-covered teaching service did not retroactively become Social Security-covered employment when WEP and GPO were repealed. CalSTRS specifically notes that its members’ covered public-school employment generally does not pay into Social Security. The federal law addressed how a non-covered pension interacts with Social Security benefits earned or available through other covered work or family relationships. It did not convert CalSTRS contributions into Social Security payroll tax credits.
That means an educator with little or no separate Social Security-covered earnings still has to meet ordinary SSA eligibility rules for a worker benefit. Likewise, a spouse or survivor claim must meet the applicable relationship and entitlement rules. When estimating retirement income, keep the two systems as separate ledgers: CalSTRS service generates the pension, and SSA-covered earnings or family eligibility generate the federal benefit. The repeal changes the offset between them, not their underlying records.
How to reconcile a 2025 or 2026 Social Security payment
If your payment changed after implementation, gather the SSA notice showing the old and new monthly amount, any retroactive deposit, and the benefit type. Compare those documents with your online Social Security record. Then confirm that your CalSTRS pension amount itself did not change because of the federal repeal. A simultaneous change in the CalSTRS payment would have a separate explanation, such as an adjustment under CalSTRS rules rather than H.R. 82.
For unresolved discrepancies, contact SSA about the Social Security calculation and CalSTRS only about the pension information CalSTRS supplied or controls. This division prevents circular troubleshooting. Because SSA’s implementation work began in 2025 and individual claims can have other issues, avoid assuming every payment difference is WEP/GPO-related. The official federal award record controls the Social Security amount for your case.
Before you make a decision
- Review your SSA earnings record and current benefit type.
- Locate any older notice showing WEP or GPO on your claim.
- Compare SSA retroactive and monthly-payment notices with your deposits.
- Confirm that your CalSTRS pension record is unchanged by the federal repeal.
- Contact SSA for unresolved Social Security calculation or application questions.
Frequently asked questions
Did the Social Security Fairness Act repeal WEP for CalSTRS members?
Yes. The Social Security Fairness Act repealed WEP and GPO. SSA states that the repeal applies to benefits payable for months after December 2023. A CalSTRS member still needs ordinary Social Security eligibility from covered work or another qualifying basis; the repeal removes the offset.
Did WEP/GPO repeal increase my CalSTRS pension?
No. CalSTRS states that H.R. 82 does not affect the amount of a CalSTRS retirement benefit. The law changes federal Social Security calculations. Your CalSTRS pension remains governed by CalSTRS service credit, age factor, final compensation and the rules of your benefit structure.
Can a CalSTRS teacher now get Social Security from teaching service?
The repeal did not make CalSTRS-covered employment retroactively subject to Social Security taxes. A worker benefit still depends on Social Security-covered earnings and ordinary SSA eligibility rules. The change removes WEP/GPO reductions when an otherwise eligible person also receives a non-covered public pension.
Why did some retirees receive retroactive Social Security payments in 2025?
Although the law was signed January 5, 2025, it applies to benefit months after December 2023. SSA therefore recalculated affected benefits and began expedited retroactive payments in February 2025, followed by higher monthly payments for many beneficiaries. Individual amounts depend on each federal benefit record.
Who should I contact if my Social Security amount still looks wrong?
Use SSA for the federal benefit calculation, retroactive payment and claim status. CalSTRS controls the pension record but does not calculate Social Security. Keep notices from both systems so you can distinguish a federal recalculation from a separate change in your CalSTRS payment.
Official sources
Sources were reviewed on September 1, 2026. Rules and member records maintained by the retirement system control.
CalSTRS — Social Security Fairness Act signed into lawOfficial source ↗SSA — Social Security Fairness Act legislative bulletinOfficial source ↗SSA — Fairness Act retroactive payments and monthly increasesOfficial source ↗This article provides general educational information. It is not a benefit determination or financial, tax, or legal advice. Confirm account-specific information with the retirement system.