Bottom line
WEP and GPO no longer reduce Social Security benefits payable for January 2024 and later. STRS Ohio teaching remains generally noncovered, so normal Social Security eligibility rules still apply.Key facts
- January 2024 is the first benefit month for which WEP and GPO no longer apply under the Social Security Fairness Act.
- The Fairness Act became federal law on January 5, 2025, after presidential signature.
- 0 WEP/GPO reduction applies to benefits payable for January 2024 and later; pre-January-2024 months remain under prior rules.
The repeal changed the reduction formula, not the STRS Ohio pension itself
Ohio public-school employment covered by STRS Ohio is generally not covered by Social Security, although members pay Medicare taxes. Before the Social Security Fairness Act, a person who also earned Social Security credits in other work could have an own-record benefit reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision, while a spouse or surviving spouse benefit could be reduced by the Government Pension Offset. STRS Ohio itself did not calculate those federal reductions; the Social Security Administration applied them to Social Security benefits.
The Social Security Fairness Act was signed on January 5, 2025 and repealed both WEP and GPO. SSA states that December 2023 is the last month for which the old provisions apply, meaning benefits payable for January 2024 and later are not reduced under WEP or GPO. The repeal does not increase the STRS Ohio pension formula. Instead, it removes federal reductions that had been triggered by receiving a pension based on noncovered government employment.
A noncovered pension no longer triggers WEP or GPO, but Social Security eligibility still has to exist
A frequent misunderstanding after repeal is that every STRS Ohio retiree now receives a Social Security check. The law removed WEP and GPO; it did not create Social Security credits for years of Ohio teaching that were not covered. A member still needs sufficient covered work to qualify for a worker retirement or disability benefit, or must meet the requirements for a spouse or survivor benefit on another person’s Social Security record. SSA, not STRS Ohio, determines eligibility and the federal payment amount.
STRS Ohio’s own financial reporting has long stated that Ohio public employees are not covered by Social Security but do pay into Medicare. That distinction remains useful in 2026. Medicare coverage from payroll taxes and Social Security retirement credits are separate concepts. A member should therefore verify covered earnings directly in the SSA record before projecting a federal retirement benefit.
Retroactive adjustments start with SSA, and older benefit months still use the old law
SSA implemented the repeal for people whose benefits had previously been reduced and issued retroactive adjustments for eligible months beginning with January 2024. A member who was already receiving Social Security and whose WEP or GPO reduction was removed generally did not need to file a new pension application with STRS Ohio. If SSA already had accurate address and direct-deposit information, the federal agency advised many affected beneficiaries that no additional action was needed for the recalculation.
The effective-month distinction prevents another common error. WEP and GPO can still matter when reviewing entitlement or payment calculations for months before January 2024. Current SSA policy pages and program instructions explicitly limit the old provisions to those earlier months. A retiree disputing an amount should identify the Social Security benefit month involved before assuming an error. For January 2024 forward, the pension should no longer trigger WEP or GPO; for earlier months, historical rules may still appear in the record.
Use January 2024 as the dividing line for WEP and GPO
The Social Security Fairness Act repealed WEP and GPO, but the effective month is more precise than the signing date. SSA states that December 2023 is the last month for which the provisions apply. Social Security benefits payable for January 2024 and later are no longer reduced because the beneficiary receives a pension from noncovered government work such as STRS Ohio-covered employment.
That timing means a Social Security record can legitimately show an old WEP or GPO adjustment for pre-2024 months while showing no reduction for later months. STRS Ohio’s January 2025 notice correctly directed members to SSA for implementation because STRS Ohio does not calculate federal Social Security benefits.
| Date/month | Meaning |
|---|---|
| December 2023 | Last benefit month subject to WEP/GPO |
| January 2024 | First benefit month with no WEP/GPO reduction |
| January 5, 2025 | Social Security Fairness Act signed |
Separate removal of the reduction from actual Social Security eligibility
STRS Ohio-covered public employment is generally noncovered for Social Security even after the repeal. STRS Ohio’s financial report states that Ohio public employees are not covered by Social Security but do pay into Medicare. The Fairness Act did not convert those teaching years into Social Security-covered earnings.
This is why two STRS Ohio retirees can see very different results after repeal. One may have decades of covered private-sector earnings and receive a meaningful worker benefit that is no longer reduced by WEP. Another may have little or no covered earnings and still have no worker retirement benefit because there are not enough credits. A third may qualify only through a spouse’s record.
| Question | 2026 answer |
|---|---|
| Does STRS Ohio pension trigger WEP? | No for benefits payable January 2024 and later |
| Does STRS Ohio pension trigger GPO? | No for benefits payable January 2024 and later |
| Do Ohio teaching years automatically earn Social Security credits? | No; covered earnings are still required |
| Does Medicare withholding equal Social Security coverage? | No; they are separate payroll-tax programs |
Direct payment questions and retroactive adjustments to SSA
SSA implemented the law by recalculating affected benefits and paying retroactive amounts for eligible months beginning January 2024. The agency advised many people already receiving affected benefits that no action was needed when mailing address and direct-deposit information were current. Someone who had never filed for a Social Security benefit still needs to apply if eligible; WEP/GPO repeal does not substitute for a benefit application.
Members should also separate STRS Ohio survivor benefits from Social Security survivor benefits. The STRS Ohio survivor program follows Ohio pension law, while SSA determines federal spouse and survivor entitlement. GPO repeal means an STRS Ohio pension no longer offsets the federal spouse or surviving-spouse benefit for January 2024 forward, but the person must still satisfy Social Security’s normal entitlement rules.
| Question | Agency |
|---|---|
| STRS Ohio pension amount | STRS Ohio |
| Social Security credits and eligibility | SSA |
| WEP/GPO retroactive adjustment | SSA |
| Ohio survivor pension | STRS Ohio |
| Federal spouse/survivor benefit | SSA |
Before you make a decision
- Review your Social Security earnings record for covered work.
- Use January 2024 as the cutoff for WEP/GPO treatment.
- Do not count noncovered STRS Ohio teaching years as Social Security credits.
- Contact SSA for federal recalculation or retroactive-payment questions.
- Keep STRS Ohio survivor-benefit questions separate from Social Security survivor entitlement.
Frequently asked questions
Does WEP still reduce Social Security for STRS Ohio retirees?
No for benefits payable for January 2024 and later. The Social Security Fairness Act repealed WEP, and SSA states that December 2023 is the last month the old reduction applies. Historical calculations for earlier months can still show WEP, so check the benefit month before concluding that an old record is incorrect.
Does GPO still reduce spouse or survivor benefits for STRS Ohio retirees?
No for Social Security benefits payable for January 2024 and later. GPO was repealed along with WEP. A retiree must still independently qualify for a spouse or surviving-spouse benefit under Social Security rules; the repeal removes the pension offset but does not create entitlement when the federal eligibility rules are not met.
Are STRS Ohio teachers now covered by Social Security?
The repeal did not change whether Ohio public employment is Social Security-covered. STRS Ohio has reported that Ohio public employees generally are not covered by Social Security, though they pay Medicare taxes. Members still need covered earnings from other work to earn Social Security credits and qualify for a worker benefit.
When did the WEP and GPO repeal take effect?
The Social Security Fairness Act was signed January 5, 2025, but it applies to benefits payable for months after December 2023. January 2024 is therefore the first benefit month for which WEP and GPO no longer apply. SSA handled recalculations and retroactive federal payments for affected beneficiaries.
Who should I contact about a missing WEP or GPO adjustment?
Contact the Social Security Administration because SSA calculates and pays Social Security benefits. STRS Ohio can document the pension but does not calculate WEP, GPO or federal retroactive adjustments. Before contacting SSA, identify the affected benefit month and verify that your address and direct-deposit information are current in your Social Security account.
Official sources
Sources were reviewed on September 2, 2026. Rules and member records maintained by the retirement system control.
STRS Ohio — Social Security Fairness ActOfficial source ↗SSA — Social Security Fairness ActOfficial source ↗STRS Ohio — 2023 Summary Annual Financial ReportOfficial 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.