What Is the Government Pension Offset?

The Government Pension Offset (GPO) was a rule that reduced Social Security spousal and survivor benefits for people who received a pension from a government job where they didn't pay Social Security taxes. Under the GPO, two-thirds of the government pension amount was subtracted from the Social Security spousal or survivor benefit — in many cases reducing the benefit to zero. Like the Windfall Elimination Provision, the GPO was eliminated by the Social Security Fairness Act signed in January 2025. Beneficiaries who were affected by the GPO may be entitled to retroactive payments reflecting the benefits they should have received. The elimination of both the WEP and GPO represents a major win for government workers, teachers, firefighters, and police officers who spent careers in non-covered employment and saw their Social Security benefits significantly reduced. Contact the Social Security Administration to determine if you're eligible for increased benefits or retroactive payments.