What Is the Windfall Elimination Provision?

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) was a rule that reduced Social Security retirement and disability benefits for people who also received a pension from employment that wasn't covered by Social Security taxes — such as certain state and local government jobs, federal civil service jobs, and some foreign employment. The WEP modified the Social Security benefit formula for affected workers, reducing the benefit relative to what their earnings record alone would have suggested. However, the Social Security Fairness Act, signed into law in January 2025, eliminated the WEP for virtually all affected beneficiaries, with retroactive payments owed to those who were receiving reduced benefits. If you or a family member was previously affected by the WEP, it's worth checking with the Social Security Administration for updated benefit amounts and any retroactive payments. The repeal of the WEP is one of the most significant Social Security changes in decades.