As the Social Security Fairness Act goes into effect, many Michigan residents will see an increase in their monthly social security payments.
The US Senate passed the Social Security Fairness Act in December, and President Joe Biden signed it into law on Sunday (1/05).
Who is Getting a Social Security Raise?
The Social Security Fairness Act will increase monthly payments for nearly three million US public-sector workers. This means a rise for Michigan residents who receive pensions for their work as teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public servants.
It’s worth noting that the increase applies to payments beginning in January 2024, so the Social Security Administration will owe payments to all eligible recipients.
Why Are Social Security Payments Increasing for Public Sector Workers?
The new law essentially repeals two provisions: the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset, both of which reduced Social Security benefits for public sector workers who now receive pensions.
During the signing ceremony on Sunday, President Biden stated that the previous law prevented Americans from receiving the full benefits to which they were entitled.
“The law that existed denied millions of Americans access to the full Social Security benefits they earn by thousands of dollars a year. That denial of benefits also applied to surviving spouses of public service employees.”
According to the Detroit News, it is unclear whether eligible recipients will have to take any action to receive the increased benefits.
