Many Michigan Residents Are About to Get a Social Security Raise

As the Social Security Fairness Act goes into effect, many Michigan residents are in for a pay bump in their monthly social security checks.

The US Senate passed the Social Security Fairness Act in December and it was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Sunday (1/05).

Who is Getting a Social Security Raise?

The Social Security Fairness Act will mean increased monthly payments for close to three million US workers in the public sector. This means a raise for Michigan residents who receive pensions from their time as teachers, firefighters, police officers, and other public service jobs.

It's important to note that the increase applies to payments beginning January 2024, so the Social Security Administration will owe back payments to all eligible recipients.

Why Are Social Security Payments Increasing for Public Sector Workers?

The new law essentially eliminates two provisions - the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset - both of which reduced Social Security Benefits for workers in the public sector who now receive pensions.

At the signing ceremony on Sunday, President Biden noted that the previous law denied 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's not clear if eligible recipients will need to take action in order to receive the increased benefits.