Windfall Elimination Is Gone — Did You Use It to Serve (and Grow) Your Practice?

The Windfall Elimination Provision was eliminated over a year ago.

The real question is: did you talk to your clients about it?

Did it show up in:

• Your client newsletter?
• Prospecting emails or letters?
• Educational YouTube videos?
• Facebook or LinkedIn posts?

Too many firms miss opportunities like this — not because the information isn’t valuable, but because it isn’t leveraged consistently across channels.

A Major Change to Social Security — and a Missed Conversation

With the passage of the Social Security Fairness Act, signed by President Biden in January 2025, Windfall Elimination officially became law — and it applies retroactively.

That matters.

For clients affected by WEP, this wasn’t a minor rule change. It directly impacted lifetime income.

A Quick Refresher: What Was Windfall Elimination?

The Windfall Elimination Provision was added to the Social Security Act during the Reagan Administration in 1983.

In short, WEP:

• Reduced Social Security benefits for many civil servants
• Often eliminated up to 60% of benefits they otherwise earned
• Impacted not just personal benefits, but:
  • Spousal benefits
  • Divorced spouse benefits
  • Survivor benefits

Many clients assumed they simply “didn’t qualify” — even though they had paid into Social Security or were otherwise eligible through a spouse.

What Changed in 2025

With WEP eliminated:

• Civil servants previously impacted may now qualify for benefits
• Social Security was tasked with reviewing affected individuals automatically
• Some clients received notifications during 2025

However, there’s a problem.

There is no formal application process for clients to initiate a review.

Most individuals were told to wait and see if they were contacted.

What Advisors Should Be Telling Clients Now

If a client believes they may have been impacted by WEP — even years ago — they should:

1. Contact Social Security directly
2. Ask whether they are now eligible under the new rules

Why this matters:

• Payments can be retroactive for 2024 and 2025
• That could mean a meaningful lump sum
• Taxes will be owed on those payments — planning matters

The Bigger Lesson for Advisory Firms

This is about more than Social Security.

It’s about:

• Staying proactive
• Educating clients consistently
• Using timely legislative changes as touch points for engagement and growth

Firms that win long-term don’t just react — they communicate early, often, and across multiple platforms.

If you didn’t leverage Windfall Elimination’s repeal, make sure you don’t miss the next opportunity.

Your clients — and your future prospects — are paying attention.