The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 went into effect on May 1st. Military veterans reaching retirement should be aware of some of the bill’s biggest changes so they can plan their futures.

The threshold for active duty military service wage credits rose from 2001 to 2010.

Social Security has long offered extra earnings to military veterans who served on active duty after 1957. It also provided wage credits to inactive military veterans who served after 1988. The cut off for this benefit, however, used to be 2001. The new bill has raised that threshold to 2010, allowing thousands of veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan to qualify for the benefit once they hit retirement age.

The amount of money a veteran will get from these wage credits will be reevaluated every five years.

The Social Security disability benefits were temporarily saved from defunding.

In the debate before the bill was signed into law, the Social Security disability trust fund was running so low on money that its payouts would dropped by 20 percent by later 2016. This cut would have hurt nine million disabled American adults and 1.7 million children.

The Bipartisan Budget Act funneled $124 million in payroll taxes into a new trust fund solely for retired disabled Americans. The main Social Security disability fund will go to working disabled Americans and kids. While this isn’t a permanent fic, there is enough money to keep both funds going until 2022.

The “file and suspend” loophole was closed for good.

Married couples used to get extra Social Security payments through a special loophole that took advantage of delayed retirement credits.

If an American citizen doesn’t retire after hitting retirement age, they get an 8% increase to their benefits for every year worked through delayed retirement credits. Couples discovered that if the elder spouse filed for retirement, the lower-earning spouse could file for a spousal benefit. Once the couple got the spousal benefit, the first spouse could suspend their retirement and keep getting that sweet 8% boost. It was like having your Social Security cake and eating it too.

Unfortunately, this loophole is no more. As of May 1, suspending your retirement benefits will also get your household’s spousal benefit suspended.

The “restricted applications” loophole was closed too.

The sister strategy to “file and suspend,” this loophole allowed younger spouses who applied for spousal benefits to delay their retirements and keep receiving year 8% increases on their own Social Security payouts.

Now, anyone born after 1954 and eligible for Social Security must start their spouse and retirement benefits at the same time. Citizens will only be paid the benefit that is higher, not both.

You can calculate your retirement benefits here.