Flemming v. Nestor

Flemming v. Nestor was a 1960 Supreme Court case that addressed whether the government could reduce or eliminate Social Security benefits after they had been granted, especially due to changes in the law. The Court ruled that once benefits are awarded, they are protected from future legislative reductions, emphasizing that the Social Security program is based on the law as written at the time of entitlement. This case clarified that beneficiaries have a right to continued benefits unless the law explicitly states otherwise, reinforcing the idea that Social Security benefits are generally protected from retroactive cuts.