The Social Security Administration (SSA) has announced numerous changes in the past month that are frustrating and potentially harmful to people who rely on all kinds of Social Security benefits. We need anyone who relies on Social Security benefits to be aware of these changes and to take action. Here is a quick action link to send an email.
What changes have been made?
The changes made by SSA revolve around service quality and accessibility to applying for Social Security benefits. Here are what the changes impact:
- Over-payments: Frequently, SSA will accidentally overpay someone from their benefit for a variety of reasons that range from SSA not having complete information about someone’s financial situation, to SSA just making an outright mistake. Regardless, when this occurs, SSA will send a letter to the person receiving the check saying they owe them money. Whereas before, SSA only deducted 10% of someone’s check if they owed money, SSA can now take ALL of someone’s monthly paycheck as of yesterday, March 27th.
- Job Cuts / Office Closures: Despite being an already short-staffed agency, the Trump Administration has decided they want to make the agency even smaller by cutting jobs and offices. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has recommended slashing the SSA workforce from 57,000 to 50,000, an over 12% reduction in overall employment. More so, they are recommending closing Social Security offices across the country, including in Rockford, Illinois (about 90 miles west of Chicago). SSA must submit their reorganization plan to the White House by April 14th, with monthly reports beginning May 14th.
- ID / In-Person Requirements: SSA will now require people who either cannot use Social Security’s online portal, or lack access to the internet, to have to go in-person to a Social Security office to verify their ID for changes to benefits, direct deposit, or to create an online account with Social Security. These changes will begin April 14th.
To recap: The SSA will now have the power to take your whole check if they make a mistake, plans to shrink its already shrunken workforce while closing offices, and then expects disabled people (who already have trouble accessing transportation) to show up to offices that may not even exist anymore.
Yes, the Social Security Administration has outdone itself and figured out a way to make the disability benefits process even more confusing and frustrating.
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What can we do?
The most important thing we can do as a community is to call and email our federal members of Congress (Both US Senators and your Member of the US House) to DEMAND that they oppose these changes to Social Security. To call your representatives, call the Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121, and they will connect you with your Members of Congress. Ask them to stop the shrinking of the Social Security Administration. You can also send an email using our quick link here.
If you have any questions for Access Living about what’s happening with Social Security, please email Nick Boyle, our Economic Justice Policy Analyst, at nboyle@accessliving.org.