CW: Death
Soon, tens of millions of Social Security recipients will be unable to verify their identity over the phone. They will have to go online or to a Social Security field office. Unfortunately, at least 47 field offices are closing, and thousands of jobs have been eliminated.
The change impacts both new and existing beneficiaries who want to update their direct deposit information. According to the Trump administration, the change is intended to reduce fraud. AARP, which was formerly called The American Association of Retired Persons, is concerned that the changes will make it more difficult for seniors and disabled people to access their Social Security benefits.
“If you are, if you become disabled and you apply for disability, you have to submit reams of medical paperwork. There’s a ton of documentation that goes into this. There’s a very long and very complicated process that goes into evaluating this,” Bill Sweeney, AARP’s senior vice president of government affairs, said. “When I called Social Security’s 800 number myself the other day, it’s over 250 days that it takes them to review the initial application. So, the idea that someone’s just calling up the 800 number and saying, ‘I’ve been disabled, please send me a check.’ That’s not realistic.”
According to the Social Security Administration, bringing federal workers back to their offices will make in-person visits more convenient. “SSA recently required nearly all agency employees, including frontline employees in all offices throughout the country, to work in the office five days a week,” the Social Security Administration said in a statement.
“This change ensures maximum staffing is available to support the stronger in-person identity proofing requirement. The agency will continue to monitor and, if necessary, make adjustments, to ensure it pays the right person the right amount at the right time while at the same time safeguarding the benefits and programs it administers.”
Staffing shortages meant 82-year-old Ned Johnson of Seattle, WA spent nearly three weeks trying to prove he was alive to the Social Security Administration. Last month, someone or something caused Social Security to both mark him as deceased and begin withholding his benefits.
He contacted Social Security two or three times every day for two weeks, with each call being placed on hold and subsequently disconnected. Finally, someone answered and scheduled an appointment for March 13. Then he received a call delaying it until March 24.
Frustrated, he went to the Social Security Office on the ninth story of the Henry Jackson Federal Building downtown. He described the situation as reminiscent of the Depression era, with a 50-person line vying for the attention of two employees. They were helpful yet exhausted.
After four hours, Johnson confesses he skipped the line: “I saw an opening and kind of rushed up and told them I was listed as dead.” That seemed to get their interest.” Johnson said that once in front of a human, he was able to quickly verify his existence with his passport and his gift of gab.
Social Security benefits are a vital resource for millions of elderly and disabled people. For some people, these benefits are their only income. It shouldn’t be more difficult for people to get the benefits they need.
Sources:
Kinnard, Meg. “A List of the Social Security Offices across the US Expected to Close This Year.” AP News, AP News, 19 Mar. 2025, apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff.
McAllister, Bill. “AARP Alters Name to Reflect Reality.” The Washington Post, WP Company , 18 Nov. 1998, http://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1998/11/18/aarp-alters-name-to-reflect-reality/4340b2cb-b170-4cc7-9806-23dfebe3da8a/.
Westneat, Danny. “I Found a ‘dead’ Person on Social Security in Seattle.” The Seattle Times, The Seattle Times Company, 16 Mar. 2025, http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/heres-a-dead-person-on-social-security-in-seattle-with-plenty-to-say/.
Young, Robin, and Gabrielle Healy. “AARP Warns Social Security Changes Could Impact Access to Benefits.” WBUR, NPR, 20 Mar. 2025, www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2025/03/20/social-security-aarp?utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_source=facebook.com.