Just two weeks ago, we began to address the question on the minds of many: Is Social Security at risk in our new political climate? Will efforts to slash government spending put at risk a long-prized government program that provides the primary source of income to at least 40% of adults 65 and older? Well, in the past few weeks, a few more pieces of the Social Security puzzle have begun to fall into place, and the picture emerging is not a hopeful one. While no one has yet to suggest actual cuts in payments received by millions of recipients, the reality of cost-cutting across the Social Security Administration may have devastating consequences for untold numbers of older adults in our country.

First, concerning ongoing DOGE efforts. A recent examination in The Washington Post profiles the array of system failures, long waits, and other problems that are weighing down the current Social Security system even before new changes go into effect in the next week. Just within March, the computer systems within the SSA have crashed 4 times, preventing millions of Americans from logging into the system to access their online accounts. Coupled with employees who have been pushed out or resigned and the disbanding of a customer monitoring system to track problems, the outlook going forward is bleak. Those receiving Social Security payments will likely have less access and support when trying to get help, and attempting to go in person to resolve problems may also be challenging, given that 10 regional offices around the country have been downsized to just 4 offices. There are reports that administrative managers have had to tackle lower-level functions because of diminished staff and that many offices lack basic supplies or funding to replenish supplies. For a list of offices around the country that are scheduled to be shut, hold onto your Social Security card and click here. To stay up-to-date on ongoing changes connected to Social Security, look here.

You may have also heard that verifying your identification to make changes to your direct deposit instructions, something previously possible to accomplish using your phone, will no longer be permissible, thus requiring older adults to either access the online system (which we just described as being problematic) or going in-person to a Social Security office, a task especially difficult given the number of offices closing down and the limitations on many recipients’ ability to travel, especially long distances. As was recently decried, “This is the perfect storm for elderly and disabled Americans who rely on Social Security to survive.” This change is planned to go into effect on March 31st and will be especially difficult for older adults in more rural settings, who may lack access to broadband and the internet and who may lack the means or physical ability to travel far distances to meet the in-person requirement. This is ostensibly an effort to cut down on “fraud” in the Social Security system, but as you can read, the DOGE staff are having little luck finding fraud, and research projects attempting to identify ways to cut down scams in the system have been defunded. Ironically, the work of DOGE may lead to more, not less, fraud in the system. For a bit of history and factual understanding regarding the integrity of the system, click here. (Please note: This is a quickly evolving Social Security plan, and due to public protest, according to The Washington Post, some parts of this plan may be briefly paused or postponed. Find out more by clicking here.)

Separate and apart from the DOGE pressure on the system, there are also changes afoot that may directly impact Social Security recipients. On the positive side, because of the Social Security Fairness Act, passed during the previous presidential administration, 3 million Americans, including teachers, fire fighters, and police officers may be eligible for increased monthly benefits, along with a one-time retroactive payments, due to repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision and the Government Pension Offset. However, this is balanced by a change in the previous Social Security policy regarding withholding payments when overpayments were made. During the Biden administration, when Social Security wanted to get back money incorrectly paid to a recipient (which they are legally permitted to do), there was a cap of 10% on how much could be withheld from a recipient’s monthly check. Now, that has been changed so that Social Security can withhold even 100% of a monthly check in their efforts to get back money from a recipient. Roughly 2 million recipients each year are notified that they have received more money than they are entitled to, and it’s estimated that 1 million of them could face 100% withholding of their monthly checks, potentially for several months, because of this policy change. While recipients have the right to appeal or ask for waivers, given the chaos in the system, it’s quite possible that many could go for months without any payments, even if their appeal is ultimately successful. As one expert made clear, “The policy may recoup money for the government but at a potentially high human cost.” Thus, as you can see, problems abound in the system, and the future bodes poorly for a well-run, smooth system for the millions of older American adults who rely on Social Security for their essential needs.