Social Security benefits are crucial to the well-being of millions of seniors who would otherwise not have access to guaranteed income. A growing number of Americans do not have any retirement savings, underscoring the need for a social safety net as the cost of living rises.
Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team has been tasked with eliminating ‘waste’ from the federal government budget and has recently set its sights on the Social Security Administration.
In a shocking move, thousands of federal Social Security employees were laid off in a widespread cost-cutting measure, coinciding with the closure of many field office locations this year.
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Now, the agency has announced plans to increase security verification measures in an attempt to prevent fraud.Â
DOGE maintains that job cuts are the result of streamlining processes to target efficiency, and acting Social Security Commissioner Leland Dudek has said field offices will not close.Â
Still, seniors and industry experts worry that dwindling staff, offices, and resources — combined with stringent verification parameters — will lead to a delay in payments, allowing fewer seniors to receive the Social Security benefits they’re entitled to.
Recent DOGE cuts to Social Security Administration resources and staff could impact how seniors receive payments.
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DOGE cuts are reshaping the Social Security Administration — for better or worse
The Trump administration announced DOGE on Inauguration Day, tasked with making the federal government operate more efficiently.Â
Though the government organization has implemented sweeping cuts at many agencies, overhauling Medicare and Social Security has garnered significant attention and concern.
In February, the Social Security Administration announced a 12% workforce reduction, cutting roughly 7,000 federal jobs. This closure of six out of 10 total regional offices was unveiled on top of the 47 field office closures posted on the DOGE website last month.
Since then, the Social Security Administration revealed it would not renew leases for 64 field offices, which is higher than DOGE’s initial projections. Though acting Social Security Commissioner Dudek has insisted that such closures only affect under-utilized hearing rooms,  26 field offices are still expected to close this year.
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These ambiguous and impactful structural changes alone are cause for concern. However, the recent announcements that Social Security filers must verify their identity online or in person have sparked doubts that the Social Security Administration will be able to effectively administer benefits to all eligible citizens.Â
Former Social Security Commissioner Martin O’Malley has stated that these adjustments will undermine the administration’s efforts and create disruptive payment delays for the 70 million Americans reliant on Social Security.
“I think for the first time in 90 years, we’re going to see an interruption of benefits,” O’Malley told CNBC. “I hope that doesn’t happen, but I believe it will. And at the very least, you are going to see wait times skyrocket.”
Retired Americans will need to verify their identity to receive Social Security payments
The Social Security Administration recently announced that those filing for benefits or updating direct deposit information must verify their identity in-person or online beginning April 14.
For in-person verification, claimants must bring a valid photo identification form, such as a driver’s license or passport. Those wishing to verify online must log into their ‘My Social Security’ account created through Login.gov or ID.me.
Notably, this update eliminates the ability to apply for Social Security benefits over the phone, a method most older claimants prefer.
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While this policy aims to thwart fraudulent claims, experts predict this initiative will create unnecessary roadblocks for older and less digitally adept retirees, especially in the face of potential office closures.
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) found that four in 10 retirees apply for SSA benefits via telephone, meaning that the new verification process will force between 75,000 and 85,000 seniors per week to apply in person at field offices. This will inevitably bog down an already under-resourced agency, driving up customer service wait times and benefit processing timelines.
In a new report, the CBPP stated, “President Trump has repeatedly promised not to cut Social Security benefits, but his Administration’s actions will effectively do just that, by making it harder or even impossible for people to access their earned benefits.”
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