The government shutdown continues and the millions of Americans who rely on Social Security as their primary source of income are actually concerned about their benefits. The good news is that the Social Security Administration (SSA) has confirmed that payments will still be sent as normal. The bad news, however, is that some SSA services have paused as a result of the shutdown.
Social Security Payments Will Arrive on Time
The SSA has made it clear: “In the event of a Federal Government shutdown due to a lapse in funding, payments to Social Security beneficiaries and SSI recipients will continue with no change in payment dates.”
This simply means that retirees, survivors and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries will still receive their payments as normal. Fortunately, Social Security is funded separately from the federal budget therefore benefit payments are not affected by the shutdown.
Since there are many families living on fixed incomes, the fact that the payments continue, is a huge relief. This will ensure that their essential expenses are paid, and they will be able to put food on the table.
Essential SSA Services Will Stay Open
Even during a shutdown, the SSA will continue running key operations that keep benefits flowing and prevent fraud. Employees who perform these essential tasks will remain on duty. This means you can still:
- File an appeal if your claim was denied
- You can report a death to put a stop to payments and prevent fraud
- Apply for retirement, disability, or survivor benefits
- Request a replacement payment
- You can get a new or request for a replacement Social Security card
- Make changes to your personal information such as your address or banking information
- Make changes in living arrangements or payee status for SSI recipients
Expect Longer Waits and Fewer In-Person Services
Even though certain services are still operational, there are other services that are put on hold as a result of the reduced staff.
- You may experience longer waiting times for speaking to a representative by phone or in person
- You won’t be able to request benefit verification letters
- Can’t make changes to your earnings record
- Replacing Medicare cards in person
Beneficiaries are urged to make use of their online Social Security account where they can view their benefits and check their personal information instead of having difficulty in a field office.
How the Shutdown Affects SSA Employees
Approximately 600,000 SSA employees have been furloughed. This results in fewer staff to process applications and documents. The reduced staff could lead to delays in processing claims and attending to customer requests. This also leaves the current staff burdened and overworked.
What You Can Do to Prepare
There’s no reason to panic, but it’s smart to plan ahead in case a shutdown happens. Here’s how you can make things easier for yourself:
- Make sure you set up a direct deposit to receive your benefit payments on time.
- Ensure that you create an online Social Security account to view all your benefit information, so you do not need to visit an SSA office.
- Try and wait until the shutdown is over to call the SSA, especially for matters that aren’t urgent.
- Make sure you keep all important documents on hand to make things easier and more convenient.
The Bottom Line
Unfortunately, the government shutdown caused much frustration amongst many people, the good news is that Social Security benefit payments will still continue.
Beneficiaries are urged to keep themselves updated with information regarding the shutdown so that they know what’s happening with Social Security. It’s important to be patient as the SSA field offices are operating on reduced staff.
Be sure to make use of your online Social Security account as this will help you navigate through things faster as compared to going to a field office.