The government shutdown caused panic for millions of Social Security recipients as they were concerned about whether or not their Social Security payments will be stopped. There are millions of Americans who rely on Social Security benefits to cover essential expenses such as groceries, utilities and medical care, and thankfully, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has confirmed these payments still continued during the shutdown.
However, not everything will be business as usual. While payments will keep flowing, some field offices and customer service operations could face delays or limited services.
Your Payments Are Protected
The SSA’s contingency plan stated that all critical operations relating to payment of benefits will still continue.
So whether you receive retirement, disability (SSDI), or survivor benefits, your check or direct deposit will still arrive on its normal schedule.
What Will Slow Down or Pause
Even though Social Security payments still continue, the agency has paused operations such as:
- Routine administrative tasks, such as updating records that aren’t urgent.
- Appointment scheduling or rescheduling at local offices.
- Replacement of lost Social Security cards.
Field Offices Will Feel It the Most
Even though most field offices are still open, they are operating on much lesser staff. Visitors should expect longer wait times and fewer appointment slots.
If your issue isn’t urgent, it’s best to avoid in-person visits until normal staffing levels return.
Online Services Remain Available
Fortunately, most of what people need from Social Security can now be handled online and those services will remain fully available.
You can log onto your online Social Security account:
- Check your benefit amount and payment history.
- Go through your earnings record.
- Make changes to your direct deposit information.
- Apply for retirement or disability benefits.
Because these online systems are automated and independent of office staffing, they will continue to run smoothly.
Why Social Security Keeps Running
The reason that Social Security payments remain unaffected is because Social Security is funded through a separate Trust fund and does not rely on the annual federal budget. Social Security is funded through payroll taxes. For this reason, payments remain unaffected.
What This Means for Beneficiaries
All those beneficiaries who are already receiving Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) don’t need to worry about missing a payment during the shutdown. Rest assured, your benefits will arrive on time.
However, you could have longer wait times or brief delays if you intended to visit a field office, update your data, or apply for benefits. Right now, doing whatever you can online is the best course of action.
If you really need to visit a field office, be sure to make an appointment well in advance and carry all the necessary documentation to avoid any delays.
SSA’s Message to the Public
The SSA has urged beneficiaries not to stress as their benefits will arrive on time and in full. For people who rely on these benefits as their primary source of income, this serves as a major relief.
This implies that even if certain less important functions are temporarily disrupted, Social Security checks will be sent, disability benefits will be processed, and survivors will continue to receive payments.
The Bottom Line
All those Americans who live on fixed incomes and count on Social Security to provide for their families, don’t have to stress about not receiving payments.
The service at field offices will most likely be much slower because of the reduced staff, therefore beneficiaries are urged to make use of their online Social Security account.
With that being said, staying informed and keeping updated with verified information is important so that you are able to make informed decisions.