There are millions of Americans who rely on Social Security benefits as a financial backbone and applying for Social Security is one of the most important steps in planning for retirement.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has since taken away one of its anti-fraud measures after receiving multiple complaints from the elderly population. This rule was a three-day hold on retirement benefit applications which were filed over the phone. The reason for this was to allow time for background and fraud checks before processing the claim.
These changes have been implemented because the SSA has been struggling with delays, staff shortages and a backlog of claims.
Why These Updates Were Needed
The SSA has encountered several problems. In early 2025, there were approximately 575000 retirement applications that still needed to processed and over 140,000 of those had been stuck for more than two months.
The backlog was then made even worse as a result of the staff cuts. There were approximately 7000 staff members who were laid off from the agency. This meant that there were lesser employees available to hand the claims.
Retirees were expressing anger and frustration as they were reliant on Social Security for their needs. The new system is designed to speed things up and reduce errors that cause hold-ups.
The Anti-Fraud Rule That Didn’t Work
Quite recently, the SSA implemented a rule that placed a three-day hold on all retirement applications filed by phone. The idea was to allow staff to identify any fraudulent claims.
However, this rule made things worse in terms of a delay. It caused processing times to slow down by 25% and instead of fraud prevention, it ended up back logging thousands of applications.
Public Backlash and Reversal
Many seniors, advocacy groups and even SSA employees criticized this move. Eventually, the SSA decided to reverse the rule. The agency will now use a software that is designed specifically for detection of fraud to identify fraudulent applications. Once identified, those applications will go through extra checks.
Struggles Inside the SSA
The Deputy Commissioner Stephen Evangelista of the SSA, asked employees to process 10% more claims per day in efforts to resolve the claims that have been backlogged.
Unfortunately, union leaders and staff were not happy about this as it put more pressure on an already overworked system. In order to combat this, the SSA has decided to reemploy approximately 1000 staff from headquarters to field offices. However, these staff will need to undergo training, therefore this won’t be an immediate solution.
What Retirees Should Do
If you’re planning to apply for Social Security soon, here are a few tips under the new system:
- Apply early – Start your application at least three months before you want benefits to begin.
- Use the online tools – They’re now easier, faster, and help catch mistakes.
- Have documents ready – Birth certificate, Social Security card, tax forms, and banking details are essential.
- Track your claim – Use the online status tool for updates.
- Ask for help if needed – Phone and in-person support are still available.
Final Thoughts
Beneficiaries must under that the SSA is under a lot of pressure, but the changes show that they are making progress to mitigate the problems encountered. The application for retirees has become a bit easier now that the anti-fraud policy has been reversed.
Retirees must note that SSA is actively working on solutions to provide the best possible service that they can. Many issues won’t disappear overnight, but rather gradually. The process isn’t perfect but will get better as time goes by. Be sure to keep updated with verified information so that you are aware should there be any changes.