THE Social Security Administration has set out to make yet another big change that could directly impact up to 400,000 Americans each day.
The change, intended to improve Americans’ experience with the SSA, is projected to be rolled out by the end of 2025.
GettyThe Social Security Administration is planning yet another big change[/caption] AlamyThe Social Security change is expected to be complete by this year and is intended to benefit millions of Americans[/caption]The SSA provides lifeline payments through programs such as Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, offering financial support to over 73 million Americans.
The extensive network of people that the administration helps, however, frequently results in long wait times to receive benefits assistance.
The agency receives approximately 400,000 calls on a daily basis, Social Security data reveals.
Due to the high volume of calls, the average wait time was 112 minutes in January and 68 minutes last month.
The government agency is taking strides to reduce the stressful wait times and improve the customer service experience with the help of technological advancements.
The commissioner of the SSA, Frank Bisignano, believes in the power of AI to help better serve Social Security beneficiaries’ needs, he told CBS News.
“We’re bringing a massive technology effort to transform the servicing agenda. We’re gonna bring AI into the phone system,” he said.
Bisignano announced that he expected the change to be “completed this year,” and hopes that it will slash wait times so the SSA can “meet our beneficiaries where they want to be.”
TROUBLE BREWING
The SSA previously revealed its plans to eliminate roughly 12% of its workforce, or 7,000 jobs.
The workforce reduction, paired with all of the Social Security changes rolling out under the new administration, have sparked chaos over at the SSA.
The agency has seen a major increase in wait times for phone services since Trump’s re-election in January, per the SSA’s own performance data.
The average phone wait time was roughly an hour in 2024, which has spiked to nearly an hour and a half this year so far.
A surge in phone calls to the SSA is a main factor – the agency received around 6.5 million calls last November, which hiked to 10.4 million calls last month.
“Confusion and fear” created by the Trump administration are partly to blame, Jessica LaPointe, a Social Security employee of 16 years, told NPR.
HOW TO SUPPLEMENT YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
Here's how to supplement your Social Security:
Given the uncertainty surrounding Social Security’s long-term future, it’s essential for workers to consider ways to supplement their retirement income.
Senior Citizens League executive director, Shannon Benton recommends starting early with savings and investing in retirement accounts like 401(k)s or IRAs.
401(k) Plans A 401(k) is a retirement account offered through employers, where contributions are tax-deferred. Many employers also match employee contributions, typically between 2% and 4% of salary, making it a valuable tool for building retirement savings. Maxing out your 401(k) contributions, especially if your employer offers a match, should be a priority. IRAs An Individual Retirement Account (IRA) offers another avenue for retirement savings. Unlike a 401(k), an IRA isn’t tied to your employer, giving you more flexibility in your investment choices. Contributions to traditional IRAs are tax-deductible, and the funds grow tax-free until they are withdrawn, at which point they are taxed as income.Many Americans are concerned about the standing of their benefits due to anti-fraud initiatives the SSA has taken in past months as well as stories of some recipients being erroneously classified as dead.
“People started to come in just to verify their identity [and] that they’re alive,” said LaPointe. “That they’re associated with their account [and] to let us know they do need their money.”
The commissioner of the SSA, however, has spoken out against the backlash that the agency has faced.
He argued that the administration’s efficiency would not be affected by layoffs, and that “through technology and process engineering” like the AI initiative, the SSA could become more efficient.
SOCIAL SECURITY SHIFTS
The new AI strategy comes on the heels of several changes over at the SSA.
For example, the agency is working to strengthen identity verification measures, announcing that beneficiaries would be required to visit a local office starting on April 14 if they were unable use their online account for certain services.
2025 Social Security Payment Schedule
Social Security payments are handed out on the second, third, and fourth Wednesday of each month. Benefits will be paid out in 2025 on the following dates:
January 8, 15, and 22 February 12, 19, and 26 March 12, 19, and 26 April 9, 16, and 23 May 14, 21, and 28 June 11, 18, and 25 July 9, 16, and 23 August 13, 20, and 27 September 10, 17, and 24 October 8, 15, and 22 November 12, 19, and 26 December 10, 17, and 24Following backlash, individuals applying for Social Security Disability Insurance, Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income can still complete their claims entirely over the phone without needing to visit an office.
The agency also expedited the processing time for direct deposit changes made in person and online.
Changes will now be processed in just one day rather than 30 days.
In April, the SSA also revealed that it would begin making all of its announcements using the social media platform X going forward.
“The agency will be using X to communicate to the press and the public – formerly known as Twitter,” Linda Kerr-Davis, SSA Midwest-West Regional Commissioner, told staff, per Federal News Network. “This will become our communication mechanism.”
Kerr-Davis said that we are “in different times now,” and those who are “used to getting press releases and Dear Colleague letters” should consider “subscribing to the official SSA X account.”
As the SSA works to integrate AI into its systems, Social Security is also set to make history with the first ever payout switch in 90 years – and millions are impacted.
Plus, millions of Americans saw $5,108 Social Security checks hit their accounts – and a calendar quirk meant an early payment.
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