Social Security Administration Resumes Treasury Offset Program Collections After COVID-19 Suspension (03/20/2025)
The Social Security Administration (SSA) today announced the immediate resumption of debt collection activities through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) for debts accrued prior to March 2020. This decision comes after a suspension of collections due to the economic challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. More...
Congress has cut Social Security’s core operating budget by 17% since 2010, after adjusting for inflation, according to recent research from the Center on Budget on Policy Priorities. More…
SSA to open offices to the public as agency staffing issues continue (04/06/22)
Amid a struggle to hire more employees at the Social Security Administration, agency workers are ramping up to provide in-person services at local offices. That will start on April 7, just about a week after many of those workers returned to the office themselves on March 30. More…
Social Security offices are reopening this week. How to reduce your wait time (04/04/22)
Starting Thursday, April 7, the Social Security Administration will restore in-person services, including for people who do not have appointments, acting Social Security Commissioner Kilolo Kijakazi announced Monday. More…
The Affordable Connectivity Program Can Help SSI Recipients Get Internet Access (03/28/22)
Internet access is now necessary for work, school, healthcare, and more. However, for many households, it remains unaffordable. More…
Harshbarger Bill provides immediate access to Social Security benefits for terminally ill (03/04/22)
This important legislation would eliminate the current five-month waiting period in the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program that prevents terminally-ill patients from having immediate access to benefits. More…
Data Shows Disability Claims Are More Challenging In Rural Areas (02/25/22)
Recent data from the Social Security Administration (SSA) shows that rural states are more likely to have low disability claim approval rates as compared to more urban states. More…
New Bill Aims to Protect Social Security Recipients From Fraud (02/25/22)
The AARP recently wrote a letter that urged the proposal's four main sponsors to pass it. More…
For long-haul COVID-19 patients who can't work, the road to getting disability benefits may be rough (01/19/22)
Kristen Schaefer has a physically demanding job. She's the person who stocks Pepsi products at grocery stores and other businesses, and she's been doing the job for 20 years. More…
SSA reaches deal to resume some in-person disability claims hearings starting in May (01/19/22)
The Social Security Administration plans to resume some in-person disability claims hearings this spring, after holding remote hearings for nearly two years. More…
Legal Representation in Social Security Disability Insurance Claims (12/24/21)
The process of applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits is complex. Applicants must complete a long application documenting their employment history, medical conditions, and medical treatments, obtain relevant medical records, understand the relevance of certain administrative rules and requirements, and in case of those who are denied benefits, navigate a lengthy appeals process. More…
What is the expedited reinstatement provision for disability benefits? (12/15/21)
Expedited reinstatement (EXR) is a Social Security provision designed to provide a financial safety net for people who go off disability benefits because they’ve returned to work. More…
A NEW executive order signed by President Joe Biden aims to help Americans get their hands on government benefits including Social Security and food stamps faster. More…
Another Struggle for Long Covid Patients: Disability Benefits (10/27/21)
President Biden has said the government should help people who continue to experience symptoms long after a coronavirus infection. But qualifying remains a major hurdle. More…
In Reversal, Social Security Says Stimulus Checks Won’t Affect SSI Benefits (08/13/21)
People with disabilities can save money received through stimulus checks and other COVID-19 relief programs indefinitely without losing out on their Supplemental Security Income benefits thanks to a recent rule change. More…
Social Security field offices remain closed to public as other federal, state buildings reopen (07/27/21)
Despite all of the re-openings we see happening in our communities, one federal office so many people depend on remains closed to the public. People still can't walk into a local Social Security office to get a new card or handle a name change request. More…
Social Security phone scams that claim your identification has been compromised are nothing new. Yet the schemes still fool many people. Last year, victims lost nearly $45 million. Here's what the Social Security Administration says you need to watch out for. More…
Social Security recipients say they're still waiting for stimulus checks (05/21/20)
Some Social Security recipients haven't yet received their stimulus checks, although payments began going out in mid-April. More…
Social Security Scams and Other Frauds Are Spiking During the Pandemic. What to Look For. (05/17/20)
Be on the lookout for the coronavirus-related Social Security scams. More…
As millions lose insurance, states cut Medicaid in response to the coronavirus crisis (05/16/20)
Budget shortfalls are causing states to slash Medicaid budgets, at the same time as many are losing their employer-based health coverage. More…
Loss of Insurance Following Job Loss (05/13/20)
A new analysis examines the avenues for regaining health insurance among people in families where someone lost employment between March 1st, 2020 and May 2nd, 2020 including eligibility for ACA coverage, Medicaid and marketplace subsidies, as well as private coverage as a dependent. For more info, click here.
Wet-Ink Signature Requirement Endangers Social Security... (05/06/20)
WASHINGTON, May 6, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Timothy Cole is being treated for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. His treatment leaves him immunocompromised and unable to work, and places him at additional risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. He needs to apply for ... More… www.prnewswire.com
Americans who get federal benefits need to take an extra step to get their maximum stimulus payment. More…
For These Federal Employees, Telework Means Productivity Is Up, Their Backlog Is Down (05/05/20)
The Social Security Administration has seen an 11% decrease in its backlog of pending cases since beginning telework in March. More…
No Tax Returns Required for Disability Applicants Who Have Not Recently Filed Tax Returns (04/15/20)
The Treasury announced on April 1st that Social Security beneficiaries who typically do not file a tax return will automatically get the $1,200 payment. This is a reversal of the original announcement by the Trump Administration. More info… And here….
Do You Qualify for a Stimulus Check in Senate's Coronavirus Response Bill? (03/30/20)
You may be wondering who qualifies to receive assistance from the federal government as part of the recent coronavirus stimulus package. This article outlines eligibility requirements and details. More…
Social Security OIG Launches Online Scam Reporting Form (11/21/19)
The form is to receive reports from the public of Social Security-related scams. These scams-in which fraudulent callers mislead victims into making cash or gift card payments to avoid arrest for purported Social Security number problems-skyrocketed over the past year to become the #1 type of fraud reported to the Federal Trade Commission and the Social Security Administration. More…
Lawmakers Look to Update SSI Program (9/23/19)
People with disabilities who receive Supplemental Security Income would be allowed to keep substantially more assets and would no longer be penalized for marrying under a new proposal. More…
Elizabeth Warren's Plan for Social Security Looks Smart (9/12/19)
Our Social Security system doesn't recognize parenting as the socially and economically valuable job that it is. That's not the system's only inequity, either. More…
On Disability and on Facebook? Uncle Sam Wants to Watch What You Post (3/10/19)
The Trump administration has been quietly working on a proposal to use social media like Facebook and Twitter to help identify people who claim Social Security disability benefits without actually being disabled. More…
Budget Agreement Funding Could Reduce Social Security Disability Backlog (2/15/18)
The bipartisan agreement to raise the caps on discretionary spending in 2018 and 2019 reportedly calls for higher funding for the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) operating budget, which is starved for resources after years of cuts, to improve customer service. More…
