Ex-Social Security Head Warns of 'System Collapse' as SSA Plans to Cut 7,000 Jobs

[Northeast Agent]

Ex-Social Security Head Warns of 'System Collapse' as SSA Plans to Cut 7,000 Jobs

An interruption of benefits is likely within the next 90 days, former Commissioner Martin O'Malley says.

www.thinkadvisor.com

Social Security beneficiaries "already have had to contend with delays accessing service, both on the agency's 1-800 line and in person at SSA field offices, thanks to chronic underfunding from the U.S. Congress," Max Richtman, president and CEO of the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare, told ThinkAdvisor Monday.

"Former Commissioner Martin O'Malley led a concerted effort to improve customer service and made admirable strides in this direction," Richtman continued. "But Congress' refusal to properly fund the agency, along with needless interference by Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and DOGE, have resulted in the closure of field offices that service the public. Many seniors and people with disabilities need access to in-person help at these field offices; closing them only causes additional delays, inconvenience, and financial stress for claimants and beneficiaries."

Added Richtman: "We agree with former Commissioner O'Malley that the radical interference of Trump, Musk, and DOGE in the workings of SSA could break the system, putting the delivery of benefits to 70 million Americans in jeopardy."

 

[LeeV]

Wow, 7,000 jobs cut out of 57,000 and he thinks it will lead to a disaster. Good thing the agency is using Cobol. Wonder why O'Malley didn't update when he was commissioner?

 

[somarco]

Musk hopes to update the system(s) and make it possible for the agencies to communicate with each other. Target date is 7/4/2026.

If anyone can make this happen it is him.

As for closing field offices, the one in Gainesville (GA) has a skeleton crew and is only open a few days a week. I don't think it will be missed.

 

[sman]

I love seeing him crying about filed offices. I've had clients within the last 6 months tell me that their field office wasn't allowing in person appointments. I mean, what's the point in having a field office if people can't go in for an appointment?

It's amazing to me how some of these federal employees are distraught about being held accountable. Reminds me of a job I had over the summer between graduating high school and college. It was a warehouse and they were union. We had to pull so many "lines" per hour. Every couple of weeks I'd get moved to a new section and every couple of weeks the employees in those sections would pull me to the side and tell me to slow down or they'd raise the productivity requirements.

Getting federal workers to work with any kind of urgency or take pride in their work seems far and few between. My hope is things change. Maybe if they realize they can be fired we'll start seeing improvements. One can dream, right.

 

[somarco]

The work-from-home that extended beyond the COVID lockdown may have contributed to office closures . . . and not just SSA offices.

 

[Bevo]

I got yer "needless interference".

 

[somarco]

@Bevo . . . so you are saying 21M folks between the ages of 100 and 329 are in danger of losing their monthly check?

Oh, the horror!

 

[annon123]

@Bevo . . . so you are saying 21M folks between the ages of 100 and 329 are in danger of losing their monthly check?

Oh, the horror!

Good thing Methuselah is no longer alive and living in the USA then isn't it.

 

[Bevo]

@Bevo . . . so you are saying 21M folks between the ages of 100 and 329 are in danger of losing their monthly check?

Oh, the horror!

I'm 100% for going after the fraud. But dammit, let that 329-year-old still get paid. They earned it.

The average Social Security benefit is approximately $1783 per month.

Do THAT math and tell me Elon's bad. Because up until now? He's the only guy who found this. Or, the only guy who ADMITTED it. Many others knew.

 

[Tahoe Ray]

I'm 100% for going after the fraud. But dammit, let that 329-year-old still get paid. They earned it.

The average Social Security benefit is approximately $1783 per month.

Do THAT math and tell me Elon's bad. Because up until now? He's the only guy who found this. Or, the only guy who ADMITTED it. Many others knew.

Those are all of the people that have a SS # but not a recorded death.

They're not getting checks.