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Donna LeValley

Social Security Under Trump Live Updates to Keep You Up to Date: National Social Security Month Reinstated

Donald Trump Social Security Frank Bisignano the Social Security Administration Medicare the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Summary

Welcome to Kiplinger's Social Security under Trump live blog. We'll be providing you with all the up-to-date news, tips, developments and analysis you need to navigate all the developments impacting Social Security in 2025.

Check back regularly for posts from our retirement team (writers Donna LeValley, Donna Fuscaldo) covering everything from the monthly Social Security payment schedule to changes in policy or rules that could impact how and when you receive your benefits.

Let’s start at the beginning. A lot has happened since the second Trump Administration took office back in January. We have been keeping a close eye on all of the developments at the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In addition to bringing you live updates in this blog, we have two hub articles that gather our coverage of what Trump has done so far:
| What Trump Has Done With Social Security | What Trump Has Done With Medicare |

The day you get a check or direct deposit is always a good day. Today, the last batch of March Social Security payments is going out to beneficiaries whose birthdates are from the 21st through the 31st, who will receive their payments. Make sure to check the 2025 payment schedule to see when the April payments are set to arrive. Some beneficiaries will be getting a bump in their next installment.

Next month, eligible retired public sector employees will receive their increased benefits reflecting the repeal of the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO) that was retroactively applied to benefits starting in 2024.

— Donna LeValley

Frank Bisignano, President Trump’s nominee to head the Social Security Administration (SSA), testified on Tuesday at his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee. Currently the CEO of the payments company Fiserv, he said in his opening statement: “I am committed to reducing wait times and providing beneficiaries with a better experience” by using his professional expertise in that role. Bisignano said Finserv “processes more than 250 million payments totaling more than $2 and a half trillion dollars a day. We processed 74 million payments a month totaling $1.5 trillion a year.” By comparison, the SSA sent out 73.2 million payments this past February.

Bisignano was questioned on a range of topics. He was asked about his stance on privatizing Social Security (by Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.), to which he said: "I've never thought about privatizing. It's not a word anybody's ever talked to me about. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. asked “whether he will make sure the staffing at the Social Security Administration is sufficient to ensure beneficiaries can effectively use the services,” to which he said: “I will commit to having the right staff to get the job done.”

So far, Robert F. Kennedy has been confirmed as HHS secretary. Dr. Mehmet Oz, nominee to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, had his committee hearing on March 25, and is awaiting a full vote before the senate. And Daniel Aronowitz was nominated to be Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the agency that oversees employee benefit plans and ERISA enforcement. His hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions is pending.

— Donna LeValley

RFF Announces Lay-Off of 10,000 HHS Employees

In one of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s first major actions as the new head of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the sprawling government agency announced a major shakeup in which it will lay off about 10,000 workers, streamline operations by consolidating 28 divisions within HHS to 15 and create a new division to be called Administration for a Healthy America, or AHA. HHS says the moves will save taxpayers $1.8 billion a year.

The workforce reductions are in addition to the 10,000 staffers that left when President Trump took office and offered voluntary separations. The federal health department's staff will shrink to 62,000 as a result.

As part of the shakeup the Administration for Community Living (ACL), which provides critical programs that support older adults and people with disabilities including the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), ASPE, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), will be integrated into other departments at HHS. HHS said it will not impact Medicare and Medicaid services.

“We aren't just reducing bureaucratic sprawl. We are realigning the organization with its core mission and our new priorities in reversing the chronic disease epidemic,” Kennedy, Jr. said when announcing the reorganization. “This Department will do more – a lot more – at a lower cost to the taxpayer.”

Here’s how the workforce reductions will shakeout:

FDA will decrease its workforce by approximately 3,500 full-time employees
The CDC will decrease its workforce by approximately 2,400 employees
The NIH will decrease its workforce by approximately 1,200 employees
The NIH will decrease its workforce by approximately 1,200 employees
CMS will decrease its workforce by approximately 300 employees

— Donna Fuscaldo

SSA Announces Plans for Increased Transparency and Accountability

The SSA announced some measures to increase transparency and accountability by sharing more information online. From wait times to releasing recorded operational meetings on the SSA YouTube channel.

Here is where you can find out more about what is going on behind the scene at the SSA:

Weekly Operational Report Meetings: The acting commissioner of the SSA holds weekly meetings. As of March 14, 2025, the WOR meetings are recorded and published to SSA’s YouTube channel. You can find the WOR Playlist at: SSA Weekly Operational Report Meetings

Agency Actions: The SSA now lists select agency challenges, options presented, and Acting Commissioner’s ultimate decisions on the Agency Actions webpage. SSA says it plans to update the page “periodically to include notable matters for which the current Administration is solving.”

Workforce update: There are concerns about customer service and workforce reductions; especially with the move to increase fraud protections by reducing the types of services that beneficiaries can complete over the phone. The SSA has posted its plans to phase-in the reductions and how the reductions will be achieved. That information can be found on the Workforce Update web page.

Accountability

Customer service wait times for phone calls and claims processing: The Social Security Performance web page tells you the current average wait times for common customer services and the agency’s goals for improvement.

Efficiencies and Cost Avoidance: We’ve been keeping track of the consolidation and closure of SSA hearing and field offices and information about their efforts to “streamline costs” will be posted on the Efficiencies and Cost Avoidance webpage.

Seven Social Security Field Offices Are Suspending In-Person Services

— Donna LeValley

Overpayment Policy Goes Into Effect Today

Starting today, the SSA will require beneficiaries who have been accidentally overpaid to repay 100% of the money, reversing a previous policy that allowed for only 10% recoupment. The10% limit was put in place in early 2024 during the Biden era to help alleviate the financial hardship that some retirees experience when trying to repay the SSA.

Beneficiaries who receive an overpayment after March 27 will have as much as their entire monthly Social Security check withheld until the debt is repaid. However, if a beneficiary cannot afford full recovery of their overpayment, they can contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 or their local office to request a lower rate of recovery.

— Donna LeValley

The SSA Has Rolled Back Some Changes to the Application Process and Extended the Timeline

The SSA is rolling back some of the recently announced identity proofing requirements. First, the deadline to implement the changes has been pushed back to Monday, April 14, a two-week extension from the previous deadline of Monday March 31. The type of new benefit applications impacted by the change have been reduced.

Now, individuals applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Medicare, or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) can complete their claim entirely over the telephone without the need to come into an office.

The new verification rules will still apply to new applications for Retirement, Survivors, or Auxiliary (Spouse or Child) benefits.

— Donna LeValley

Updated Information About Field Offices that Have Suspended In-person Services

The SSA issued a press release “Correcting the Record about Social Security Office Closings” to reassure the public that “the agency has not permanently closed or announced the permanent closure of any local field office.” Here at Kiplinger, we never reported that any field offices were permanently closing. We did report on the temporary suspension of in-person services at some field offices. And we will continue to update our article list and tell you where you can’t receive in-person services and where they have been restored.

I updated the list today and there are three new offices that are suspending services and two that have reopen dates. Two out of the seven offices that had previously suspended services were removed from the list. You can check the status of your local field office directly at the SSA web site at the Closures or Delays Affecting In-Person Service page. You can also check our regularly updated list that includes the local addresses and phone numbers of the impacted field offices.

— Donna LeValley

Do you enjoy facts and figures? If you do, I have a recurring monthly article about the average Social Security check for retired workers and other beneficiaries, such as spouses, that collect benefits based on the work history of a retiree. In February 2025, the average Social Security monthly check for retired workers was $1,980.86. That's an increase of $2.09 over January's average amount of $1,978.77, according to the Social Security Administration's (SSA) Monthly Statistical Snapshot.

Although the data won’t be available until sometime in May, the average Social Security benefit is likely to get a noticeable bump from the increased benefits due to the Social Security Fairness Act kicking in. The financial impact of the Social Security Fairness Act is set to start with March benefits that are typically paid in April. Eligible public sector retirees and spouses/surviving spouses whose benefits were reduced by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Pension Offset provisions will see those monthly increases over the next few weeks when their April benefits arrive. The average expected increase in monthly benefits is $360.

For more about average Social Security benefits and retirement account balances, check out these articles:

The Average Social Security Check by Age

The Average Social Security Check for Every State

The Average 401(k) Balance by Age and

The Average IRA Balance by Age.

— Donna LeValley

If you are a retired public sector employee and are eligible for additional benefits due to the Social Security Fairness Act (SSFA), you will finally see your monthly payments increase. If you received Social Security benefits after December 2023 and were impacted by the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and/or the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) reductions, you are going to see more money starting in April.

Exactly when are the payments arriving?

Here is the Social Security payment schedule for April 2025 and after.

Social Security Payment Schedule for 2025

Social Security Fairness Act Payments Checklist: Nine Things to Know

— Donna LeValley

Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Ends Today!

If you want to switch your Medicare Advantage plan, you better act soon. Open enrollment ends later today, which means you won’t be able to switch plans again until the fall. People who are not already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan can’t sign up until the fall.

Known as Medicare Part C, Medicare Advantage plans are private health insurance offered by Medicare-approved insurers. They have gotten so popular that more than half of seniors eligible for traditional Medicare now choose Advantage plans instead, according to a recent report by healthcare advisory firm Chartis.

Not sure if you should switch plans? Medicare Resources, which provides consumer information about Medicare, says you should consider changing your coverage in the following instances:

Your preferred providers are no longer in-network
The prescription drugs you need are now more expensive
You find cheaper plans when you compare premiums and drug costs among the various Advantage plans
Your plan does not offer the perks (like dental, vision or acupuncture) that matter most to you

To help you decide, check out Medicare Plan Finder, a government website designed to help you search for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans within your zip code. You can also visit Medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE

Five Reasons Why You Should Review Your Medicare Advantage Plan Before Open Enrollment Ends

— Donna Fuscaldo

Do you ever wonder what the biggest possible Social Security check is and how to get it?

The maximum Social Security check for 2025 is $5,108 per month, up from $4,873 in 2024 (when accounting for the 2.5% cost-of-living (COLA) adjustment). That's a pretty impressive figure, but in reality, however, not many people will qualify for the maximum amount. The good news is that there are ways to maximize your benefits now to increase your check for 2026.

Even if you can't get the maximum benefit, there are a number of ways you can increase the amount that you can get including:

Earn a higher wage now to increase your benefit later
Work longer to increase your benefits
Wait to claim your benefits as long as possible
Stop your benefits if you claimed too early

Delay Social Security Benefits — Even by a Month — to Boost Your Check

— Donna LeValley

The date your April Social Security benefit arrives depends on the day of the month you were born. Beneficiaries who filed claims after May 1, 1997, receive payments on the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of the month. You have specific payment dates if you received benefits before May 1997. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are typically issued on the first day of the month. For April, a 2.5% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), implemented in January, adds nearly $50 to the average monthly benefit of about $1,900.

Key payment dates for April are: April 1 (SSI payment), April 3 (Social Security for those who claimed before May 1997), April 9 (for birthdays between the 1st and 10th), April 16 (for birthdays between the 11th and 20th), and April 23 (for birthdays after the 20th). Starting in 2025, Social Security payments will follow a regular schedule, with potential increases due to the Social Security Fairness Act, which eliminated the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP).

People affected by the repeal of the WEP should, on average, notice a $360 increase in their monthly checks. Spouses affected by the GPO repeal should see a $700 increase and surviving spouses should get a $1,190 increase, on average. You don’t have to do anything if you qualify, as the adjustment should be automatic.

Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ), started his ‘filibuster,’ or marathon speech, at 7 pm ET on Monday, criticizing President Donald Trump and Elon Musk. Technically this is not considered a filibuster, as he is not attempting to stall or block legislation. Senator Booker has been speaking for over 18 hours as of this update.

Before he took the podium in the Senate, Sen. Booker posted this message on X,

“In just 71 days, the president of the United States has inflicted so much harm on Americans’ safety, financial stability, the core foundations of our democracy and even our aspirations as a people for — from our highest offices — a sense of common decency,”

Other democratic senators supported Sen. Booker with lengthy questions and statements, many touching on Social Security. Sen Warren claimed that President Trump and Elon Musk want to “effectively cut off benefits” and “will delay payments” to save money to fund tax cuts for billionaires. She asserted that service cuts and workforce reductions were deliberate tactics to reduce benefits without going through Congress.

Sen. Warren did not explain how cuts in Social Security benefits would help pay for tax cuts as Social Security is “off budget’ and its surplus can’t be used to offset other spending.

47 Local Social Security Offices to Close After DOGE Cuts

— Donna LeValley

Did You Miss the Original Medicare or Medicare Advantage Open Enrollment Deadline? Here’s What You Need to Know

If you missed the March 31 deadline for Medicare Advantage plans (or the Original Medicare open enrollment deadline of December 7 last year), you may still be able to change your Medicare selections; it will depend on your current coverage and why you missed the enrollment deadline.

If you missed your open enrollment period, you will be automatically re-enrolled in your current plan for the following year. And you will not be able to change your coverage unless you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP).

Qualifying life events for special enrollment include:

You change where you live
Loss of your current coverage
You have a chance to get other coverage
Your Medicare Advantage plan or Part D prescription drug coverage changes its contract with Medicare
Moving out of your plan’s service area
Impacted by hurricane and wildfire damage under the exceptional circumstances SEP. This may also apply if it was a caregiver that was impacted by a disaster
Exceptional situations for a SEP. You may be eligible if you miss an enrollment period because of certain exceptional circumstances, like being impacted by a declared emergency, released from incarceration, employer or health plan error, losing Medicaid coverage, or other circumstances outside of your control that Medicare determines to be exceptional

— Donna LeValley

Social Security beneficiaries are in a catch-22 situation; there is only a big COLA when inflation is high, but low inflation, which is good for fixed incomes, means a low COLA.

In 2025, the COLA was 2.5%, resulting in an average monthly benefit increase of approximately $49. The increase for 2026 isn't shaping up to be much larger. The latest projection is for an increase of 2.2% year-over-year, a figure 0.1% lower than last month's rate.

New inflation numbers are released monthly; we will bring you the latest estimate as the experts update their 2026 COLA projections. In March, the Senior Citizen's League (TSCL) rolled back its prediction from an increase of 2.3% in February to an increase of 2.2% for March, based on lower inflation rates. However, that is still 0.1% higher than the January projection of 2.1%.

2026 Social Security COLA March Projection Dips After Inflation Slows

Social Security COLA Is 2.5% for 2025: What to Know

— Donna LeValley

About 70 million Americans receive Social Security benefits each month, so it's not surprising they want that to continue without a hitch. But that’s not a foregone conclusion if you don’t pay attention to the record-keeping side of things. Run afoul of some Social Security rules and you could face delays in receiving benefits. Or worse, it could result in a reduction or suspension of your monthly benefits altogether.

To prevent that from happening, we put together a list of rules you need to follow to stay in compliance, including these four:

Make sure the Social Security Administration can find you: Known as a whereabouts unknown suspension, this happens when the SSA can’t locate you to confirm benefits eligibility. If they can’t find you, benefits are stopped until you provide your correct address and/or living arrangement and meet all the eligibility requirements.

Keep your bank account information up-to-date: If you usually receive deposits from the SSA to a specific bank and that bank changes, you should notify the agency as soon as possible. If the wrong bank account is on file, your benefit payment will be delayed. This could also cause problems when you try to cash the check at the bank.

Don’t make too much money: If you are retired and collecting Social Security, it's ok to earn cash on the side but make sure it's not more than $23,400 for 2025. If you do, the SSA will either reduce or suspend your benefits.

Update SSA if your living situation changes: If you receive Supplemental Social Security benefits, which provide monthly payments to people with disabilities and older adults who have little or no income or resources, and you don’t alert Social Security when your living arrangement changes, it could cause a reduction or a suspension in your benefits.

If any of this sounds familiar, don’t despair. Just get busy correcting it. Visit your local Social Security office or call the national number at 1-800-772-1213 to find out what’s happening. SSA recommends people wait three mailing days before contacting the office. Be prepared for long wait times, given the number of offices that have closed in recent weeks and the recent spate of layoffs at SSA under the direction of the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE.

— Donna Fuscaldo

It's no secret Social Security is facing an insolvency problem. In fact, it is projected to be depleted by 2035 (or even in 2033, by some estimates). At that point, the Social Security Administration will be able to pay some, but not all, benefits.

Policy makers, think tanks and economists all have ideas as to how to fix it. One that is often bandied about is raising the full retirement age to 69. But would it work, and what would it mean to you?

Work longer or accept lower benefits

If the FRA were raised to 69 for people born in or after 1960, they would be left with two choices: work longer or get lower benefits.

How much less? According to the Congressional Budget Office, for people born in the 1970s the average retirement benefits for workers who claimed benefits at age 65 would be 13% less if the FRA was raised to 69. People born in the 1970s or 1980s would receive 8% lower lifetime benefits on average. For people born in the 1960s, this change would translate to only a 2% overall average lifetime decline in benefits.

Plus, even though you would get 100% of your benefits if you waited until the new full retirement age of 69, you get them for a shorter period.

People who have to retire before their full retirement age could be forced to find ways to cover the shortfall, which could mean cutting their budget or downsizing, getting part-time work or tapping the Social Security Disability Insurance program. The latter option would erode some of the projected cost-savings from raising the full retirement age.

While raising the FRA would reduce Social Security’s shortfall, it wouldn’t fix it altogether.

Back to the drawing board!

— Donna Fuscaldo

Do you dream of living out your days strolling along a piazza in Italy or on the sunny beaches of the Dominican Republic? Be vigilant in maintaining your Social Security benefits and you won’t have to miss a moment of the expat life to restart your payments.

Most retirees living abroad can count on the timely deposit of their Social Security benefits. However, retirees living abroad must complete a SSA questionnaire every one to two years, or benefits will be suspended.

In order to keep the money flowing uninterrupted, retirees need to complete a Foreign Enforcement Questionnaire, SSA-7162 form that is sent by the Social Security Administration approximately every one to two years. The purpose of the form is to ensure the SSA has the correct address and phone number on file and that circumstances that may affect payment have been reported.

How do you know when you are supposed to receive and remit the questionnaire? See the table in our article to determine if you are supposed to complete the questionnaire every year or every two years.

How To Manage Retirement Savings When Living Abroad

If you are a public sector employee whose Social Security benefits were previously reduced by Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO), you may need to revisit how you pay for your Medicare premiums.

The WEP and GPO may have reduced your monthly Social Security benefit to the point that your check wasn’t big enough to cover your total Medicare Part B and Part D premiums; as a result, you paid part of all your Medicare premiums directly. Well, the increase in your monthly benefit may upend this arrangement. If your new increased check covers all or a larger share of your premium expenses, you must cancel or alter any automatic payment arrangements you’ve set up.

What You Will Pay for Medicare in 2025

The typical Social Security check by state varies significantly from one state to the next; however, state averages can be a bit misleading. They may be impacted by more than the general economic conditions and opportunities available in a particular state.

Some states see their Social Security check averages skewed by an exodus of retirees and others see more retirees move in than out. Although most retirees are in pursuit of a lower cost of living, wealthier and more financially stable retirees are more likely to have the income and assets to move and re-establish themselves someplace new in retirement. This population shift can increase the average check amount in destination states and lower it in states that lose financially mobile retirees.

— Donna LeValley

Dr. Oz Confirmed To Lead The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)

In case you missed it during all the tariff news and stock market malaise Thursday, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the physician and TV personality tapped by President Donald Trump to lead the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) was confirmed on a party-line vote of 53-45. As the head of CMS, Oz, who has been criticized for sometimes supporting unproven remedies rather than scientific evidence, will be in charge of a government agency responsible for administering Medicare and Medicaid to millions of Americans.

Prior to his confirmation Oz had proposed a vision for Medicare that would increase private-sector involvement. While the jury is still out on what he will do, Oz will likely try to steer retirees and older Americans toward one specific type of Medicare coverage known as Medicare Advantage. Advantage plans are those offered by private insurers and must provide at least the same level of coverage as original Medicare. Many seniors are drawn to Medicare Advantage plans because they commonly offer supplemental benefits beyond what original Medicare covers. But they aren’t without critics, who point to prior authorizations and limited provider choices as two negatives.

While it’s too early to say what Oz will ultimately do as head of CMS, one thing is for sure, change is afoot at the agency responsible for the health care of our nation’s older adults.

— Donna Fuscaldo

Are My Services Closing: Bank Edition

You may have heard that the Social Security Administration is closing field offices around the country. If that didn’t create enough headaches, now retirees can add bank branches to the list of things getting shuttered.

Last year, more than 900 bank branches were closed and more are on the chopping block this year. The shift to online banking and mobile apps is a big part of the reason why the likes of Wells Fargo, TD Bank, Popular, Bank of America and Flagstar will close branches in 2025.

But don’t despair. If your local branch closes, try these four strategies to cope.

1. Embrace online banking: Don’t worry if you aren’t tech-savvy. Banks have made it easy to bank online, especially from your mobile phone. Who doesn’t want to check their balance, deposit checks and apply for a credit card without getting off the couch? If it seems intimidating, you can always ask for help from the grandkids or seek free classes from local libraries or senior centers. The bank should also be able to walk you through the sign-up process over the phone.

2. Hit the ATM: Just because your local bank branch is closing doesn’t mean you can’t use the ATM. You won’t get charged for using an ATM your bank owns, and you can make deposits and withdrawals from the screen. Plus you don’t have to worry about branch hours.

3. Use a different bank branch: Your branch may be closing, but if the bank is still operational, you can visit a different location to get your in-person banking done. You won’t have to do anything other than travel potentially further to reach your bank.

4. Switch banks: Forget loyalty. If your local bank branch is closing and the next closest one is too far away, then consider switching to another bank or credit union. It may seem stressful but it’s actually easy to do, although it will take a little effort on your part. After setting up your account you’ll have to redirect direct deposits like Social Security, update bill payments, and then close your old account once everything’s transferred.

To learn more about what you can do when your local bank closes, click here.

— Donna Fuscaldo

Expanded Medicare Telehealth Services Available Until September 30

I’ve had a few telehealth visits and I like the convenience; it’s not useful for ailments that require an examination, but it is a great option for follow-up consultations. Telehealth services were expanded during the pandemic beyond the normal program that was geared toward rural patients who are physically far from physicians and facilities.

Until September 30, Medicare beneficiaries have access to telehealth services. So, whether you are worried about picking up a cold in your doctor's waiting room or plan on traveling as soon as the weather turns warmer, you can still use the telehealth option to take care of many of your health needs.

Related Medicare Basics: 11 Things You Need to Know

— Donna LeValley

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee advanced the nomination of Frank Bisignano, President Trump’s nominee to be Commissioner of the Social Security Administration (SSA) by a party-line vote of 14-13. Bisignano is currently the CEO of the payments company Fiserv.

During his confirmation, Bisignano stated his intentions to diminish average customer service wait times from 20 minutes to less than one minute. He also rejected the idea of privatizing Social Security if confirmed.

Ranking minority member Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) wanted to delay the vote to investigate information provided by an anonymous whistleblower that claimed Mr. Bisignano lied to the committee about prior contact with DOGE officials. Chairman Mike Crapo (R-ID) released a statement about the allegations reiterating his willingness to meet with the whistleblower, maintain their anonymity and investigate the claims.

— Donna LeValley

Did you know that the Social Security Administration receives 80 million calls every year? Workforce reductions, the consolidation and closing of hearing offices at the SSA and the desire to move more customer service transactions online have some concerned about getting in touch with the SSA when they need to.

In March 2025, the average amount of time a caller waited on hold to speak to a representative in English was 1 hour and 39 minutes. Timing is everything if you want to get through. Read our article to find out when wait times are the shortest and when you need to get comfortable and prepare to wait on hold.

How to Apply for Social Security Online or In Person

— Donna LeValley

CBO Increases Solvency Projection for the Medicare Trust Fund

One measure of the financial condition of a trust fund is the projected year in which the fund’s balance would be exhausted; the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has given the Hospital Insurance Trust Fund an extra 17 years before it can no longer fully fund its obligations.

Medicare is funded by two trust funds: (1) For Part A: The Hospital Insurance (HI) Trust Fund is used to pay for benefits under Medicare Part A, which covers inpatient hospital services, care provided in skilled nursing facilities, home health care, and hospice care, and (2) For Part B and Part D: The Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) Trust Fund, is used to pay for outpatient services (including physicians’ services) under Part B of the program and prescription drugs under Part D.

The HI Trust is funded primarily through Medicare payroll taxes, and to a lesser extent, income taxes on Social Security benefits. Medicare must continue to pay for benefits under Part A, regardless of the status of the program’s trust fund, according to existing law. Funding for the SMI trust fund differs from the HI trust fund. Most of the income to the SMI Trust comes in the form of transfers from the general fund of the Treasury, rather than from a specified set of taxes collected directly from taxpayers.

The CBO revised its 2024 exhaustion projection for the HI Trust fund upward to 2052 from 2035 in The Long-Term Budget Outlook: 2025 to 2055. Why did the CBO extend the exhaustion date for the Part A trust fund? The CBO says that expenditures from the trust fund are projected to be smaller and income projected to be greater than it estimated last year. For a more detailed explanation, read pages 22 and 23 of the CBO budget outlook.

— Donna LeValley

Forget phone calls or field offices, when it comes to interacting with the Social Security Administration, they want you to do everything online. But a funny thing happened on the way to www.ssa.gov – depending on the day you may not be able to get in.

That’s because in recent weeks the Social Security website has been crashing, with outages in some cases lasting as little as twenty minutes to almost an entire day. That’s according to The Washington Post, citing six current and former officials at SSA. When the SSA website does come back on, some customers can’t sign into their accounts; and when they do eventually get in, information is missing. Some of the lucky ones have had no problems accessing the site, but have had to deal with slow response times.

For people receiving Supplemental Security Income or SSI, it’s even worse. For nearly two days last week many of the adults and children receiving benefits under the program received messages when they logged on that claimed they weren’t currently receiving payments. A check of their bank accounts confirmed it was a mistake, but it still caused widespread panic, the Post reported.

The problem: some of the IT staff at SSA and across the Federal government have been let go as part of the sweeping layoffs engineered by Elon Musk and his team at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). DOGE’s downsizing at the SSA has led to 7,000 job cuts with thousands more expected. DOGE is now asking for a 50% cut to the staffing levels in the SSA technology division that manage the website and other electronic access, the Post reported. Plus DOGE implemented software that expands fraud checks, but it wasn’t tested to see if the servers could handle a high volume of users; turns out it couldn’t, which caused the outages.

You can still call SSA, but prepare to wait. We put together a list of the average wait time at different times of the day. The best time to call: 8:00 a.m. The worst time to call: 6:00 p.m. Social Security Phone Wait Times: The Best Times to Call.

— Donna Fuscaldo

Federal Judge Strikes Down Nursing Home Staffing Mandate

A federal judge in Texas put the kibosh on a Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) mandate that would have required that all nursing homes that receive Medicare and Medicaid funding provide a minimum of 3.48 hours of nursing care per resident per day, including specified periods from registered nurses and nurse aides. As of April 2024, almost 1.2 million residents are living in Medicare- and Medicaid-certified long-term care facilities, according to a CMS fact sheet.

U.S. District Court Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk was sympathetic with the purpose of the law, writing: “though rooted in laudable goals, the Final Rule still must be consistent with Congress’s statutes.” The mandate was controversial when proposed and a bipartisan group of 100 House members signed onto a letter expressing their concern that the rule would have resulted in “limited access to care for seniors, mandatory increases in state Medicaid budgets, and could most consequentially lead to widespread nursing home closures.”

The concern was founded in the reality that nursing homes have been coping with persistent staffing shortages since Covid, says the American Health Care Association (AHCA). CMS estimated that about 75% of nursing homes would have been required to bolster their staffing levels to comply with the regulations. The AHCA’s 2024 State of the Sector Report found that nursing homes “still need more than 130,000 workers to return to pre-pandemic levels” and that the staffing mandate would require nursing homes to hire an additional 100,000 caregivers.

— Donna LeValley

When are Social Security benefits disbursed? Beneficiaries who filed claims after May 1, 1997, and receive retirement, disability or survivor benefits are paid on either the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of the month.

Payments follow the month they are due, so your April check is for your March benefit. If your birthday is between the 1st and 10th of your birth month, you should receive your Social Security payment today, April 9, the second Wednesday of the month. If you want to take a look ahead, you see the payment schedule for the remainder of 2025.

If you received benefits before May 1997, your specific payment date is the third day of the month. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are distributed monthly, usually on the first day of the month. If you receive both SSI and retiree Social Security benefits, payments are typically distributed on the third day of the month.

Don’t forget that Social Security Fairness Act increases arrive this month. Eligible public sector employees whose Social Security benefits were reduced or eliminated by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and/or Government Pension Offset (GPO), your April check should be bigger than last month’s benefit.

The Social Security Fairness Act May Change How You Pay Medicare Premiums

— Donna LeValley

If you are one of those people that likes to have all their ducks in a row, then arranging for a representative payee to manage your Social Security payments and communicate with the Social Security Administration on your behalf should be part of your estate plan. This can also come in handy if you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a memory issue or other medical condition that might progress and make it impossible to fully manage your affairs with the SSA.

Why is this important? Because even if you have set up a financial or health power of attorney (POA), or share a bank account with a son or daughter, they may find themselves restricted when it comes time to help you.

Appointing a representative payee doesn’t give them any authority. Similar to an advanced health care directive, it is a way to identify a trustworthy family member or friend to assume responsibility for your payments and communications with the SSA in case something happens.

If the SSA thinks you need assistance with your benefits, they will initiate the process of putting a representative payee in place. Under these circumstances, the SSA can appoint a relative, friend, or other interested party as your “representative payee.”

— Donna LeValley

If you want to visit a Social Security office, you should make sure it is open for in-person service before you gather your paperwork and make the trip. As of now, there are 11 Social Security field offices that have temporarily suspended in-person services. The offices in New Orleans and Safford, AZ have reopen dates. The remaining nine offices are listed as closed until further notice.

The most recent additions to the list are offices in: Safford, Arizona; Corning, New York; Dyersburg, Tennessee; and Logan, West Virginia.

— Donna LeValley

One of the most important pieces of person identification you possess is your Social Security numbers. And safeguarding your Social Security number is one of the best ways to prevent identity theft. Not only should you never carry your Social Security card in your wallet or purse, but you should rarely give out your Social Security number.

Social Security numbers should be used sparingly. Don’t hesitate to ask why someone needs your SSN and whether they can use another way to verify your identity instead, such as a driver's license number or your insurance card.

Is Identity Theft Protection Worth It?

— Donna LeValley

The Social Security Administration is backing off its plan to require identity-verification for some services online or in person, saying Wednesday that all claims can be done via phone. In a post on X the SSA said people who use the SSA’s phone service will only have to appear in person if they are flagged by the government agency’s anti-fraud system. “We are surging personnel to the phone lines to better assist anyone that needs help,” wrote SSA.

Beginning on April 14, SSA will perform anti-fraud checks on all claims filed over the telephone and flag the ones that have fraud indicators.

This should be welcome news given SSA is already backlogged; plus not everyone is comfortable conducting their Social Security business online.

The SSA Has Rolled Back Some Changes to the Application Process and Extended the Timeline: Here's What You Need to Know

–Donna Fuscaldo

Dr. Oz Comes to Washington, Lays Out His Vision For CMS

In his first missive as the new administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), Dr. Mehmet Oz vowed to work to modernize Medicare, the marketplaces and Medicaid.

“Great societies protect their most vulnerable. As stewards of the health of so many Americans – especially disadvantaged youth, those with disabilities, and our seniors, the CMS team is dedicated to delivering superior health outcomes across each program we administer. America is too great for small dreams, and I’m ready to get work on the President’s agenda,” Oz wrote.

Some of the initiatives Oz says he’s focused on include:

CMS will improve transparency to give Americans the information they need about costs.

Equipping health care providers with better information about the patients they serve and holding them accountable for health outcomes. CMS, says Oz, will work to streamline access to life saving treatments.

Identifying and eliminating fraud, waste and abuse.

Focusing on prevention, wellness and chronic disease management instead of only sick care. Oz pointed to programs CMS operates that can be used to focus on improving holistic health outcomes.

–Donna Fuscaldo

Last Minute Tax Filers Can Get Their SSA-1099/1042S Online

If you are scrambling to get your federal tax return completed and filed before the end of tax day tomorrow, you can use a my Social Security account to get a form SSA-1099/1042S, Social Security Benefit Statement, to get that tax form filled out and on its way to the IRS.

If this is the first year you are receiving benefits, you may be surprised that your benefits are taxable. Whether or not you actually pay any tax on your benefits will be determined by your income.

When did this start? Under legislation enacted in 1983, up to 50% of benefits from single taxpayers with incomes over $25,000 and from taxpayers filing jointly with incomes over $32,000, are subject to income taxes. Taxes generated are deposited in the Social Security Trust Funds.

Legislation passed in 1993 increased the amount of benefits subject to taxation from 50% to 85% for single taxpayers with incomes over $34,000 and for taxpayers filing jointly with incomes over $44,000. All additional tax income resulting from the 1993 legislation is deposited in Medicare's Hospital Insurance Trust Fund.

15 Social Security Tasks You Can Do Online

— Donna LeValley

The Social Security Administration has been in the news quite often the past few months. I thought it might be helpful to have more information about the program and how the SSA carries out their responsibilities. Let’s talk about Social Security cards. Did you know that the SSA can issue three types of cards depending on your citizenship status and employment eligibility? All Social Security cards show the holders name and work authorization status.

No restrictions- These cards are issued to U.S. citizens and people lawfully admitted to the United States on a permanent basis. They can be used to access benefits and allow you to work without restriction.

“VALID FOR WORK ONLY WITH DHS AUTHORIZATION”- These cards are issued to people lawfully admitted to the United States on a temporary basis who have DHS authorization to work.

“NOT VALID FOR EMPLOYMENT"- These type of SS cards can be issued in two circumstances: when a person is lawfully admitted to the United States without work authorization from DHS, but has a valid non-work reason for needing a Social Security number; or when a person needs a number because of a federal law requiring a Social Security number to get a benefit or service.

— Donna LeValley

Trying to decide when it is best to claim your Social Security benefits can be daunting. You know there is a reduction if you claim before your full retirement age and that you can boost your benefit for every month you wait to claim after your FRA until you turn 70. When is right for you? It is a layered decision that takes into account your desire to retire, finances, health and current economic conditions. That’s where a RSSA (Registered Social Security Analyst) can make a difference.

A RSSA can create a detailed personalized plan to maximize your Social Security benefits, put them in the context of your broader financial situation and help you decide when you can confidently claim your benefits. Most RSSAs are established financial professionals that can provide these services in tandem with their other specialized skills in estate planning, insurance or investing.

How to Apply for Social Security Online or In Person

— Donna LeValley

It’s April 15 and if you are 73 or older and have a traditional IRA, you have hit the age where you must take required minimum distributions from your account. This may be a bitter pill to swallow if you don’t need the money or if the additional income adversely impacts your Social Security and Medicare benefits.

This additional income could cause a higher percentage of your SS benefits to be subject to income tax or trigger the income related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA), which is a surcharge on your Part B and Part D premiums in 2026.

Whether you are retired or not, understanding how your IRA distributions can impact your benefits will give you the chance to prepare and plan. Fortunately, there are some ways to soften the tax blow and avoid the IRMAA, if you understand the rules before you take a distribution.

— Donna LeValley

When are Social Security benefits disbursed? Beneficiaries who filed claims after May 1, 1997, and receive retirement, disability or survivor benefits, are paid on either the second, third, or fourth Wednesday of the month.

The Social Security Fairness Act increases arrive this month. If you are a public sector employee whose Social Security benefits were reduced or eliminated by the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and/or Government Pension Offset (GPO, your April check should be bigger than last month’s benefit. Although, the Social Security Administration has cautioned that complex cases will take longer to process and those beneficiaries may not see their adjustments until November of this year.

Payments follow the month they are due, so your April check is for your March benefit. If your birthday is between the 11st and 20th of your birth month, you should receive your Social Security payment today, April 16, the second Wednesday of the month. If you want to take a look ahead, you can see the payment schedule for the remainder of 2025.

If you started receiving benefits before May 1997, your specific payment date is the third day of the month. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments are distributed monthly, usually on the first day of the month. If you receive both SSI and retiree Social Security benefits, payments are typically distributed on the third day of the month.

The Social Security Fairness Act May Change How You Pay Medicare Premiums

— Donna LeValley

Last July, we reported that Social Security online users had to create Login.gov accounts if they don't already have them. However on March 29, the Social Security Administration (SSA) reiterated the need to create a secure Login.gov account and it posted new information about a change to existing user accounts: “Later this year, the “Sign in with Social Security Username” option will be removed, so it's important you act right away.”

To maintain access to your my Social Security account, you have the option to create or use an existing Login.gov or ID.me account to keep access to the information in your personal my Social Security account.

Here is a tip that might entice you to open a my Social Security account if you are wondering if it is worth the trouble. Opening an account can help prevent fraud and identity theft. If criminals obtain your Social Security number, they may try to open a my Social Security account in your name and redirect your benefits to an account they control. But if you open your my Social Security account now, you can help prevent this scenario, since any individual can only have one my Social Security account open per Social Security number.

— Donna LeValley

Yesterday, President Trump signed a memorandum directing the Social Security Administration to take some specific steps to ensure non-citizens that are ineligible for benefits don’t receive any from the SSA. These actions include:

Expand the SSA’s fraud prosecutor programs
Investigate earnings reports of people 100 years old or older with mismatched records
Evaluate reinstatement of SSA’s civil monetary penalty program

For edification, non-citizens that have authorization to work in the U.S. must pay all of the existing Social Security and Medicare taxes and may be able to draw benefits from those systems if they meet the eligibility requirements. In addition to other factors, permanent residents that are non-citizens have a 5-year residency requirement to access Medicare.

— Donna LeValley

How Your 2024 Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) Could Impact Your Medicare Premiums in 2026

April 15 is behind us once more and you might be tempted to put that tax return in a safe place and forget about it. I’m here to say — not so fast. You need to take a long look at the numbers and estimate if you might be paying more for your Medicare in 2026. Why? Whether you pay an IRMAA in 2026 depends on the income shown on your 2024 tax returns.

The income related monthly adjustment amount (IRMAA) is a surcharge that is added to the Part B and Part D premiums and it applies to both Original Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans. In 2025, single filers with MAGI over $106,000 and joint filers with MAGI over $212,000 paid more. The surcharge is graduated and you can pay anywhere from an additional $87.70 per month ($74.00 for Part B and $13.70 for Part D) to $529.70 ($443.90 for Part B and $85.80 for Part D) on top of your current Medicare 2025 payments — $185.00 for Part B and $46.50, the average Part D premium.

This October, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid will release the new premium and IRMMA brackets and surcharge amounts for 2026. Until then, you can use last year’s numbers as a guidepost and gauge if your income is close to triggering the IRMAA.

— Donna LeValley

Customer Services are Strained at the SSA. You Should Plan Around These Federal Holidays

The market may be closed — but the federal government is open. Good Friday and the day after Easter are not federal holidays. So, if you need to mail a letter, submit a passport application or call the Social Security Administration, you can.

While there are better and worse times to call the SSA, holiday closures can make the days leading up to and right after a holiday even more difficult, as people try to resolve problems before the phones are unmanned and offices are closed. So you can plan accordingly, here is a list of the 11 federal holidays that are observed by the federal government.

The best time to call the SSA on a Friday is typically at 8 a.m. when the average wait time is 21 minutes. The best time to call after 12:00 noon is 1 p.m. when you will probably have to wait for an average of 1 hour, 8 minutes. Later in the evenings are the busiest times on Fridays; if you call at or around 7 p.m., the average wait time shoots up to 2 hours, 15 minutes.

— Donna LeValley

Are You Fully Vaccinated? If Not, Be Aware that Medicare Offers Free Vaccinations

Have you checked to see if your vaccinations are up-to-date? If not, take some time to see if you need any boosters. Whooping cough and measles infections have spiked this year and communicable diseases can spread easily among the unvaccinated. Fortunately, a large number of vaccines are fully covered by Medicare without zero out-of-pocket costs.

Medicare covers all adult vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. These vaccines are covered with no out-of-pocket costs. This list of free vaccines is updated every year, so just because it is on the list this year, doesn't mean it will be on the list next year. And if you are traveling internationally, check to see if any destination-specific vaccines and medicines are covered.

— Donna LeValley

National Social Security month, which was first held in 2019 during President Trump’s first administration, has been reinstated under Trump 2.0.

Running in April of each year, National Social Security Month is focused on helping Americans access their benefits. In 2025, the awareness month will run from April through August 14, when Social Security celebrates its 90th Anniversary. National Social Security Month was canceled during COVID-19 and did not resume under former President Biden.

This awareness campaign may come in handy given that the Trump Administration, with the help of DOGE, has overhauled the Social Security Administration (SSA) in an effort to rid the agency of what the federal government says is fraud and waste. Some of those actions include reducing the workforce at the SSA, closing field offices and suspending some in-person services.

— Donna Fuscaldo

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