Millions of Social Security recipients will soon need to switch to a new login portal to access their online account information, as announced by the Social Security Administration (SSA) this week. Users who created an online My Social Security account before September 18, 2021, will have to transition to a Login.gov account. This change is part of the SSA's broader efforts to streamline services and improve customer experience.
The transition to Login.gov or ID.me accounts will affect millions of users, with over 46 million account holders still needing to make the switch. The SSA has emphasized that this change is designed to enhance security and efficiency. "We are currently in the beginning stages of this transition process and our current goal is to notify the public about these upcoming changes," a spokesperson said, noting that no final deadline has been set for the transition.
For those looking to make the switch now, the SSA has made the process straightforward. Current account holders will be presented with an option to switch to Login.gov when they log in using their existing credentials. Once this option is selected, users will receive confirmation that their account has been successfully linked, granting them access to their personal "My Social Security" services.
The SSA hopes this transition will address the agency's "customer service crisis," which has included long wait times for calls to its 800 number. In April, the average wait time was about 24 minutes, down from 42 minutes in November. The SSA aims to reduce this to around 32 minutes by September 2025. "My Social Security is a safe and secure way for people to do business with us," said Social Security Commissioner Martin O'Malley. "We're excited to transition to Login.gov to access our online services, streamlining the process and ease of use for the public across agencies."
The "My Social Security" accounts are free and provide a range of services, including applying for and managing benefits, requesting Social Security card replacements, estimating future benefits, and checking the status of benefit applications.
In addition to the transition announcement, the SSA has also addressed a significant issue regarding underpayments to beneficiaries. The agency released over $900 million in money owed to disability beneficiaries. According to a blog post by the SSA, $901 million in underpayments has been disbursed to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients as of June 2024. SSI benefits are designated for individuals over 65, those with qualifying disabilities, or those who are blind and have very low to no income.
Underpayments occur when benefits are calculated incorrectly, resulting in recipients receiving less than they are owed. The recent release includes $209.1 million of "our most complex" and long-standing underpayments owed to approximately 81,000 people. "We are committed to finding solutions to challenges, such as peer reviews and installment and dedicated account processes, that have hindered timely payments," the SSA stated.
The SSA's Office of the Inspector General has noted that "improper payments," including both overpayments and underpayments, can result from various factors. These include failing to obtain necessary information from beneficiaries or errors in computing payments due to the complexity of calculations and reliance on manual processes.
In the 2019 fiscal year, the primary reason for underpayments was the inability to authenticate eligibility, amounting to roughly $623 million not paid to disability benefit recipients. An additional $41 million in SSI benefits were not paid due to administrative errors by the SSA.
Improper payments have drawn significant scrutiny, especially overpayments. Beneficiaries who unknowingly received overpayments have faced payback demands, some reaching tens of thousands of dollars, leading to financial hardship. The SSA has announced changes to how overpayments are recouped, including ending the practice of intercepting 100 percent of an overpaid beneficiary's monthly Social Security benefit by default if they failed to respond to the repayment demand. "Despite our best efforts, we sometimes get it wrong and pay beneficiaries more than they are due, creating an overpayment," Commissioner O'Malley acknowledged.
