The Social Security Administration has announced several massive changes in the policies of Social Security that will affect millions of beneficiaries of Social Security. These massive changes are an outcome of prioritizing technology enhancement.
These changes are made under the administration of Commissioner Frank Bisignano’s aiming to modernize the department to be more efficient, easier to access, and more responsible towards its recipients. In the upcoming years, millions of Americans will notice the difference in the social security policies. Here is everything that you need to know.
Social Security Makes Big Move
The SSA department has upgraded its telephone system and online services across the nation. The agency confirmed this week that over 841 field offices were starting to operate new telephone technology.
That is up to 70% of all the areas across the nation, and it is estimated that it would cover 100 percent areas in a month. The new updated telephone technology will reduce the waiting times, offer extra self-service options, and also make it easy for the SSA’s employees to serve callers from any location.
Overview of Social Security Changes Confirmed
| Article On | Social Security Makes Big Move: Millions Will Notice the Change Immediately |
| Country | United States |
| Department | Social Security Administration |
| Program Name | Social Security Benefits |
| Beneficiaries | Eligible U.S. citizens |
| Amount | As per the eligibility |
| Payment Frequency | Monthly |
| Category | Finance |
| Official Website | ssa.gov |
Faster Service on the Phone and In-Person
The updated telephone technology on the Social Security Administration’s national 800 number has reduced the average speed of answering the call from 18 minutes to down to 6 minutes. In addition, the SSA department has been able to attend approximately. 1.3 million phone calls, which reflect an increase of up to 70% from the same time last year.
The holding time has also reduced because of automated self-service and convenient callbacks that have completed up to 90% of calls. At last. There has been an improvement with time, also up to 23% from 30 minutes to 23 minutes in the current year.
24/7 Online Access Now Available
In the beginning, the downtime on the My Social Security used to irritate the beneficiaries as they had to wait for a long time. But currently, the department has updated its portal, which is offering uninterrupted 24/7 service and access. As a consequence, the SSA portal has enabled over 125,000 additional recipients to access their social security accounts and manage their monthly benefits early and efficiently.
Clearing Backlogs and Speeding Up Claims
The agency also reduced the initial disability claims backlogs by up to 25%. The hearing times of disability have also down by 60 days, and it is analyzed that currently pending hearings are low in comparison to previous years. The processing times of disability have also been improved by 5 days on average, the changes made since Bisgnano took office as the commissioner.
A Win for Public Servants Under the Social Security Fairness Act
Apart from modifications in technology, the agency has been able to complete the Social Security Fairness Act. That dropped the two most discussed policies: The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These two policies had decreased the social security benefits of the recipients who were police officers, teachers, firefighters, and city workers for a long time.
So, due to the SSFA, the monthly SSA checks of over 3.2 million people experienced a sharp boost in April 2025. This shift primarily benefits seniors whose hundreds of dollars had been lost when their spousal benefits were offset by their benefits under earlier rules.
Other Changes Confirmed by the SSA
Several changes are confirmed by the SSA this year, some of them are:
- The elimination of GOP and WEP benefits many of the retirees, as they expected an increase in their social security benefits, who were previously affected by these provisions.
- All the social security benefits can increase in their benefits due to the increase in COLA 2025, which offers help to the beneficiaries who are struggling with inflation.
- The new legislation provided tax relief to millions of Americans. This bill ensures that around 90% of beneficiaries will no longer pay federal income tax on their Social Security benefits.
- The SSA is planning to disburse all benefits electronically; however there the official announcement is yet to be made. This change is taking place because back in March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order named “Modernizing Payments To and From America’s Bank Accounts”.
Final Thoughts
After the program’s establishment, there were several changes that were made to the program. However, in 2025, many updates and changes were also made to the SSA. Under the massive changes, the agency modified its telephone technology. These changes include nearly 72.5 million Americans who will receive benefits based on their earnings. As announced by the SSA, there will be a 2.5% increase in Social Security benefits in 2025.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the new identity verification rules?
In-person identity proofing is now required for some services if a “my Social Security” account cannot be used online.
Who is affected by the identity verification changes?
Those applying for Retirement, Survivors, or Auxiliary benefits who can’t verify their identity digitally may be affected.
What is the 2025 COLA?
Benefits will increase by 2.5% beginning in January 2025 to reflect inflation.
How will the COLA affect my benefits?
Monthly payments will increase. For example, a person who received $10,000 in benefits in 2024 will receive $10,250 in 2025.
