Social Security is over.
With the federal fund on the verge of bankruptcy, a labor crisis exacerbated by DOGE spending cuts, and massive worker burnout, the US’s largest social security program is in dire straits. The 74 million Americans who rely on monthly paychecks are caught in the middle — and wondering what it means for their future livelihoods.
“Everything is going up so much that I think seniors are going to be in real trouble in the future,” retiree Shelley Janek told Business Insider last year. He lives on a tight budget of about $2,000 in monthly Social Security benefits. “I think there are a lot of people in my position.”
From customer service to taxes, here’s how Social Security has changed under the second Trump administration.
DOGE has exacerbated the existing SSA staffing crisis
The Department of Public Works may be dead, but the Social Security Administration is reeling from budget cuts. Before the wide-ranging operation of Trump and the de-facto head of government staff Elon Musk, the SSA had been reduced for 50 years. Then, the DOGE reduced the size of the agency by about 7,000 employees – about 12% of the workforce – during the last year, through retirements or retirements since then.
It has left thousands of workers in field offices, customer service calls, and administrative jobs stretched thin along with the growing demand of America’s aging population. Baby boomers are the largest group to reach retirement age at the same time, and most of them have the most benefits in their 60s.
Business Insider spoke to about a dozen SSA employees last year. Many of those left described feeling overwhelmed in the office, working long hours, skipping breaks to complete paperwork, and being frustrated by policy changes.
“Workers walking on eggshells, thinking, ‘How long until I’m broke?’ office worker and union leader Edwin Osorio said last summer. Others, like office worker and union leader Jill Hornick, say, “We’re at the tip of the iceberg. This is going to get worse,” and an experienced customer service representative said, “The loss of seven to eight thousand workers is a huge blow.”
From the beneficiary’s perspective, understaffing before DOGE meant long waiting times for customer service. The agency has provided hundreds of local office workers with national telephones to meet demand. This change has helped to reduce the waiting time for beneficiaries hoping to adjust their direct deposit or application status, although many transferred workers are doing work that is different from what they are trained to do.
The SSA stopped providing real-time wait time data last summer and has yet to release updated averages for 2026. An SSA spokesperson told Business Insider that Commissioner Frank Bisignano “remains committed to having the right staffing levels to ensure that the SSA operates efficiently, meets clients where they need to be served, and provides high-quality customer service,” and that “Online, over the phone, or in the field, customer service improves.”
The agency also said that the average response speed was eight minutes in February 2026, up from 26 minutes in February 2025. The spokesperson said that the SSA is focused on making the application process more efficient and improving the beneficiary’s online portal, which is now available 24/7.
In May, Bisignano, a former Wall Street executive, was confirmed as the new SSA commissioner. He has since developed an improved phone system and technology tools, which the SSA says improves the customer service experience.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, along with several Democratic lawmakers, sent a letter to Bisignano on March 16 asking for information on how the reinstatement of the 1-800 number has affected claims processing and wait times.
“Your deployed employees still have any training, which forces them to move from more technical positions to customer-facing tasks with just a few days’ notice,” the letter reads, adding that “This new assignment is a band-aid solution to ongoing service problems.”
Warren’s office told Business Insider that it has not yet received a response.
Social Security could reach insolvency by 2032
The Social Security Fund is set to become insolvent within the next decade, leading to significant reductions in benefits, without Congressional action. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the Social Security retirement trust fund will be insolvent by 2032, as federal spending on Social Security and health care grows to $5.9 trillion by 2036. Although beneficiaries will still receive checks, the monthly income may be smaller, especially as the beneficiary pool grows.
The latest tax cuts under the Trump administration bring relief to beneficiaries, even as they put the future of Social Security at risk. Social Security is funded by a combination of individual taxes and existing federal trusts.
The president’s tax cuts, for example, will leave more money in the pockets of senior citizens. Taxpayers 65 and older can claim up to $6,000 in addition to their standard deduction until 2028 — which analysts at the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said would speed up insolvency by several months. The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities also reports that reducing income tax for wealthy Americans will also affect Social Security funding over time, as policies will discourage workers from other countries, because two tax groups contribute to the fund.
One CRFB proposal suggests reducing Social Security benefits to $100,000 for high-income couples and $50,000 for individuals, which researchers say would save billions and help close the solvency gap. If implemented, this proposal could result in a benefit cut of less than $1 for the top 0.05% of Americans.
The payment plans and procedures remain the same
DOGE and government policy changes have affected SSA’s customer service system, but beneficiaries can still expect to receive their monthly checks on a predictable schedule. The dates vary according to the date of birth.
Eligibility criteria for Social Security also remain the same. To claim benefits, Americans must be at least 62 years old. If people wait until full retirement age in their 60s, they can claim a larger monthly check. Full benefits are available at age 70, and beneficiaries can qualify for Medicare at age 65.
During DOGE last year, Osorio explained why he stayed at SSA.
“Oppressed people, old people, people who have recently been disabled or lost women – they come here because we are the last ones,” he said. “We are salvation.”