With the current government shutdown, a common question is how it affects the Social Security Administration operations. Social Security tries to lessen the effect of the shutdown on citizens as much as possible; therefore, a brief synopsis of what is and isn’t available follows.
Your Social Security or Supplemental Security Income payments will continue with no change in payment dates.
If you have a hearing scheduled during the shutdown, the hearing office remains open to conduct hearings before Administrative Law Judges.
If you need to apply for benefits, your local Social Security field office (can be found here) can help you submit your application.
If you need to file an appeal, your local Social Security field office can help you.
Your local field office can also help with the following during a shutdown:
- Change your address or direct deposit information;
- Accept reports of death;
- Verify or change your citizenship status;
- Replace a lost or missing Social Security payment;
- Issue a critical payment;
- Change a representative payee; or
- Process a change in your living arrangement or income (for SSI recipients only).
Your local field office will be unable to help with anything else during the shutdown, including:
- Issue a new or replacement Social Security card;
- Replace your Medicare card;
- Issue a proof of income letter; or
- Update or correct your earnings record.
If you have a question about Social Security disability please give us at call at (904)777-7777
