What to know about the closings of the Social Security office motivated by Musk’s Doge

By Meg Kinnard

Cups at the head of the Social Security Administration invite questions about how the advantages of millions of beneficiaries can be assigned.

Among the potential changes are the layoffs for more than 10% of the agency’s workforce and the closure of dozens of offices in the United States, this is part of the Trump administration efforts to reduce the size of the federal workforce thanks to the Ministry of Government efficiency, inspired by President Donald Trump Musk’s adviser.

Some of the public -oriented locations listed for the closure had to be closed due to the lack of use. SSA claims that work on other non -public sites for closure is consolidated.

Here is an overview of the agency’s discounts, which serves more than 70 million Americans and potential effects for beneficiaries:

Will the Social Security office near my home be closed?

On its website, DOGE lists 47 Social Security Administration field offices for closing through the United States, many of which are concentrated in the south and across the Southeast.

An agency spokesperson said last week that most of the leases that are not renewed concerned the spaces used for hearings in person, the sites are no longer necessary due to the majority of the hearings that were held practically. During the year 2024, according to the SSA, 20% of these offices had no audience in person.

Some of the other properties had already been fixed for the closure or were in any case consolidated, noted the spokesperson, saying that the agency worked with the General Services Administration “to examine our leases and ensure that they are used effectively”.

According to the Social Security Administration, the agency has around 1,200 field offices in the United States

Will my social security services be reduced?

Not necessarily, but the defenders said that agency discounts would lead to a decrease in services.

The 72.5 million beneficiaries of social security across the country include retirees and children who receive retirement and disability services.

The Senate Democrat, Chuck Schumer of New York, characterized the Musk cuts to the agency as efforts to “attack the foundation of the American social security net”.

Social security is one of the most important and popular social programs in the country. A January survey of the Associated Press-Noc Center for Public Affairs Research revealed that two-thirds of American adults think that the country spends too little in social security.

The program faces a date of imminent bankruptcy if it is not addressed by the Congress. The May 2024 report on Social Security and Fiduciaries of Medicare indicates that the fiduciary funds of Social Security – who cover the beneficiaries of old age and disability – will not be able to pay all the benefits from 2035. Then, Social Security would only be able to pay 83% of the services.

What about the dismissals of social security employees?

Earlier this week, a person familiar with the agency’s plans, but not authorized to speak publicly, said that social security administration was preparing to fire at least 7,000 people from its workforce.

According to the Center on Budget Policy and Priories, the administration of the program represents less than 1% of the income which finances it.

Democratic defenders and legislators have warned that licensees and agency cuts will reduce the agency’s ability to serve the beneficiaries in a timely.

In a letter last month to the acting administrator of Social Security, Michelle King, Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand in New York wrote that the hearing office of White Plains in her state has 2,000 cases pending, saying that “the beneficiaries should travel between 24 and 135 miles” to go to another office if she closes.

What does the Trump administration say on Social Security?

In an episode with the podcaster Joe Rogan broadcast last month, Musk called Social Security “the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time”.

But Trump, who, during the presidential campaign, promised to modify the program, has always said that there would be no changes to the benefits. Since his election in November, the Republican has reiterated these comments, saying that social security benefits “will not be affected” and “will only be strengthened”.

Associated Press journalist, Fatima Hussein, contributed from Washington.

Kinnard has brought in Chapin, South Carolina, and can be attached to http://x.com/megkinnardap.

Originally published: March 7, 2025 at 10:37 PST