Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

He plans to do a major software upgrade which will only take a few months instead of the current 5 year planned migration so maybe this is a first test crash of that plan :)

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

"Upgrade" :blink:

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

COBOL to ELON

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Arrrggghhh! The 'U' word :eek:

Where's Bristol's "We're all doomed" thread?

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

It’s not looking good, the “U” word also standing for under staffed.


https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...ocial-security

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Certainly seems problematic. I imagine, with experienced staff eliminated, there will be MORE of a problem in the future with the percentage of “improper payments.” I mean, I can see that, with luck, they’ll keep paying living people the same amount each month, just because it’s easier to keep spitting out the same check in perpetuity. But if problems occur? Prior errors are identified? Beneficiaries want to change their bank account info? Beneficiaries die? Proportion of errors could grow by the month …

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Likely Steerpike's problem then.

"The SSA website has crashed several times this month. Wired reported Doge staff want to migrate all social security data and rewrite code in months, which could cause system collapse and further outages."

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

What could possibly go wrong with DOGE involved? (I believe Musk has been or is being terminated from his DOGE role?). In Canada new payment system was introduced for federal employees and a decade later I'm not sure it's even sorted out yet, thousand of people, overpaid, underpaid or not paid at all. Check out the Phoenix payment debacle.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Is this like the Starlink test crashes he did?

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Exactly. All my SS checks will flutter down over St Kitts & Nevis.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Today - a different system response:

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...ddf812c6cc.png
But - it's Sunday. So may be all the servers are in Church.

Let's see what Monday brings ...

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Was that from just attempting to log into your account, or attempting to track your application to start drawing?

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

I can log in as of 11am UK time. But that's just to see my account. I'm not yet at the point of applying for actual benefits so can't test that bit.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Today's problem (this is the third type of problem I've encountered so far!):

https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...ad15fb51bd.png

These errors are all just trying to log in and view the initial 'status' page.
So - in detail -
1) visit ssa.gov. Click on 'Sign In' (upper right).
2) This opens a new tab with the 'create an account or sign in' page, offering login.gov, id.me, etc.
3) Click on Login.gov
4) This opens the login.gov page. Enter email address and password, and click 'submit'.
5) Satisfy 2 Factor Authentication - in my case, enter the google authenticator code (most people will get a text message with code)
6) This opens the 'Terms of Service' page. click 'I agree....' and Next.
7) (This is when I normally get the various errors posted above).
HOWEVER - THIS TIME - I get the actual status page! Starts with 'Welcome, <my name>' So this was about 15 minutes after the original error, posted above. So it would seem there are intermittent issues.

BUT - now I see a NEW (and more serious?) problem:

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...5c7f00d831.png
"We received an incomplete online application ... We will not take any action until we receive a completed and signed application'. This is new.

So now I need to figure out why it's saying 'incomplete' ... YUK.

UPDATE - if I click on the 'show retirement benefits application details', I see this, which contradicts the 'we will not take any action until ...' statement above.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/british...5bb7cc474a.png

I guess I'll sit tight for a week and see if anything changes.

Re: Social Security in the current climate
 

Hmm. Sounds like a phone call is needed, along with 45 minutes on hold while you wait for someone.

Edit to add - what happens when you click on the "show retirement application details" link below the box?